True Wisdom and Understanding

Prov. 4:7 – “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

This age and culture is centered around knowledge and technology. Students are able to learn physics, chemistry, mathematics, languages, computer science, music, technology, craftsmanship, and the arts. Daniel even predicts this increase in knowledge as a characteristic of the end times:

Dan. 12:4 – “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

God has given man a very great capacity for rational thought, inventiveness, understanding,  wisdom in the things of this world, and even natural forms of ethics and morality, but yet there is a different kind of wisdom and understanding that is completely foreign to the natural man.

1 Cor. 2:14 – “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The reason is because of sin – the sin we inherited at the Fall, resulting in the spiritual death of mankind. When we are born again we suddenly have the capacity for true understanding, precisely because of this new regenerated life. This wisdom and understanding is given directly by God, and is initially what enables us to understand the gospel when we hear it, and then to be able to respond.

But having a capacity for understanding is not the same as having understanding. Understanding the gospel is not the end of this wisdom, but the beginning. As newborn babes have limited understanding, so it is with a “babe in Christ”. The wisdom and understanding must come over time, in bits and pieces as we grow in Christ through a life of trials. There is no point at which we can say we have arrived at the pinnacle of wisdom – there is always more wisdom and understanding to be had. God’s wisdom is like an ever-flowing spring, never failing to provide more to the thirsty soul.

God in his goodness and mercy imparts a measure of this understanding to us “unasked”, but he will not give it in real abundance and depth except to those who hunger and thirst for it.  Psalm 119 shows us in many instances how true wisdom and understanding come to a man. It must be an earnest and fervent desire that moves us to cry out to God for understanding.

Ps. 119:8 – ” Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

Ps. 119:73 – “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.”

Ps. 119:125 – “I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.”

Ps. 119:144 – “The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.”

Ps. 119:169 – “Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.”

People often wonder how they should pray, and for what. One of the main things we should be praying for is understanding – “give me understanding, and I shall live”.  And what is true understanding but to know God and to be gradually conformed to the image of Christ?

Another way that Psalm 119 addresses this is by praying that God would teach us.

Ps. 119:26 – “I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

Ps. 119:68 – “Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.”

Ps. 119:108 – “Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.”

Ps. 119:135 – “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.”

We need to be taught his statutes and judgments so we can know how to acceptably serve him. But there is much wisdom to be had that goes beyond mere understanding of his commandments. Knowing his acts by the testimony of his Word, and even by personal experience is good, but it is better to know his ways.

Ps. 103:7 says “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” Moses had a much deeper knowledge of God than did the other Israelites, even though they had all experienced the exodus and the Passover and all God’s provisions in the wilderness. It is better to truly know God, than merely to observe and appreciate his providential care and protection.

How does God give us wisdom and understanding?

Mainly it is through the revelation of his precepts in the Word (the Bible). We read and meditate on his Word, and get understanding.

Ps. 119:99-100 – “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”

Ps. 119:104 – “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”

Ps. 119:130 – “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

But wisdom does not come merely by reading the Word, it is by believing it (that is, through faith).

Ps. 119:66 – “Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.”

What are the results of this lifelong pursuit of true wisdom?

It is not enough just to “know stuff”. We need to live it, experience it, grow in it, and then share it with others to magnify God in the earth. We talk of his works.

Ps. 119:27 – “Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.“

This is one of the benefits of the local church – we can share what God is showing us, and build each other up spiritually.

1 Cor. 14:26 – “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.“

But the real purpose of getting wisdom and understanding is that we would obey God, and serve him acceptably (Heb. 12:28).

Ps. 119:34 – “Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.”

Ps. 119:33 – “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.”

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