What is the gift of the word of wisdom?

Having wisdom is an important part of every believer’s life, whether you are focusing on improving your own quality of life or your relationships with others.  King Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs because of the importance of applying Godly wisdom to our lives as well as the everyday the situations around us.  King Solomon begins his book of Proverbs with the following words.

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:  for attaining wisdom and discipline….The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:1-2, 7 NIV)

 

Wisdom is being able to understand the Word of God and its practical application to our lives.  What then is the gift of the word of wisdom?  The Apostle Paul includes in his letter to the Corinthians.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given though the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit….  All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (I Corinthians 12:4-8, 10-11 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

Simply stated, the spiritual gift of the word of wisdom is when the Holy Spirit entrusts certain believers to understand the Word of God and practically apply it to others, for the overall purpose of glorifying the church.  One great example is Stephen, in the Book of Acts, who was entrusted with the gift of the word of wisdom and served God by ministering in the Jewish synagogues.  Due to the work of the Holy Spirit in Stephen’s ministry in the synagogues, the Jewish leaders who disputed with Stephen could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.  (Acts 6:8-10)

The Apostle Paul commonly emphasized the importance of using wisdom when reaching out to others, with the words. 

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

  

Overall, the spiritual gift of the word of wisdom is essential for our churches and religious organizations as we reach out to our communities.  Where will our churches end up if we do not keep the message of Christianity relevant the constantly changing world around us?  Wisdom does not imply that we water-down the gospel message.  Rather, believers entrusted with the gift of the word of wisdom help ensure that the message of Christianity remains relevant and perseveres throughout the generations.

What is the gift of the word of knowledge?

How does the word of knowledge relate to the other spiritual gifts?  Scripture often includes wisdom along with knowledge when referencing God – “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33 NIV)  Does this mean that the spiritual gifts of the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom are synonymous with one another?

 

The Apostle Paul includes the gift of the word of knowledge in his letter to the Corinthians.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given though the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit….  All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (I Corinthians 12:4-8, 10-11 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

The Apostle Paul also ranks the gift of the word of knowledge of having more importance than the gift of tongues, when no interpreter is present.

“Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?  Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?  Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?  So it is with you.  Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying?  You will just be speaking into the air…For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.” (I Corinthians 14:6-9 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

 

The spiritual gift of the word of knowledge is distinctly separate from the other spiritual gifts, to include the gift of the word of wisdom…although knowledge and wisdom are often associated together when describing God.  However, when it comes to the spiritual gifts of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge, one could easily use the analogy of being “book smart” versus “common sense” to differentiate between the applications of the two gifts.  In other words, the Holy Spirit equips some believers with the ability to know the content of the Word of God while others may have the ability for understanding the practical application thereof.

 

Overall, the spiritual gift of the word of knowledge play an important role in our churches and religious denominations/ affiliations as people continue to search for answers about God sovereignty.  Scripture teaches how the Bible is absolutely trustworthy in all matters of faith and doctrine.  Therefore, the Holy Spirit entrusts certain believers with the gift of the word of knowledge gift to help others learn about God’s divine truths, as well as effectively reasoning with them about the infallibility and inerrancy of the Word of God.