“Gifts Of The
Spirit, Part 4: The Gifts Of Knowledge
And Wisdom”
By
Jim Bomkamp
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study, we backed up and covered some things that we should
have covered earlier, and we looked at three principles concerning the church
which are essential for a framework within which to discuss the working of the
gifts of the Holy Spirit within the church, then we finished up on the subject
of the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’
1.1.1.
Backing up:
1.1.1.1.We saw how that in all that we speak of
regarding the Holy Spirit, that we are not speaking of an impersonal force or
action that is produced of God, for the Holy Spirit is the third person of the
Trinity
1.1.1.2.We saw that as the Holy Spirit is a person,
the third person of the Trinity, and that there is a sense in which when we
refer to the Holy Spirit’s working through our lives that since we already have
Him in our lives that what hinders the Holy Spirit from working through us is
often that He needs more of us
1.1.1.2.1.
There are areas for instance in our life which grieve or quench Him
from working
1.1.1.2.2.
There are compromises that we have made with the world and the flesh
that we need to repent of and surrender to God
1.1.2.
Three principles concerning the church
1.1.2.1.
The Nature of the church
1.1.2.1.1.
A spiritual organism made up of each member, with each attached to one
another and also attached to the head who is Jesus
1.1.2.2.
The Purpose of the church
1.1.2.2.1.
To win people to Christ and disciple them
1.1.2.3.
The Function of the church
1.1.2.3.1.
All of the ministries and activities that are necessary to carry out
the second principle in light of the first principle
1.1.2.4.
Finishing up on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
1.1.2.4.1.
Who can receive the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’?
1.1.2.4.1.1.
According to Acts 2:38-39 the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for every
believer whom the Lord shall call to Himself
1.1.2.4.2.
How is the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’ to be received in a believer’s
life?
1.1.2.4.2.1.
We are to ask for the Holy Spirit
1.1.2.4.2.1.1.
Jesus told us in Luke 11:13 that the Father will give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask Him
1.1.2.4.2.2.
The ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’ is to be received by faith
1.1.2.4.2.2.1.
See Galatians 3:2
1.1.2.4.2.2.1.1.
Chuck Smith often talks about there being two different types of faith
1.1.2.4.2.2.1.1.1.
Passive Faith -Believing God can do something
1.1.2.4.2.2.1.1.2.
Active Faith- Believing God will do something
1.1.2.4.3.
We then looked at the Gift of Tongues
1.2.
In our study today, we will begin to look at the ‘manifestation’ gifts
of the Holy Spirit
1.2.1.
We will look at the spiritual gift of the ‘word of knowledge’
1.2.2.
We will look at the spiritual gift of the ‘word of wisdom’
2.
Looking at more background for the use of spiritual gifts of the
church, I want us to focus on two principles
2.1.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are dispensed variously and given for the
common good of the body of Christ:
In 1 Cor. 12:4-7, Paul wrote about how that
the Holy Spirit goes about dispensing His gifts, and that the gifts are
dispensed basically in three different ways, and all is done for the common
good of the body of Christ, “4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the
same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And
there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all
persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the
common good.”
2.1.1.
Three ways that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are dispensed
2.1.1.1.
Motivational Gifts
2.1.1.1.1.
Paul refers to ‘Motivational Gifts’ here as ‘gifts’, however in order
to differentiate them from the other two ways in which the gifts are dispensed,
people have called this type of work of the Holy Spirit as the dispensing of
‘motivational gifts’.
2.1.1.1.2.
The ‘motivational’ gifts of the Holy Spirit given to a believer tend to
often be seen working in his life, and thus they are ‘motivational’ in nature, as
opposed to the ‘manifestation’ gifts which occur on occasion in every
believer’s life.
2.1.1.1.3.
There have been many tests that have been devised for believers to take
which will show them what their ‘motivational’ gift is, and these tests tend to
reveal tendencies to react to situations in a way that corresponds to a
particular gift or gifts of the Holy Spirit.
2.1.1.1.3.1.
I personally think that the tests for spiritual gifts are flawed for
the reason that if a non-believer took one of those tests he would score as
having a particular spiritual gift, and yet we know that the Holy Spirit does
not give His gifts to non-believers.
2.1.1.1.3.1.1.
The gifts that the Holy Spirit may give us could also be contrary to
what our natural tendency or nature would be, and if we have not allowed the
Holy Spirit to use us much in various ministries then we might not know how the
Holy Spirit plans to use us in ministry.
For instance, I personally have the gift of a ‘pastor/teacher’ however
as I look at my life before coming to Christ and even during my early years as
a Christian there was not much of an indication that this might be my spiritual
gift.
2.1.1.1.3.1.2.
Also, in the book of Acts, and as mentioned by Paul in the New
Testament concerning Timothy, the gifts of the Holy Spirit appear to normally have
been bestowed by the laying on of hands by the apostles or church leaders. So, this would seem to negate the idea that
the gifts of the Holy Spirit are something that has just really been sort of
always part of our personality and that the Holy Spirit has just sort of worked
through them.
2.1.1.2.
Ministries
2.1.1.2.1.
People may have a variety of spiritual gifts and yet work in the same
‘ministry’. For instance, you may have
a ministry of teaching Sunday School for the kids, however your spiritual gift
might be evangelism, prophesy, exhortation, helps, mercy, etc.
2.1.1.2.2.
There are times when a person’s spiritual gift ill equips him for a
particular ministry and therefore he needs to find a ministry that is more in
line with his spiritual gifting. For
instance, a person may have the gift of helps and yet they are trying to teach
a home Bible Study. Teaching does not
come easy for them perhaps, but what they do really well is help people out by
doing physical labor jobs, fixing cars, or something where they are just doing
menial serving of some type. Being a
teacher of a home Bible Study should not be the ministry that they try to be
involved with.
2.1.1.3.
Manifestation Gifts
2.1.1.3.1.
In this passage, Paul calls this type of work of the Holy Spirit as
‘effects’ in my translation, however the idea is just a ‘manifestation’ of the
Holy Spirit’s working. We as believers
will have all throughout our walk as believers the Holy Spirit choose to work
through us in ministering to someone.
For instance, the Holy Spirit may choose to give us a ‘word of knowledge’
one day to minister to someone, a ‘word of wisdom’ on another day, ‘discernment’ yet another day, etc.
2.1.1.3.2.
Following along the scripture here in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we see
that Paul begins his teaching concerning specific gifts of the Holy Spirit by
talking about the manifestation gifts.
2.1.1.3.3.
The ‘manifestation’ gifts of the Holy Spirit often work in the most
natural of ways, and in fact many times Christians are given a particular
manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and it comes about in such a natural way that
they don’t even realize that they have been given a gift. For instance, sometimes a Christian may have
someone seek his counsel about a particular matter, and suddenly as he is
contemplating the person’s situation he realizes what the wise thing to do in
the situation, and he shares this wisdom which God uses to direct the
person. Yet, often the Christian
doesn’t even realize that he had just been gift a ‘word of wisdom’ by the Holy
Spirit because this wisdom had just come so naturally to him.
2.1.2.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the common good of the body
of Christ
2.1.2.1.
Paul writes here that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not given for
the personal benefit of the person who receives them, but rather they are
intended such that by the receiving of the gifts that the body as a whole is to
be edified and built up in it’s faith and usefulness for ministry by the Lord.
2.1.2.2.
There is a horrible sin in the body of Christ today because with many
men and women whom God has given spiritual gifts and worked in supernatural and
wonderful ways, these people have turned around and tried to profit and benefit
personally by these gifts.
2.1.2.2.1.
For instance, many people in the body of Christ today who have been
used by God for the healing of people have sent out form letters telling people
that if they need healing they can send in $20 and they will be prayed for and
thus be healed. Using God and the gifts
He gives us for personal benefit is such a heinous sin in God’s sight.
3.
The Word Of Knowledge
3.1.
What it is
3.1.1.
They way this ‘manifestation’ gift works is that the Holy Spirit gives
you understanding of a situation that you could not know by any other
means. ‘Knowledge’ is the ‘accumulation
of facts’, and at times as the Holy Spirit is using us He will give us an
insight into something so that He can use us in a powerful way in someone’s
life because of this knowledge.
3.2.
Old Testament examples of this gift in operation through the Holy
Spirit
3.2.1.
Elisha the prophet had this gift so frequently in his life that in 2
Kings 4:27, we read that when the Shunammite woman came to him to have him pray
for her son to be raised from the dead, that Elisha told his servant Gehazi
that he was surprised that the Lord had not revealed to him the reason for
which the woman had come to him and was troubled in her spirit.
3.2.2.
In 2 Kings 5, there is an incident concerning the healing of leprosy in
a man named Naaman who was a valiant soldier and captain in the army of the
king of Aram. The king had heard there
was a prophet in Israel who could heal Naaman of his leprosy, and so he sent
Naaman to the king of Israel who then sent him to Elisha to be healed. Elisha told the man to dip seven times in
the Jordan River and he would be healed.
Naaman at first was angry at this suggestion, however when a maiden told
him that if Elisha had told him to do something that was difficult he would
have done it, Naaman decided to give it a try, and was healed. Then, Naaman tried to give Elisha money and
very lavish and expensive gifts for this healing, however Elisha told him that
he wouldn’t receive anything from him, and sent him away. However, Gehazi Elisha’s servant began to
think about all of that wealth going to waste and how that he could and should
try to gain from it. So, he went after
Naaman and then made up a story that a couple of prophets had come unexpectedly
and that he could use some of the gifts.
So, Naaman gave him two talents of silver and two changes of
clothes. However, when he got back
Elisha had had a word of knowledge from the Lord and knew exactly what Naaman
had done as well as the thoughts that had gone through his mind leading up to
this. In 2 Kings 5:25-27, we
read about how Elisha had this word of knowledge come to him, “25 But he
went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you
been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” 26 Then he said to
him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to
meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves
and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants? 27 “Therefore,
the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you and to your descendants forever.” So
he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”
3.2.2.1.
Note that Elisha reveals that he knew exactly what was going through
Gehazi’s mind as he thought about all of that money and wealth of Naaman going
to waste. He thought about how he’d
like to have olive groves, vineyards, sheep and oxen, and female servants.
3.3.
Jesus was constantly having this gift operating in His life as recorded
in the New Testament.
3.3.1.
As Jesus was entering
Jerusalem for the last time before His crucifixion, in Luke 22:10-12 we
read of the incident where He told some of His disciples to go into Jerusalem
and to find a room where they might have the Passover Feast, and He told them
that they were going to find a man carrying a pitcher of water and they were to
follow him and then inquire with the owner about using his upper room, “10
And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet
you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. 11
“And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where
is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12 “And
he will show you a large, furnished, upper room; prepare it there.””
3.3.2.
In John 1:47-49, we read of Jesus seeing Nathanael coming to him
and of the word of knowledge that He had about Nathanael and how God used that
to bring Nathanael to come and to follow Jesus, “47 Jesus saw Nathanael
coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no
guile!” 48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and
said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw
you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the
King of Israel.””
3.4.
We see this gift used in the early church from the book of Acts
3.4.1.
In Acts chapter 5 there is the story related of an incident that
occurred in the early church in Jerusalem concerning a man and wife named
Ananias and Sapphira. When this couple
saw the admiration and respect that the people in the church had for those who
had sold houses and then given the proceeds to the apostles of the church to
disperse to those who had need they concocted a plot. They sold a piece of land and kept part of the proceeds for
themselves and then they gave it to the apostles just as those who had given
all of the proceeds from their houses.
Peter however had a word of knowledge about this plot of their’s and in Acts
5:3-5 we read that he said, “3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has
Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the
price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And
after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have
conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.” 5 And
as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great
fear came upon all who heard of it.”
3.5.
Instances of the working of this gift
3.5.1.
Often times it happens to those who teach the Word as I do that as we
are in the process of teaching a particular passage that the Holy Spirit gives
us understanding of it that we have never had before, and which can only have
come about supernaturally.
3.5.2.
Sometimes, the Holy Spirit works through the life of a person who
teaches the Word by giving them a word of knowledge concerning someone, and the
Lord uses something that they say to speak to a person in a powerful and
convicting way, speaking right to their issues, and yet that teacher did not
even know that it had happened.
3.5.3.
Sometimes when giving someone counsel from God’s Word, the Lord will
give you insight into what the real issues are that the person is dealing
with. Bob Hoekstra has spoken about an
incident when he and a few godly men were counseling a pastor who had fallen
into adultery, and as they had all heard what this pastor had said about the
incident and given their words of advice, they asked if this one fellow had
anything to add. He then responded that
he knew that there was an issue that was far deeper that was going on than what
had been revealed by this pastor. This
then led to the pastor’s bringing out more of the real nature of his fall and
situation. This is a very valuable gift
when the Holy Spirit imparts it.
3.6.
False manifestation of the gift
3.6.1.
I do not like what those of the ‘charismania’ persuasion have taught
about how this gift works. The ‘faith
healers’ will get on the radio or television and say that the Lord has shown
them that there is someone who needs healing of his knee, for instance, and
then pray for them to be healed. This
is such a sham because first of all if you have a large enough audience, you
could name just about any disease and there would be a certain percentage of
people who had that disease.
3.6.1.1.
Secondly, this gift works in every Christian’s life from time to time
and in a much more natural way.
3.7.
Overlapping
gifts
3.7.1.
The gift of the ‘word of knowledge’ works very similarly to the gift of
‘discernment’ and the ‘gift of prophesy’, and it is hard sometimes to
differentiate them, also there are times when there is a sort of overlapping of
the gifts when the Holy Spirit manifests them.
4.
The Word Of Wisdom
4.1.
What it is
4.1.1.
Whereas ‘knowledge’ is the accumulation of facts, ‘wisdom’ is defined
as the appropriate application of truth in a situation.
4.2.
Importance of the gift
4.2.1.
Knowledge in and of itself is very dangerous, therefore it is important
that we as Christians also have ‘wisdom’ in the things that we do.
4.2.1.1.
It is more important that we have wisdom than knowledge.
4.2.1.2.
Many churches and church groups have struggled and suffered greatly
because of the lack of this gift in their midst. Many silly and ridiculous things have been done in the name of
Christ because of the lack of this gift in a church.
4.2.1.3.
In our world today, I often marvel at the ridiculous things that people
who are very intelligent and have high level degrees believe and do in their
lives.
4.2.2.
In Proverbs 25:11, there is a verse which reveals the importance
of speaking the right word to people in each and every situation, “11 Like
apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances.”
4.2.2.1.
So many times in the church I have seen situations where a pastor or
leader who is giving counsel from God’s Word to someone misapplies the truth to
their situation, and there has been great damage done as a result of this bad
counsel.
4.2.2.2.
When giving someone counsel we need to be careful to ‘give the law to
the lawless’, ‘grace to the humble and broken’, and ‘give encouragement to the
discouraged’. Many times however I have
seen situations where a brother or sister in Christ gives the wrong
advice: grace to the lawless, law to
the humble and broken, encouragement to the lawless, etc.
4.3.
Instances of the manifestation of the gift
4.3.1.
Personal Examples
4.3.1.1.
The first Calvary Chapel pastor that I served under was one of those
kind of men who every time that I sought his advice in a matter wisdom just
poured forth from his mouth. I was
amazed that a young man such as him could have the wisdom that many other
pastors of much more age and time walking with God lacked.
4.3.2.
Old Testament Examples
4.3.2.1.
Solomon in the Old Testament was a man who had the gift of wisdom
exhibited in his life often. He wrote
the book of Proverbs which is just full of wisdom, for he was a man who just
always seemed to overflow with wisdom.
4.3.2.1.1.
The queen of Sheba traveled across continents just to hear the wisdom
of Solomon.
4.3.2.1.2.
In 1 Kings chapter 3 there is an incident that occurred between two
women. One woman woke up and her child
who had been sleeping in her arms was dead, however she claimed that after she
looked at the child that it was actually another women’s child, and then she
saw the other woman’s child and realized it was her own. The other woman disputed her claim. With incredible wisdom Solomon ordered that
the child be cut in two and half of the child given to the one woman and the
other to the other woman. One of the
women then said to not hurt the child but to give the him to the other woman,
but the other woman said that it was a good idea so that neither of them should
have the child. Then Solomon ordered
that the child be given to the woman who was going to give up the child to the
other woman, for she was the child’s mother.
4.3.3.
Jesus often exhibited the gift of wisdom
4.3.3.1.
Many many times the Jews tried to put Jesus to the test in order to
find a reason to accuse Him of blasphemy and therefore be able to have Him
stoned to death, or in order to turn the multitudes against Him. However, in every situation Jesus ended up
outsmarting the leaders with His incredible wisdom.
4.3.3.1.1. For instance, Luke
20:22-25 tells us of one such incident, “22 “Is it lawful for us to
pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 23 But He detected their trickery and said to
them, 24 “Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” And
they said, “Caesar’s.” 25 And He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the
things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.””