An Increased Level of Knowledge is Pivotal to Life and Character

By Dr. Tom John

October 24, 2008

(COGAF News Article)  The importance of knowledge, instruction, understanding, and wisdom for life and character is considered much in the Scriptures, especially, in the books of Wisdom Literature.  The book of Proverbs portrays this subject as follows:

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning...  Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction...  He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray...  Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding...  To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom. (Prov. 9:9; 10:14, 17, 13, 23)

Thus, according to Proverbs, instruction is required for knowledge, and understanding for wisdom.  Knowledge and wis­dom are necessary for life and character.  Solomon states that, whoever finds wisdom finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who sins against wisdom wrongs his own soul; and all those who hate wisdom love death (Prov. 8:35, 36).  How does one go about obtaining knowledge and wisdom?  The way is made known to all those who pay attention to the instructions of the Word.  The Bible states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline...  [And] the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Prov. 1:7; 9:10).  It is clear here that God is the source of knowledge, understanding and wisdom, and therefore one must seek after Him to conduct one's life according to his nature. 

God's nature or his character is not normally known to or understood by anyone without having instruction in the Word.  To know his Word means that one has received instruction in the Word.  This enables him to know and understand it.  This does not mean learning is a process that happens without the assistance of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus identifies the Holy Spirit as the teacher, the One who teaches all things (John 14:6).  A person can learn using external resources, but to have an understanding, he needs the assistance of the Holy Spirit.  On this matter Yves Congar states, "Man may try to learn externally, but his labor will be in vain if the Holy Spirit, from within, does not give him understanding. (1)   Man needs instruction and understanding to appropriate knowledge and wis­dom that he may administer justice, judgment, equity, pru­dence, and discretion, and conduct his life according to the nature of God and to manifest his character, the fruit of the Spirit (Prov. 1:2-6).

Wisdom, according to the Jewish wisdom literature, comes from the mouth of the Most High (Sir 24:3).  Congar comments on wisdom in following words:

Wisdom is said to have been begotten by God as a first-fruit of his creative activity.  In the Jewish Wisdom literature of Alexandria, composed when the Christian era was drawing near, Wisdom appeared to be so related to the Spirit (see especially Wis 1:6-7 and 7:22-8:1) that some early Christian authors believed that they were identical, while others seem to have identified the Spirit with the Son of God, that is the Pneuma [Spirit] with the Logos.  Wisdom was therefore also the Son, the Word, or the Spirit.  Wisdom was certainly seen as very close to God and as the activity of God in the world and in human beings.  But the Wisdom literature con­tains no explicit statements uniting the Spirit and the Word. (2)

Although the Spirit and the Word are not shown as one in the Wisdom Literature, they are linked in the Gospels and especially in the synoptics (Matt. 3:16-17; Mark 10:11; Luke 3:22).  The Spirit inspires the words and makes them  effec­tive as they are needed (Matt. 10:19-20; Mark 13:9-11; Luke 12:11-12).  Thus, the Holy Spirit's involvement in teaching, and his assistance in one's learning, knowing, understanding and applying facts and truths to one's life are inevitable.

Scripture states, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  Thus, an increased knowledge in the Word is needed for life and to manifest godly character.  An increased knowledge in the Word can provide greater potential to shun the works of the flesh.  This is the admo­nition the apostle Paul gives to Timothy concerning the Ephesian believers' character and conduct.  As he speaks in regards to God's nature, Paul explains to Timothy,

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. (2 Tim. 2:14-16)

The essence of Paul's word is that anyone who rightly learns or divides the Word of God will increase his knowledge in godliness and his character, and consequently   manifest this in his life.  God's nature and attributes are known and revealed through his special revelation--the Word.  To have knowledge of his Word one needs instruction.  To this end Solomon explains, "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid" (Prov. 12:1).  When Job speaks of wisdom and understanding, he asks the question, "Where can wisdom be found?  And where is the place of under-standing?" (Job 28:12).  The answer is, they are in God and found in those who fear the Lord and depart from evil (Job 28:28).     

The above statements conclusively demonstrate the need for God's special revelation and instruction in order to gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom regarding God's nature and his character.  Knowledge about them are learned and not earned.  To learn and appropriate it, a believer needs the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and this is possible for those who walk in the Spirit, not after the flesh.  He who has knowledge of God’s nature and character is to help, deliver, honor, and exhibit peace and build up his neighbor rather than to destroy, despise, or dishonor him (Prov. 11:9-12).

A righteous man's life and character is totally different from an unrighteous man's.  King Solomon depicts a righteous man as one who produces fruit.  He states, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life..., and the root of the right­eous yields fruit... and a man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth" (Prov. 11:30; 12:12, 14).  To be righteous and produce fruit, one needs knowledge in the Word, and this knowledge is not gained without learning and instruction.  This underscores the need for one to be trained in the Word, especially in the area of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), that one may know the true nature and character of God in one's Christian life and conduct a godly life.

1. Yves Congar, The Word and the Spirit (San Francisco, CA:  Harper and Row, 1986), p. 12.

2. Congar, p. 16.

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Dr. Tom John is the pastor of Church of All Nations in Tulsa, OK.

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