| From the Church on the Hill by D. Eric Williams Pastor, Cottonwood Community Church pastor@CottCommChurch.com The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). According to the Bible, wisdom, knowledge and understanding are closely related. Indeed, none of them are achieved apart from God. As mentioned in previous articles, the unregenerate are capable of expressing wisdom, knowledge and understanding to a certain degree but their efforts fall short and are degraded by some falsehood. This is so because the unregenerate refuse to acknowledge God as the source of truth. The unsaved may admit there are helpful principles in Scripture but they cannot embrace the fact that the Bible is absolute truth. Nothing is above the word of God; all actual truth conforms to it's principles. Therefore, Christians must be skeptical of unregenerate "experts." Moreover, the need for caution in accepting the word of worldly pundits increases as society moves further away from a Christian influence. Again, we do not look back upon a Golden age of Christianity in this country but it is likewise true that our nation's genesis was nurtured by a biblical Christian worldview. This heritage has been all but forgotten. At the beginning of this series I made the claim that, "for nearly two years we have suffered a barrage of misrepresentation, half-truth and out-right lies from civil authorities, medical 'experts,' business leaders and pop-culture gurus." I also said that it is high time for Christian to say "enough is enough." This is how we do it. Our primary responsibility is not to refute the false prophets who represent the ruling elite but to glorify God in Christlikeness. In order to become more like Jesus we need to know him better. As we increase in knowledge of the Holy One we increase in understanding. The Bible tells us, in him [Jesus] lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3, brackets added). To know him is to increase in wisdom and knowledge. As a result we are better able to withstand the balderdash that passes as truth these days. You don't need an advanced degree in epidemiology to spot lies from medical and scientific experts. You don't need a political science degree to recognize subterfuge and erroneous thinking on the part of politicians. It is not required to be an expert in constitutional law to see errors in judgment from representative and judicial civil servants. What you need in order to do all these things is a sound mind. Remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Paul is thinking of the good judgment that comes from a life disciplined by the Word of God. The follower of Christ who is steeped in the Word will have the self-control to focus his or her mind with clarity. The Christian walking with Christ will display self-control, sound judgment and understanding. They may not possess the credentials so loved by the world but they have the ability to rationally consider an argument and determine its validity. This is why so many Christians have rejected the "expert" opinion lately pushed on the American people. It is not because they are anti-science but because they are pro-wisdom. It is because they understand the discipline of science is impossible apart from an acknowledgment of God's orderly creation. It is not because they are deceived by "misinformation" but because they have the Holy Spirit enhanced power of mind to discern what is actually misinformation and what is not. Brothers and sisters in Christ, do not be bashful about speaking truth. Do not be ashamed of the source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Part of our responsibility within the great commission is to disciple the nations. Because Jesus Christ his authority over all things that discipline is not limited to "spiritual" activities but touches on every aspect of life.
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