Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. No doubt His growth in wisdom as a child was based on the spiritual training He had at home (Luke 2:52). Queen Sheba was amazed at what she heard and saw that there was no spirit in her. Sign up to receive Chuck Swindoll's Daily Devotional in your inbox seven days a week. The subject of knowledge first deals with our intellect. So the first benefit of growing in godliness is fruitfulness in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is filled with the benefits that come to us as we grow in the knowledge of God and His Word. God says to love Him with our whole being, including the mind. 3. For more in-depth reading on the benefits of reading the Bible, consider these recommended books: Top 10 Reasons to Read the Bible Today: The Life-Changing Benefits of Daily Bible Reading by Wayne Davies, Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the BibleHoward G. Hendricks. When you embrace, promote, and exalt wisdom, you will get the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge, which are: Therefore, eternal life is the knowledge of God, the Holy One. How can we know whether our lives are truly fruitful for Gods kingdom? Additional Scripture on the Benefits of Reading the Bible, Scripture Releases our Chains and Lifts Our Burdens, His Word Enables Us to Battle and Defeat the Devil, You will Enjoy a Greater Fellowship with Him, You will be More Prosperous and Successful, Woman of Noble Character Affiliate Program, God deliver you and lift your burdens knowing, Promises never to destroy the earth again by flood, Kneel before the Throne: Exploring Ephesians with Verse Mapping and Bible Study, spiritual disciplines and a sign of spiritual maturity, learn to fear theLordhis God by keeping all the words, verses that remind us of how we should be longing for God and His Word, Top 10 Reasons to Read the Bible Today: The Life-Changing Benefits of Daily Bible Reading by Wayne Davie. We will enjoy the assurance of knowing that God has called and chosen us as His own. People with knowledge can collect, remember, and access information, but they might not know what to do with that information. Amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge When you embrace, promote, and exalt wisdom, you will get the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge, which are: Honor but before honor is humility (Proverbs 15:33) Grace Glory Promotion Your steps will not be hindered You will not stumble (Proverbs 4:8-13) The Bible declares, ".but through knowledge shall the just be delivered" (Proverbs 11:9). This does not mean that you must go into so-called full time Christian ministry. Rather, it means that in whatever situation you find yourself, whether at home, at school, or at work, you have the mindset that you want to be useful and fruitful for the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, there is a great difference between knowing God and simply knowing about Him. Psa 86:17. In the present, growing in godliness will give us the joy of being useful and fruitful to the Lord, so that we dont waste our lives. Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;If you find it, then there will be a future,And your hope will not be cut off. 3:5, 22; Deuteronomy 1:39; Isaiah 7:15), an ability that little ones lack. Wisdom belongs to God. A disciple does not dabble in learning. Peter further explains the idea from 1:10a: for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. These things refers back to verses 5-7. But what exactly does this have to do with knowledge, youre probably asking? And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. One benefit is that knowledge can help us grow closer to God. Andit shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life,that he may learn to fear theLordhis God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them,Deuteronomy 17:19 (ESV), This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, butyou shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. Christians are instructed to grow in knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18); and they will find that godly knowledge will be pleasant to their soul (Proverbs 2:10). Most verses in the Bible will bundle up wisdom, knowledge, and understanding because they work together. Like every spiritual gift, the word of knowledge is imparted to Believers so that the tent of Gods Kingdom extends and enlarges. To enjoy the amazing benefit from having wisdom and knowledge, once you have acquired them, you need to do the following: Wisdom is God, and He desires for you to know and understand Him. You desire to please and obey the Lord who gave Himself on the cross to rescue you from judgment. Level 7 CIPD qualified - Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. There are many benefits of knowledge in the bible. Rabbi Curt Landry | Why He Shares Gods Heart for the Orphan, One New Man The Church and the Jewish roots of Her faith, Reaching the Nations with the Message of Yeshua, Spiritual Protection for Your Health and Wealth, Intercessory Prayer: 30 Days of Focused Prayer. He took the initiative to choose us and call us to salvation (1:10). Your testimonies aremy heritage forever,for they arethe joy of my heart. If she used your name, you wanted to know what she was saying about you: I saw erudite Steve osculating with pensive Pam. Steve and Pam (and the rest of the class) wanted to know what that meant! In fact, given the choice between wisdom and material wealth, they opted for wisdom, hands down. Be the Daniel 11:32 kind! Quality time together strengthens friendships and relationships. November 4, 2020 by Curt Landry Ministries, But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,1 Corinthians 12:7-8 (emphasis added). Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge," while Psalm 111:10 declares that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (emphasis added throughout). Repent for anything that He shows to stand in your way of moving into new levels of faith, such as doubt and unbelief. God gives wisdom, and we see in Daniel 1:17-20 that the king found Daniel and his friends to have wisdom and understanding that were ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his entire realm. Only then can you enjoy the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge. He actually outlived his famous son. To me, this has become one of the most important benefits of reading the Bible. Wisdom comes from God Almighty. Whelchel noted that the word disciple literally means a learner. Christians are called to acquire knowledge of God in order to know what they are called to do. of So Peter is motivating us to be diligent to grow in godliness by showing us the benefits. Looking back, see what God has done for us in Christ. 6 Benefits of Bible Study Bible study grows our faith. When we understand more about who God is and what He desires for our lives, we can develop a deeper relationship with Him. Gods Instructions for Life Are Housed in His Word. God also empowered the artisans to teach others how to do these beautiful works while building the Tabernacle. Believers who are cultivating the godly qualities listed in verses 5-7 are walking closely with the Lord. As a result, there are thousands of professing Christians who are not growing in godliness, but they think that they are eternally secure in Christ. When something in the Bible doesnt make sense, Christians can test statements and arguments, and hold fast to what is good knowledge and biblical practice. Instead, it started with everything the Serpent saidthat Eve decided to believe., The battle of people choosing between good and bad knowledge continues throughout Scripture and to our present day. 4. If it had not been for the famous Charles Spurgeon, no one would have ever heard of John Spurgeon. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir. One day as I was jogging in the woods, I asked the Lord one of those far beyond all you can ask or think prayers. We believe that the Bible and all the scriptures within both Old and New Testaments are the infallible and inspired Word of God. Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. This virtue represents a manner of thinking and an attitude that result in prudent, sensible living. All I knew was that God wanted me to have them. Verse 10 follows from and applies verses 8 & 9: Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you. Brethren shows that Peter is talking to Christians here. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My names sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.. As with all spiritual gifts, the word of knowledge is meant to build up and edify the Body of Believers. If you need more convincing on why you should embrace this wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, please read Proverbs, chapters 8 and 9. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Also, we begin to find a new desire for the things which give Him pleasure look up Psalm 37:4. Possess your possession (Obadiah 17), and you will experience perfect peace (John 14:27); fullness of joy (John 15:11); power to witness (Acts 1:8); and grace sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). Have them constantly in your mind and heart. Here are a few benefits of reading the Bible that I keep close to my heart and serve as reminders for me to stay in the Word daily. How can the fallen person know if hes saved? The Christian attitude should be life-long learningThe more I learn, the more I realize how much I needto learn. The heart attitudes of humility and love should guide all intellectual pursuits and engagement. Its all in there. You Dont Know What You Dont Know: Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. Thomas Schreiner explains (ibid., p. 306, italics his), Peter was not concerned here about rewards but whether people will enter the kingdom at all. I still know the meaning of sesquipedalian (a person who uses long words), erudite (scholarly), osculate (to kiss), pensive (thoughtful), and many more. How we treat others. (2:11), The lips of the righteous feed many,But fools die for lack of understanding. God placeda tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden, and commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree. In light of all this knowledge of the Holy One, which is also understanding, we see that Wisdom is Jesus Christ, who is God. Basically, knowledge is information we gain through reasoning, experience, or people, and wisdom is the ability to judge what is right and true. There are some things that we are to develop in in our Christian walk that helps us to grow strong in faith and to be pleasing unto the Lord. The same applies to the gifts of the Spirit; they work together for His glory and to build up His Kingdom. John 14:1 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Also, she had the equivalent of a contest, where we had to find all 120 words in print, cut the sentences out (this was before the copy machine was invented! - then look up Colossians 2:6-7 and 2 Peter 3:18. With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. Proverbs 11:9 Verse Concepts With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. Our bodies are the temples (tabernacles) of God (1 Corinthians 6:19), and when and as we really know God we shall share His hatred of sin and we shall deal with it look up 2 Corinthians 7:1. It has a wider sweep than our English word "know, " including perceiving, learning, understanding, willing, performing, and experiencing. And an advantage to those who see the sun. Digging deeper into the Word and comparing Scripture with Scripturebeing careful not to take passages out of contextoften reveals truth that is missed with casual reading. But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Daniel 11:32b KJV. She knew that motivation is a key to learning and she was a master motivator! Hes saying. Millions of people know about Him who do not really know Him. that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge. The Hebrew term for knowledge is based on the verb yada, to know. This is understanding with insight. A pastor is called by God to feed you the Word of God in such a way that you will increase in knowledge. Knowledge is neither ethically nor morally neutral. One benefit is that knowledge can help us grow closer to God. Diligence means to get after something quickly and not hesitate. God has intellect (Romans 11:34), and His universe was created with truth and logic. But there are thousands of faithful, fruitful men and women whose names are known only to God. It is mymeditation all the day.. But it is also clear that simply being aware of God's existence is not sufficient; the knowledge of God must encompass the deep appreciation for and relationship with Him. 1 Corinthians 12:8 Verse Concepts For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; Philippians 3:8 Have we dealt drastically with all sin and every doubtful thing in these tents? What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? Answer: Remember what Christ did for you! Please help me to live for you, Jesus, for the rest of my life. He who keeps understanding will find good. Dont waste it living for selfish pursuits or for things that will perish. How we should act or react in situations. The One New Man Network acts as a voice to the Nations, walking out the instructions of Mark 16:15, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature. With the vision to preach and to publish openly the good news, The One New Man Network brings a message of salvation that can be heard throughout the Nations of the World! But if you can shrug off the cross, then you arent headed for heaven. To carry out the work of the Holy Spirit, Believers must be willing to surrender to walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh. With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.(Job 12:13). Please get in touch with me so I can celebrate with you. But, to put it positively, how can I be useful and fruitful in my Christian life? To act as a witness within and outside the Body. True, good knowledge comes from God as a giftfrom His own mouthto those who have understanding (Daniel 2:21; Proverbs 2:6). and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.. All rights reserved. The Bible is filled with Gods promises. Peter shifts from you to he so as not directly to accuse the majority of his readers. As a pastor, its easy to fall into the trap of thinking that fruitfulness is measured in terms of numbers: If I can pastor a large, growing church, write best-selling books, and travel all over the world to influence thousands of other Christian leaders, I will be fruitful. Ministering to large numbers may indicate success in human terms, but we need to measure fruitfulness by Gods criteria. How can you not feel hope when you read the Bible and see how God has won battles, saved lives and see His love written out in the pages of scripture? Seek wisdom, understanding, and knowledge by searching the Bible. They are seeking to know Him better and to please Him every day. Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls. Check your email for your free Books of the Bible Overview! (Deuteronomy 34:9). However, if we give up and quit during these battles, it is because our strength is small. Live so as to grow in godliness so that you will be a clean vessel, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work (2 Tim. Ask the Spirit to reveal any roadblocks that may be standing in the way of you operating in a word of knowledge. 3 Places to Find Wisdom. (I Corinthians 3:19) The best part is that there are amazing ways to benefit from having wisdom and knowledge. 1:3). Therefore, forgiveme of all my sins and come into my heart as my Lord and Saviour. 1. 2 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou c Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Education has been an important factor in church history. First, have you heard the call to repent of your sins and believe in Christ and did you obey that call? What biblical criteria are there? Before we see how having wisdom, knowledge, and understanding will benefit you, let us look at how some people in the Bible already enjoyed these benefits. About. My prayer is that you will search them out as you continually seek to add knowledge in your life. But since Peter has talked about the true knowledge of Christ in reference to conversion (1:3), I understand him here (1:8) to be saying, If you have truly come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be growing in godliness and seeking to be useful and fruitful in serving Him.. You will be growing in the godly character qualities that Peter lists (1:5-7). However, the reason so many Christians are weak is because they have not pursued diligently the knowledge of God and His Word. But thats not all. For one thing, she would use the words in a humorous way, so that you had to know the meaning of the word to understand the joke. For wisdom is protection just as money is protection,But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. Sproul wrote in his article Walking in Wisdom, Careful study of the Bible is necessary for true discipleship. Additionally, you will need to put away a deceitful mouth and focus straight on the path of goodness, avoiding evil. And the level of peace you experience in your life is all determined by how much you know of God and His Word. Solomons point was that accumulation of knowledge isnt as important as fearing and obeying God (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13). Whenever someone starts teaching weird doctrine, almost always something is wrong morally in his life. Benefits of Reading the Bible Daily. Knowledge and understanding can help Christians fight spiritual battles. Psa 103:2. This kind of wisdom describes perception with discernment. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. It will keep us from stumbling and falling away from the Lord. The Bible teaches that creation reveals the knowledge of God (Psalm 19:1-2), which is infinite. It doesnt happen without deliberate, concentrated effort. teaching of a personal God who is holy and just and who expects those who know him to exhibit his character in the many practical affairs of life.1. Most evangelicals think that if you prayed to receive Christ, you are eternally secure and should never doubt that fact. The words of a mans mouth are deep waters;The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. Growth in godliness requires hard work and discipline over the long haul. Wisdom along with an inheritance is goodAnd an advantage to those who see the sun. Believers hold to the Lords teachings so they can live in the truth (John 8:31-32). Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Spiritual Life, Sanctification, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. As you learn more about His character, His promises and His plan for salvation of mankind, you will grow in your spiritual maturity. Your browser does not support JavaScript. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Christ-followers desperately need solid biblical teaching in the church and through personal Bible study. I think, rather, that Peter was talking about some in the church who truly had been purified from their sins, but now they were drifting. 1:4-5). Please note, our website requires JavaScript to be supported. In our text, Peter is spelling out the benefits of growing in godliness to motivate us to persevere in the process. Taking life too seriously? ", Key Verse: Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you. (Job 22:21). It affirms how much God cares for you and brings supernatural peace and comfort to your soul. And yet, many people end up that way! And fear of the Lord (reverence for Him) is the beginning of all wisdom. Effective verbal communication skills to communicate with a diverse client group. 4. Knowledge forever pursues the truth. Prayer is the great privilege of every Christian, even the youngest; but the testimony of the whole Bible and of experience proves that it is the people who really know God intimately who receive answers to their prayers look up 1 John 3:22 and 5:14-15. 3. So we all competed with one another to find sesquipedalian, osculate, cogitate, petulant, and all the other words. Learning to walk in the Spirityielding to His controlwill also enable growth in knowledge and understanding, because the Holy Spirit is the Christians greatest teacher. In John 3:16, we are told, For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life., We also saw that wisdom and understanding dwell in the heart and mind. If you have knowledge, there'll be a difference in your life. Q. in hope of eternal life, which God,who never lies,promisedbefore the ages began. Real knowledge, Sanford says, is from God the Father (James 1:16-18), Gods Son Jesus Christ (John 14:6), and Gods Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20-27).. Therefore in some cases, we shall refer to all the three and in other instances only two, or one of them depending on the scripture reference. Bible study is vital to our spiritual growth and maturity. With so much foolishness in the world, Lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel (Proverbs 20:15b). The more we receive (hear, obey, live out) His Word, the more we shall know Him. Briefly, wisdom has three basic componentsknowledge, understanding and application: 1. I had read about wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in the Bible but never given it much thought previously. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? It is a supernatural knowledge that manifests as a vision, dream, thought, voice, or feeling. Promises to save us. Please refer to the image below these scriptures for a summary. Idolatry grows in spiritual ignorance, but God does not want people to be ignorant about Him. is beneath the surface. As we see Gods love for people and that He doesnt want anyone to perish, we come to understand that winning hearts and minds for God is so important. Jesus was saying that the eternal benefits should motivate us to endure whatever hardship we now encounter in following Him. The measure in which we know God is determined by the measure we receive from Him. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2010, All Rights Reserved. The children of Israel listened to Joshua and did as the LORD commanded Moses. 2:9; 2 Pet. It starts out by sharing the truth that all wisdom comes from God. Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.". One reason for this view is that Peter changes from the second person in verse 8 to the more impersonal third person in verse 9, but then reverts back to the second person, along with the warm brethren (the only time Peter uses that word) in verse 10. Then begin to ACT. The abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom (this is the only time eternal is used with kingdom) may have behind it the picture of a returning war hero who is welcomed into the city with great fanfare. This way, not only can He help guide our lives but also teach us about Himself through the scriptures. In Job 22:21-29, which section of scripture is introduced by our key verse, we are told of the good, the blessing, the benefits which will come to us if we really know God. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. We cant do that if our minds and hearts arent full of knowledge and wisdom from reading His Word often enough. Solomon and the wise men of Israel prized wisdom, understanding, and knowledge as crucial to living prosperously, safely, and effectively. God speaks to us through the Bible. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? And with increased strength, we can stand until we experience victory. Biblical knowledge helps Christiansespecially leadersteach, reprove, correct, and train in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:17). 3. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! When we should rest, how to pray and fast. Promise to never leave or forsake us. I also plan to become addicted to alcohol and drugs. Knowledge and understanding of the scriptures is one way God transforms believers, through the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2). How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. R.C. Believers can ask God for more knowledge (Psalm 119:66). Solomon and the wise men of Israel prized wisdom, understanding, and knowledge as crucial to living prosperously, safely, and effectively. 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success., Oh howI love your law! Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it as God had commanded. Paul said God showed him great mercy before he turned to Christ, because he had acted in ignorance and unbelief (Acts 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:13). Many Believers operate within a word of knowledge without even realizing it. The original Hebrew word emphasizes accuracy and the ability to sense what Lord continue to bless you and your ministry and family. One of the benefits of reading scripture is that we mature as we grow in fellowship with Him and learn His commands. Christians cannot trust their deceitful hearts to point them in the direction of good knowledge, and Satan always tries to trick people (Jeremiah 17:9; John 10:10). It's also the ability to speak wisely and knowingly about a situation with truth from the Bible. Whoever gives thought to the wordwill discover good,and blessed is hewho trusts in theLord. Should we give assurance of salvation immediately after a person professes faith in Christ, or should that come later? Paul said, everything that was written in the past was written to teach us (Romans 15:4). 16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord. Jerehiam 3:15-16a KJV. In fact, given the choice between wisdom and material wealth, they opted for wisdom, hands down. As believers learn to fear God, the knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding (Proverbs 9:10). However, God has blessed Believers with a word of knowledge for a couple of specific reasons within that purpose. Sanctify them in the truth;your word is truth. I hope this doesn't describe you, because diligence in the things of God is of critical importance. But they overlook the clear biblical truth that new life in Christ always manifests itself in the fruit of godliness. This is one example of how our perspective about life changes as wegrow in the Lord. Lori Stith, from Stoic Matchmaker, a platform with a unique method to help other Christians apply the Bible to their lives. Salem Media Group. Verse 28 tells us this: and light will shine on your ways. Charles or John?, I stopped jogging and just stood there so I could think about the implications of that question. Do a sign [that] benefits me, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame, because you, O Yahweh, have helped me and comforted me. Nearly any situation that you face, you will find instructions on how to respond. The knowledge of God's Word will build you up, and deliver your God-given inheritance into your hands (Acts 20:32). The Bible brings us peace and joy.