Sometimes the men of God of old (and even now) use the pronoun ‘we’ as they addressed/address the Church, as though they mean just all the people— themselves and their flocks without exception (eg. 1Jn. 1:8,10).

Notwithstanding, the ‘we’ often refers to some members of the church, sometimes including the apostles themselves (eg. 1Cor. 8:1), and at other times, not including them eg. Jn. 1:8,10).

In the Corinthian church, some members (and of course the apostle himself) had the profound knowledge that “the idol was nothing and that God was all-in-all” (1Cor. 8:1).

From this we realize that good knowledge is necessary and should be acquired by members of the church. Good knowledge is “knowledge in any sphere that is blended with faith in God, Christ and the fear of God” (Pro. 1:7; 9:10); “knowledge of God Himself and His nature” (Jer. 9:23-24; 31:34; Jn. 17:3); and all the truths of God in all matters” (Jn. 8:32).

But on the other hand, we see that knowledge (spiritual or secular) has some evil tendency with it, that cab destroy both the one that has it and others. This tendency is the “puffing-up of the mind”, making one to look down on those less-knowledgeable (1Cor. 8:1 cp. Acts. 17:18-19; Jn. 9:30-34).

Therefore those of us in the church that have much more knowledge than the others must beware.