Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom Explained

[Music] hello brethren good to be here on the Sabbath day it is good to have you know a respite from the the week and just enjoy peace and and safety at least we currently have right now just a wonderful thing beautiful day outside I thought it was wonderful the last song we just sang not many wise men now are called and that's because that is one of the things that I want to really focus on for the sermon today but just want to read that one of the last the the last verse here at least part of it even the foolishness of God is wiser by far than man is even the weakness of our God is stronger than man is you know we're not called because of greatness were called he's called the humble of the world he's called those who art great even the wisdom of mankind is to God but foolish the topic that I'd like to talk about today is about knowledge understanding and wisdom you know the terms can be used interchangeably and it's okay in some ways to use them interchangeably and they are really and in many cases used interchangeably but there are differences there are differences between knowledge understanding and wisdom and there's various nuances and there's a relationship they have a relationship they relate to one another you know when I first began to study God's Word I you know and especially reading proverbs boy I didn't understand I didn't know I didn't didn't get it didn't understand the difference really between knowledge and understanding and wisdom so in today's sermon I would like to release the first split sermon I'd like to examine the differences and relationships between knowledge understanding and wisdom we're not going to cover every detail but rather simply highlight the differences and how they relate to one another then we'll explore really what it means for us so first let's look at knowledge the dictionary definition of knowledge is the accumulation of facts information and skills acquired by a person through either experience so a person can acquire knowledge through experience through doing something or by education maybe by reading being taught the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject it's the understanding of a subject or the knowledge of a subject the might also be said that it's the collection of information and data and the ability to recall it so that's what knowledge is the collection of information and data on the ability to recall it there are two primary ways to grow in knowledge one is as was mentioned in the definition is through experience through doing something for example let's say driving a car right now you could read about it cuz that's the other way actually that's the other way to grow in knowledge is through reading being taught learning education now driving a car you can either you can read about it for sure you could also get in the car I think for example when I took my driver's license tests it was actually you know had to get on the road this was in Virginia and the person one of the students that was in the car with us apparently I think she knew like she had had knowledge of how to drive a car but I don't think she had ever practiced in her life and so the very first time that she got behind the wheel was with the driving instructor me in the backseat and another girl in the backseat and boy I thought we were going to die I'm serious if we it was over correction one side almost often to the dish boom almost often to the cars coming toward us on a two-lane small road boy that was scary so knowledge but by the end of the driving session I don't know whether she passed or not but I would not have passed her but by the end of the driving session she had now learned by experience to roughly keep it not not oversteer roughly keep it in the lane so through experience she you know grew and had you know develop the knowledge of how to keep it in the lane but also education of course education and reading being taught taking classes and so forth one of the fastest ways to grow in knowledge one of the fastest ways because it's right there you you're listening to the experience of others who've put it together in a way that could be understood and that you can you can read through it and you can see a lot of things through reading and through education that you may not be exposed to for years if you only develop knowledge through experience right it's all right there it's all put together for you let's go to proverbs 1 proverbs 1 and verse 7 I'm going to use the one on the right the cup of water proverbs 1 and verse 7 now God's Word is right there in front of us the mind of God imprint ready for us to consume proverbs 1 and verse 7 the fear of the eternal is the beginning of knowledge it's the beginning of knowledge but it says fools despise wisdom and instruction fools don't want wisdom they don't want to hear the experiences of others and how that might help in life they don't want instruction to be instructed on how to live but the fear of the eternal is the beginning of knowledge we can learn from others we can learn wisdom from others you know we can gain knowledge from the wisdom of others we can learn from instruction but why is the fear of the eternal the beginning of knowledge it's the beginning of true knowledge true knowledge there's a lot of knowledge out there there's a lot of information a lot of data out there but God's Word has true knowledge true knowledge God's Word is the foundation of knowledge so the fear of God by fearing God we will respect what he says what he has to say we'll know that what he has to say is important and critical in our lives if he created us and if he has given us his word what he has for us is critical and important in our lives and tells us how to avoid troubles and problems and it's all right here if we fear God by fearing God we will take the time to listen and study God's Word and grow in that knowledge it's interesting those who if we reject knowledge let's turn to well we're in proverbs 1 let's go to verse 28 verse 28 then they will come to me but I will ant I will not answer they will seek me diligently but they will not find me because they hated knowledge and specifically the knowledge of God God's Word they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the eternal true knowledge comes from God and God hates it when we reject knowledge when when the people reject knowledge he says in Hosea 4 verse 6 we don't have to turn there but he says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge but knowledge though so knowledge is the collection of information the data and putting it together and being able to recall it being able to to to use it this is true knowledge God's Word is true knowledge but knowledge by itself when not used when knowledge is not put to use especially when not used in an attitude of service and love it has a tendency to make one arrogant it can we think about you know many professors in and so forth in higher education there is a tendency there let's go to 1st Corinthians 8 first Corinthians 8 and verse 1 it doesn't have to knowledge does not have to make one arrogant but it can have a tendency to do that if knowledge is not used properly in love in service and outflowing concern in applying that knowledge first corinthians 8 and verse 1 for we know that we have we all have knowledge but knowledge puffs up knowledge puffs up makes arrogant but love edifies so knowledge and taking in information taking in data that by itself isn't useful to anyone we have to apply the knowledge we have to apply it and it has to be applied in love so knowledge is the collection of information and data from education or experience and the fear of the eternal is the beginning of true knowledge the knowledge of how to live in about life itself that's the knowledge of God how to live in about life which is only revealed through God's Word so that is knowledge now we'll look at understanding understanding so the dictionary definition of understanding is the ability to understand something or to comprehend to comprehend so here's the knowledge here's the information maybe read in a book but now it's the ability to understand that it's the ability to comprehend why it is the way it is it's the power to make experience intelligible by applying concepts by applying the concepts that have been learned through education in other words understanding is really the comprehension of why something is the way it is and it can only come through putting knowledge into action and experiencing it so for example we the the girl who drove the car for example right she learned how to drive the car and we all did really but I don't know if she read about it or not beforehand you can read about it but it's not until you apply it when you begin to understand how to drive you can read about the signs you'll see you can read about how to steer the car you can read about how to not over correct but it's not until you get in the car and you drive that you begin to understand what you've learned right it's the same thing with application of God's Word in life let's go to Psalm 111 and verse 10 Psalm 111 and verse 10 we have to experience in order to have understanding we have to put it into action Psalm 111 and verse 10 and we've heard this before and this is a principle this really is a principle Psalm 111 at verse 10 the fear of the eternal is the beginning of wisdom and we'll get to that the fear of the eternal is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they who do his commandments we have God's commandments they're right there in writing for us to read for us to study for us to learn from and gain the knowledge of but it's not until we do them that we have understanding it's not until we do them and put them into practice in our lives in fact you know when I know for myself and probably for many of us when we when God first started working in our lives and we started responding to him working in our lives I should say we didn't fully understand why we had to change we knew that God says to do it so we make the changes maybe for those who came from Sunday to keeping Saturday it could be any change in our life God says to do it and we don't maybe fully understand and we see that there might be troubles that come from our change we're gonna lose our friends we're gonna lose our maybe our families we're gonna lose whatever our jobs and it's so hard to understand why so there's a degree of faith that comes in to act on the knowledge and then we act on it and through acting on that knowledge we begin to understand why God says to do the things he does we understand it whereas in the world and before God called us we couldn't understand why God says to do the things he says I want to read from July August 2006 l see an article entitled seven keys to mental mastery by dr. Meredith he says what is understanding it is different from knowledge for knowledge connotes merely the possession of facts and information but understanding is the grasp not only not only of the information of facts not only its its understanding and grasping that but of their relationship to each other and their meaning it is the awareness of the basic laws and principles governing personal national and spiritual situations that come up this is understanding taking these facts and being able to see and understand how they relate to one another how they relate to life nationally spiritually and in our personal lives it usually involves much study thought and experience understanding does it enables one to see the big picture in a given situation I want to read from a forum an online forum I appreciated the comments made in this not that you would generally rely on online forums for good information but I thought this was helpful in the way it was put knowledge is something that you accumulate through learning understanding is something that you know because you have lived through it I remember mr. Lee used to say you know you can talk about that coke coke bottle right and the coke in it on a taste so eight sweet fizzles in your mouth it's wonderful but boy you don't understand what it tastes like until you get it in your mouth and have that taste right it can't you can't explain you can't read how that tastes and understand how it tastes it only comes through doing it he gives an example someone can show you a cookbook and you can learn about all the ingredients and the process of cooking but boy you're not gonna understand it until you do it and put it into action it's the same thing of course with God's Word I remember when when I was working for the company I was in Atlanta I was serving them as a technician and I would get to someone had mentioned you know whatever you do you you need to read on whatever you're doing right and so I said okay that's fine so I started reading our manual there's a manual about like that not I mean not a big deal but you know it was like that and I started reading I'd get to work at about 6:00 in the morning and then we've started work at 7:00 and I'm starting to read this thing I'm I'm 2 years in to what I've been doing right something like that two years into the job and I'm reading through this and boy I'm letting you know I did not understand anything as I was reading the terminology what I was talking about I had never seen this equipment before I could not understand it was it was like reading Greek is what it was right so I could not understand I said well I'm gonna just I'll keep pushing through eh push through don't understand what I'm reading have no idea and then I don't know I don't know how much time passed but then ah I'm on a job right now that that this is actually talking about and I could say oh I understand now what this is talking about the the terminology the pictures of what you know what it's showing this is what I'm working on right now and eventually you know started to say what am i working on now and then go to the book and read about it made more sense that way right but the understanding only came it for me it was it was just a it's a sink point that that stuck with me the understanding only came after working on the equipment and that was when I could understand it and with God's Word with God's laws the understanding can only come from doing it from putting it into action from putting it to work in our lives without that there's no understanding without putting it into action it's only a bunch of knowledge that puffs up and it's interesting you know talking with go twos on the phone and how some of them wow they may have knowledge but they're not living God's Way of life and you can see the lack of understanding they can talk but boy you can see the lack of understanding understanding only comes through living that way and doing putting into action the knowledge gained I think this is a good example I saw an article a couple of weeks ago and I was thinking about this sermon and this stuck out to me and and there's so many times so many articles like this so that I don't want to get sidetracked with the articles it's themselves and the points of the articles but I want to highlight a point here so an example of knowledge and understanding that that we can have is God's people by putting into action God's Word whereas otherwise someone you know we can read God's Word have the knowledge and then apply it and then have understanding from that right understanding in in some cases could also come from someone not having any knowledge of God's Word but having paid attention in life right and watched circumstances play out in life having made mistakes in life having had hurts and trials and pains and troubles that they probably could have avoided we could have avoided if we would have read this and then applied it they can come out on the other end of that and have an understanding of certain biblical principles so I think that these articles highlight this the article I read was about gratitude and how gratitude can help with depression help overcome depression it was a new study here's a new study I don't know if it was the same article but a Harvard University article based on a study that was done the title of the article is giving thanks can make you happier that's interesting if we apply God's Word we can stab the knowledge that gratitude is the way to do things we can apply that knowledge and do it and understand the benefits of gratitude here's another study sym same topic by Berkeley how gratitude changes you and your brain a couple of comments inside the article indeed many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed so it's taken them two thousand year of five six thousand years to figure this out in these studies but God's Word it's all right here now studies and research on that is great and fine and dandy and it's neat and all that but I'm saying that if that's the only place where knowledge can come from boy you got to go through a lot of heartache and pain to get there some of the subheaders in the article are gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions interesting gratitude benefits take time okay that's right you apply it and it just takes time gratitude has lasting effects on the brain the point is is that God's Word says to do it a certain way he God's Word says that we should be thankful we can apply that learn from that and understand that having been revealed in God's Word so when we apply knowledge the knowledge of God's Word in our lives when we actually do it even when we don't understand why we're doing it we grow in understanding let's go to psalm 119 verse 99 psalm 119 verse 99 and thinking about the topics of these research studies and that idea psalm 119 verse 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation I understand more than the ancients more than those that are out there we can understand because God's Word is true it is the foundation of true knowledge and applying that we can have true understanding I understand more than the ancients because I keep your precepts in verse 104 through your precepts I get understanding therefore that's interesting what is the therefore therefore that's a mr. Frank quote I hate every false way because by living it by knowing it then applying it and living it we understand why the other way hurts why the other way is painful why the other way causes problems in life and hurts others and hurts ourselves it only comes through doing it so understanding is taking that knowledge applying it and experiencing it in life now let's look at wisdom definition of wisdom is the quality of having experience knowledge and good judgment the quality of being wise or the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of an experience of experience knowledge and good judgment in other words wisdom is the application of the knowledge and understanding we've gained from living God's way over time and using that knowledge and understanding in life decisions to avoid troubles and to increase the likelihood of success and a happy life it's taking that knowledge that we gained from God's Word it's taking the knowledge and understanding that we've gained through experiencing it living it applying it to our lives and then being able to make decisions with that information let's go to proverbs 9 and verse 10 proverbs 9 verse 10 proverbs 9 and verse 10 the fear of the eternal again right the fear of the eternal is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding the fear of the eternal is the beginning of wisdom why is it the beginning of wisdom because that's where it starts fearing God is the beginning of knowledge growing in that knowledge true knowledge the understanding of God's Word growing and understanding and reading and growing in the knowledge of God's Word I should say then applying that knowledge to our lives to grow an understanding of why he says to do the things he says to do and like David said when he grew an understanding he began to hate evil it was through growing an understanding that we can hate evil because we can see it we can understand why God says to do what he says to do then we can begin to forecast you know how how a situation might play out because we've we've read about it we've asked God for knowledge we've asked him to give us that understanding to apply it in our lives and we can begin to make decisions based on circumstances around us I want to read a commentary from Roger Meyer September 2019 how to live life skillfully he says wisdom is the ability to understand and use true knowledge to deal with life's issues and challenges and live life successfully it is an ability to accurately assess problems to discern the course of action this is wisdom to accurately assess problems to discern the best course of action and then to act prudently to resolve the problems wisdom will help us manage our health our livelihood our possessions our relationships with others wisdom will help us have peaceful sleep overcome fear and be happy and have a successful life that's what wisdom does it's the application of the knowledge it's the application of the understanding that has been developed by acting on that knowledge let's go to James 3 James 3 there are different types of knowledge I'm sorry different types of wisdom there's worldly wisdom and there is godly wisdom that water on the right tastes great James 3 verse 13 who is wise and understanding among you let him show by good conduct that's interesting by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom opposite of just puffed up knowledge it is the application of it it's the understanding of it and it is being able to look at life and make decisions but if you have any bitter Envy seeking self seeking in your heart do not boast and lie against the truth the wisdom this wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly sensual and demonic for where envy and self seeking exists confusion and every evil thing are there verse 17 but the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle willing to yield full of mercy and full and good fruits it's from taking that knowledge applying it and having developing understanding and then putting that into action in life which results in good fruits living God's Way results in good fruits and being able to make good decisions results in good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy Morini want to read again from dr. Meredith's article seven keys to mental mastery he says wisdom is the ability to draw on those facts and with understanding make a right decision in a given situation wisdom of course is the Faculty of making sound decisions anyone with great wisdom would need at least a good degree of understanding and vision they would also have to acquire knowledge of the problem at hand an attempt to get all of the pertinent facts having the facts and possessing understanding of the past history trends and laws governing the situation they face those who have wisdom must correlate all of these factors and make sound decisions that will be practical and that will actually work both now and in the future this is true wisdom it's wisdom that allows us to project forward and see the conclusion of a matter before it happens because we've grown in the knowledge we've applied that and grown an understanding you can understand like David said I hate evil therefore I hate evil as a result of living God's Way and having an understanding of why God says what he says it allows us to see to the heart of a problem without having to know every detail which is why sometimes children can have trouble understanding their parents decisions right there's so much behind the decisions that the child hasn't doesn't have the knowledge of those hasn't experienced yet hasn't grown in the understanding yet mm-hmm they haven't developed knowledge understanding especially the wisdom to see the end results of their decisions the child can't see that it's the same really same reason we sometimes don't understand maybe a bosses decision or maybe even decisions made in the church by the ministry because the boss generally has more experience in various matters and because of their situation they've been able to see far more and they've been able to watch other circumstances play out and it's come sometimes can be difficult for us when we when we have to follow through with a decision that's been made because we can't see it we haven't developed the full understanding and knowledge and wisdom yet they've learned because of their situation they've not only learned from their own experiences but seeing others people's experiences play out which adds to knowledge which adds to understanding which adds to wisdom and then decisions can be made so wisdom is the ability to put knowledge and understanding to use in life's decisions to avoid problems and to increase the likelihood of success so we've reviewed the differences in relationships between knowledge understanding and wisdom so what can we do about it what does it mean for us what does it mean what actions can we take well certainly we should pray and we all do pray for knowledge pray for understanding and pray for wisdom because true knowledge true understanding and true wisdom come from God they don't come from anywhere else it doesn't come from ourselves and God's wisdom God's foolishness it's far more than man's greatest wisdom let's go to Isaiah 11 Isaiah 11 comes through God's Holy Spirit Isaiah 11 and verse 2 Isaiah 11 verse 2 the spirit of the eternal shall rest on upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding a God's Spirit the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the eternal it's through God's Spirit that we can have these things have true knowledge true understanding and true wisdom God wants us to have happy fulfilling lives this is why he gives us his laws and his word he wants us to live by his laws for our own good so we will then grow in understanding of why he gave us his laws then he wants us to put that knowledge and understanding into action and begin to think the way he thinks because that's what begins to happen we begin to think the way he does we can see the troubles before they happen in people's lives earn our own lives depending on whatever circumstances or situations that come up we can foresee what will happen and the end results and make good decisions from him we begin to think the way he thinks to begin to see things the way he does with the true wisdom that God has and that only comes from him if we do this if we grow in knowledge understanding and wisdom we'll be preparing ourselves for his coming Kingdom and our part in it [Music] you

Channel: Living Church of God

Views: 9,360

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Keywords: Biblical Knowledge, Wisdom, Biblical Understanding, What is the difference between knowledge understanding and wisdom

Id: kNg4rVlT4Lg

Length: 41min 15sec (2475 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 03 2020