The "Where" of Wisdom
Spiritual Questions with Scriptural Answers (Part 5).
This article concludes our series on the “Five W’s of Wisdom: Who, What, When, Why, and Where.”
The “Who” of wisdom is God Who provides it and His children to apply it.
The “What” of wisdom is the proper application of knowledge to our lives to the glory of God.
The “When” of wisdom is to “walk in wisdom” meaning to constantly practice wisdom as we walk with the Lord.
The “Why” of wisdom is to be blessed, prospered, and delivered by God (Prov. 28:25-26).
Finally, we come to the “where” of wisdom.
Where? In the Heart.
First, wisdom is to be displayed in the heart by how we respond to the Word of God:
“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (Jas. 1:21-25).
The implanted or “engrafted” Word of God, when planted in a good and honest heart, will produce a Christian every time. The “Seed is the Word of God” (Luke 8:11) and the seed always produces after its own kind (Gen. 1:11-12).
Wisdom is shown when one readily receives the Word of God and then applies the Word by being a “doer” not a hearer only (Acts 17:11-12).
Where? In the Church.
Second, wisdom is to be shown to the world by the church of Christ:
“and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord…to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:9-11, 21).
The Lord’s church is made up of those who have been called out of the world and into Christ by the Gospel (Acts 2:38, 41, 47; Col. 1:13-14; 2 Thess. 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9-10).
Those who have responded to the Gospel by hearing (Rom. 10:17), believing (John 3:16; 8:24), repenting of sins (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30), confessing the Deity of Christ (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10), and being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) make up the body or church of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; 5:22-33).
Christians are to be “salt” and “light” to the world (Matt. 5:13-16; Phil. 2:14); thus, the wisdom of God is seen in the church and made known to the world by the church.
God’s wisdom is on display when examining how the church is organized:
Jesus is the Head of the church (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Col. 1:18).
A plurality of qualified men are to shepherd the flock as elders (1 Tim. 3:1-7).
Dedicated men who meet the qualifications are to serve as deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-14).
The saints all work together “striving together for the faith of the Gospel” (Phil. 1:1, 27).
The wisdom of God as seen in the church is incredibly simple and simply incredible!
Where? In the Home.
Third and finally, wisdom is to be seen in the home:
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Col. 3:18-21).
Men are to be the spiritual leaders of the home. They are to love and cherish their wives and bring up their children in the future and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 5:25; 6:4).
Wives are to be submissive to their own husbands and provide a warm, welcoming, and godly environment in the home (Eph. 5:22, 24; Tit. 2:1-5).
Children are to obey their parents and be submissive (Eph. 6:1-3).
I hope and pray that this series on wisdom will help us all have a better appreciation and understanding of the “Who,” “what,” “when,” “why,” and “where” of wisdom.
May we all strive to know the will of God, apply the will of God to our lives, and show the love of God to a lost and dying world “walking in wisdom” to His glory!
Drew Suttles is a minister for the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia, and one of my best friends in this world. They live-stream all their Bible classes and sermons on their YouTube channel.
Drew also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” podcast on the Scattered Abroad Network. Drew talks about facing life’s challenges as a child of God. His podcast will be a blessing to your life.
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