Wisdom and Knowing

Wisdom and Knowing

 However,
 we speak wisdom among those who are mature,

 yet not the wisdom of this age,
 nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,

 the hidden wisdom which God ordained
 before the ages for our glory,

which none of the rulers of this age knew;

 for had they known,
 they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared
 for those who love Him." 

But God has revealed them to us
 through His Spirit.

 For the Spirit searches all things,
 yes, the deep things of God.

For what man knows the things of a man
 except the spirit of the man which is in him?
 Even so no one knows the things of God
 except the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
 but the Spirit who is from God,

 that we might know the things
 that have been freely given to us by God.

These things we also speak,

 not in words which man's wisdom teaches
 but which the Holy Spirit teaches,

 comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man
 does not receive the things of the Spirit of God,

 for they are foolishness to him;

 nor can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.

But he who is spiritual judges all things,
 yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

For "who has known the mind of the Lord
 that he may instruct Him?" 

But we have the mind of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 

For now we see in a mirror, dimly,
 but then face to face.

 Now I know in part,
 but then I shall know just as I also am known.

  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;

 but the greatest of these is love. 

1 Corinthians 13:12-13

When we reach Heaven, we will have a 'Knowing' that we can never understand while on earth. Although as believers in the LORD JESUS we know and understand many spiritual truths through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, our spiritual sight is dimmed by our carnal nature. We do not see spiritual things with our natural eyes but through eyes of faith, which is based on the word of GOD. We also live according to our faith. Such wisdom and such living is foolishness to those of the world. We live constantly with the hope that our faith will become sight one day!

The CROSS - 4

The CROSS - 4

Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

But Jesus answered them, saying,

"The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

"Most assuredly, I say to you,

unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,

it remains alone;

but if it dies, it produces much grain.

"He who loves his life will lose it,

and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me;

and where I am, there My servant will be also.

If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

John 12:20-26

Greeks to whom ‘CHRIST crucified’ is foolishness, desired to see JESUS. It must have been mind-boggling for them to reconcile the divine wisdom of the LORD with the foolishness of the cross.

Dying to self is the first step to increase and multiplication.

Saying ‘Yes’ to the way of the cross is in a sense similar to a girl saying ‘Yes’ to a proposal by the man. She has to be willing to give up her life of freedom to submit to, support and partner with her husband to pursue his interest and plan in life.

And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision,

why do I still suffer persecution?

Then the offense of the cross has ceased.

Galatians 5:11

As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh,

these would compel you to be circumcised,

only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Galatians 6:12

The cross offends those who try to justify themselves by keeping the law or do good works.

... But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom the world has been crucified to me,

and I to the world.

Galatians 6:14

I overcome the world only through the LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who died on the cross for me

Knowledge - How Do We Handle It?

Knowledge can be divided into 2 main categories. 1) Knowledge of GOD and heavenly things. 2) knowledge of man and earthly things.

First of all we need to know that all knowledge belongs to GOD.
Job 21:22
“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?”

The knowledge that we gain should be stored and used wisely and appropriately. Knowledge used indiscriminately is unprofitable and can bring destruction to ourselves and others.

Proverbs 10:14
Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

From GOD'S word, the Holy Bible, we gain knowledge about GOD and the state of mankind in relation to GOD.

Proverbs 2:6
For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Knowledge & understanding should go together.

Proverbs 9:10
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Knowledge & wisdom should go hand in hand.

Ecclesiastes 7:12
For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

Self control is a good addition to knowledge!

2 Peter 1:6
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

Proverbs 17:27-28
He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. ²⁸ Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

Knowledge & sin

GOD'S word shows us His plan for us and how far short we fall from that plan and also the path of salvation.

Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Proverbs 19:2
Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet.

Knowledge & pride

Knowledge confined to the head, brings forth pride.

1 Corinthians 8:1
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

1 Samuel 2:3 
“Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.

Knowledge & instruction should go together.

Proverbs 8:10
Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold;

Luke 1:4
that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

Increase in knowledge

Earthly knowledge has increased and continues to increase immensely these days. The compulsive force to acquire more knowledge because of peer pressure and copetitive pride of life can become oppressive. It is more important for us to increase the knowledge of our Savior JESUS CHRIST.

Daniel 12:4
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

2 Peter 3:18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Knowledge & spiritual Warfare

 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

False knowledge

1 Timothy 6:20-21 
O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— ²¹ by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

Even the study of GOD'S word can be towards head knowledge leading to arguments and unnecessary debating.

Knowledge & life

The only fruit that was forbidden in the garden of Eden was that from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The very moment Adam and Eve ate of it, they had to be separated from and kept out of the tree of life. The fruit or consequence of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil has to be completely dealt with before we can have access to the tree of life. We cannot have eternal life without partaking of the fruit from the tree of life.

Thankfully, JESUS completed the needful work to overcome the curse of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and has become The Way to the tree of life. The cross on which JESUS died, gives us a picture of the tree of life. The Savior of the world gave up His own life on that tree. When we come to the foot of the cross humbly, acknowledging our need and receive forgiveness and redemption through His blood, we receive eternal life.

Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:16-17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 3:4-6 
 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:23-24 (NKJV)
therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Knowledge & love

 1 Corinthians 13:2
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  

The purpose of knowledge and the end of knowledge has to be love. When the knowledge of GOD proceeding from GOD goes from the head to the heart, it brings edification. The love of GOD is imparted into the human heart by GOD'S own Spirit, bringing love, joy, peace and hope.

Romans 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The love of JESUS is an experience of the heart which is beyond the knowledge of the mind. May you come to experience this love that leads to salvation.

Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.