1 Corinthians 8:3

3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

1 Corinthians 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 8:3

But if any man love God
As they do, and show it, who love their brethren, and are careful not to grieve them; and make use of their superior knowledge, not for their destruction, but edification:

the same is known of him;
is taught by him, made to know more by him; such an one increases in spiritual knowledge, or he is highly approved of, esteemed, and beloved by God: he takes a special and particular notice of him, manifests his love to him, and will own and acknowledge him another day, when proud, haughty, overbearing, and hard hearted professors, will be rejected by him.

1 Corinthians 8:3 In-Context

1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.

3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords.

Footnotes

• [a] Some manuscripts read the person who loves has full knowledge.