Knowledge - Understanding - Wisdom
If you have ever opened the book of Proverbs, you will have discovered that there are some interesting themes flowing throughout. Three of these themes are Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. A loose definition of each of these words indicate that there is an increasing importance in one's life brought on by study and experience.
Knowledge is what we gather, the little snippets of information that we find around us, especially the information found in the Word of God. Understanding is the gathering together of these bits of knowledge to make sense of the world around us. Wisdom is the use of Understanding in the right way, at the right time, to accomplish the right purposes.
From scripture, we can come to the understanding that the source of real knowledge is the Lord, because He is the one who has created. He is the one who teaches man knowledge because ultimately He is the source of it. So we would do well to hear what He has to say in His Word.
Psalms 94:9-11 (NASB)
[9] He who planted the ear, *does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, *does He not see?
[10] He who *chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,
Even He who teaches man knowledge?
[11] The LORD knows the thoughts of man,
*That they are a mere breath.
It even explains in the Word of God that Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
Proverbs 1:7 (NASB)
[7] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
So what is Fear of the Lord? We seem to be going in circles here at first glance. The Fear of the Lord is more than just reverence for God, it is more than a "shaking in our boots" kind of response when we think of Him. The Fear of the Lord is the knowledge that He is a Holy God, who created all, who watches everything, knows everything, and is making a tabulation of all that He sees. It is the knowledge that nothing we do or say or even think that is not open and revealed to Him and that one day we must give an accounting of what we have done before Him.
Hebrews 9:27-28 (NASB)
[27] And inasmuch as it is *appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, [28] so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Our knowledge of God will stay our hand from committing sin. Ultimately our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ governs our actions because we seek to please Him. Once we have been brought into the fold of believers, we strive to become more and more like Jesus. In fact, that is what sanctification is all about. It is our change brought on by the Holy Spirit's actions in our lives so that we may become more and more like Christ each and every day.
So what of Understanding? Where does that come from? Going back to the Word of God, we discover that the source of Understanding is the Lord. He is the one who guards wisdom and understanding and gives it to men.
Proverbs 2:6-9 (NASB)
[6] For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
[7] He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
[8] Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
[9] Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
Notice that righteousness and justice cannot be discerned without His leading. Our ability to treat everyone with equity (treating everyone equally) is only derived from the Lord. Discerning the good course, the right path, also comes from Him. In short, all that is of Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom finds its roots in the Lord of Hosts, no where else.
Knowledge is what we gather, the little snippets of information that we find around us, especially the information found in the Word of God. Understanding is the gathering together of these bits of knowledge to make sense of the world around us. Wisdom is the use of Understanding in the right way, at the right time, to accomplish the right purposes.
From scripture, we can come to the understanding that the source of real knowledge is the Lord, because He is the one who has created. He is the one who teaches man knowledge because ultimately He is the source of it. So we would do well to hear what He has to say in His Word.
Psalms 94:9-11 (NASB)
[9] He who planted the ear, *does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, *does He not see?
[10] He who *chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,
Even He who teaches man knowledge?
[11] The LORD knows the thoughts of man,
*That they are a mere breath.
It even explains in the Word of God that Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
Proverbs 1:7 (NASB)
[7] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
So what is Fear of the Lord? We seem to be going in circles here at first glance. The Fear of the Lord is more than just reverence for God, it is more than a "shaking in our boots" kind of response when we think of Him. The Fear of the Lord is the knowledge that He is a Holy God, who created all, who watches everything, knows everything, and is making a tabulation of all that He sees. It is the knowledge that nothing we do or say or even think that is not open and revealed to Him and that one day we must give an accounting of what we have done before Him.
Hebrews 9:27-28 (NASB)
[27] And inasmuch as it is *appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, [28] so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Our knowledge of God will stay our hand from committing sin. Ultimately our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ governs our actions because we seek to please Him. Once we have been brought into the fold of believers, we strive to become more and more like Jesus. In fact, that is what sanctification is all about. It is our change brought on by the Holy Spirit's actions in our lives so that we may become more and more like Christ each and every day.
So what of Understanding? Where does that come from? Going back to the Word of God, we discover that the source of Understanding is the Lord. He is the one who guards wisdom and understanding and gives it to men.
Proverbs 2:6-9 (NASB)
[6] For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
[7] He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
[8] Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
[9] Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
Notice that righteousness and justice cannot be discerned without His leading. Our ability to treat everyone with equity (treating everyone equally) is only derived from the Lord. Discerning the good course, the right path, also comes from Him. In short, all that is of Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom finds its roots in the Lord of Hosts, no where else.