Individual and Collective Wisdom

The Body of Christ is made up of a diverse group of individuals—but we are meant to be unified and to work collectively.

Think about the way jazz works. There is a level of individual creativity and spontaneity, but at the same time, the individual must defer to others in the group so that the music works together as a whole.

In the same way, we have unique gifts as individuals, and God has given us different spheres of influence. However, we must be unified with our fellow believers; collectively, we make the church.

Obeying the Word

Paul’s letter is not merely something to be studied; as we listen to it, we must also obey it (James 1:22). We must use our minds carefully, not walking in darkness but living as children of God.

Paul warns us not to live in ignorance, hardening our hearts so that we begin to fall into moral depravity. This is the way of the world, but God has called us out of the world—we did not “learn Christ in this way” (Ephesians 4:20 NASB95). We must study the Scriptures and allow them to change our hearts and our minds. This is a matter of eating and drinking deeply of the Word—both on individual and collective levels.

Even now that we are in Christ, sin tempts us. As a result, we need to choose to walk according to the Spirit rather than according to the flesh.

Walking in Wisdom

As we learn how to walk in wisdom, we need to understand the difference between knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. These are three different levels that we must engage with when processing information.

On the knowledge level, we see basic facts. From there, we progress to the level of understanding, which gives meaning to the facts. On the wisdom level, we learn what to do with the understanding we’ve gained. Wisdom is about applying our understanding, learning how to live.

On a biblical level, we must rely on the power of the Spirit to give us wisdom. God calls us to walk in His wisdom, living differently from the rest of the world.

[divider style=”solid” color=”#cccccc” opacity=”1″ icon_color=”#666666″ icon_size=”15″ placement=”equal”]

Watch other videos from Ken’s Monday night study.

Consider meeting with a group of Christians—whether formally or informally—and going over passages of Scripture together to strengthen your faith and theirs. If you’re not sure where to start, consider beginning with a resource like Handbook to Prayer.