5 Walk in Wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (NKJV)
Verse 5-6 are a direct flow from our previous lesson regarding “earnest and vigilant prayer with thanksgiving.” And Paul’s request for personal prayer for him and his team to have an open door provided by God, an “open door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.” Paul was in chains and in prison for the word of Christ, which he preached. He was not alone, but many were being persecuted, not for preaching salvation and heaven, but for preaching Christ as the supreme King overall.
Paul was asking for prayer that he might be able to “make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” That manifestation was seen in the multitudes that were turning to Christ throughout the Roman Empire. There were multitudes of people that manifested the “new creation of the Spirit,” which Paul preached and taught. This included the manifestation of people being set free from demons and sickness and disease through the miracle power of God’s word and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 5 begins with this instruction, “Walk in wisdom.” Listen to what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God –and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
The walk of Wisdom is in the Lord Himself. It is His wisdom dwelling in us. We must find Wisdom. That is, we must locate it in our spirit by His Word and by His Holy Spirit dwelling in our heart.
Solomon tells us in Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom and in all your getting, get understanding.” First, let me declare that true Wisdom is a “person,” not just a mindset. Jesus is the Wisdom of God! In that Wisdom is righteousness, from righteousness comes a daily walk of that the Bible calls “sanctification” or separation to God and His King. All of this is contained in “redemption.” It is the total work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is where true Wisdom begins, but it must be developed. Thus, walk-in Wisdom or walk in Christ. The mystery that Paul referred to in verse 3 is that everything God wants us to have is found in Christ, and Christ by His Spirit has come to dwell in every believer. So every believer can walk in the Wisdom of the indwelling Christ as the believer chooses Christ and His Word over the world’s mindset.
Proverbs chapter 1 through 4 gives us the pattern of this walk of Wisdom. Let’s look together at the pattern Solomon lays out for us. We will do this in an “Overview Style” of the first four chapters of Proverbs:
Wisdom can be known. Wisdoms instruction is found in Justice, judgment, and equity. Wisdom gives prudence to the simple, to the young, knowledge and discretion. It is the fool who despises Wisdom.
Wisdom calls aloud outside, even in the square. In crises, many cry for Wisdom, and she will not hear because she was despised, in that knowledge was hated, and the fear of the Lord was not chosen. Wisdom, understanding, and discernment must be received, treasured, inclined to, apply your heart toward, and lift up your voice to receive understanding. It is in the seeking as one might seek for silver or hidden treasures. Through the seeking, one will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
It is the Lord that gives Wisdom. From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Sound Wisdom is stored up for the upright. The Lord is a shield for those who walk uprightly. It is this Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that will deliver one from the “way of evil, form the man of who speaks perverse things, and those who leave that path of righteousness and walk in the ways of darkness. It is the Wisdom of Christ that will deliver a man from the immoral woman. It is this same Wisdom of Christ that delivers a woman from the immorality of enticing men to lust after her.
This Wisdom of God comes from a father’s relationship with God through Christ. It is in the law of the Father, His commands that length of days is found and peace will be added to one’s life. Solomon’s cry in Proverbs chapter four is, “Hear, my children of a father, and give attention to know understanding.” It is the heavenly Father who gives to us “good doctrine.” He says to His children, “keep my commands and live.” “Get Wisdom! Get understanding!” “Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.” “Wisdom is the principle thing; Therefore get Wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
Exalt Wisdom and be promoted. Wisdom will bring to you honor. She will put an ornament of grace on your head. She will give to you a crown of glory. The word of the Lord is this in Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” It is the Wisdom of God that must lead us to the discipling of nations and the coming of the Lord. The promise of scripture is not that things will get worst, but that it will get brighter as the sons and daughters of God awake to their intended destiny in the Lord Jesus Christ. Arise, church to your appointed purpose in the Wisdom of Christ.
This walk of Wisdom is toward people who are on the outside of the faith and the kingdom of God. It is in the Wisdom of Christ that we are to bear witness of the faith as the “one new man.” Listen to what Paul wrights to the believers in the Church at Roman Romans 8:18-30:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. NKJV
In the “Wisdom of God,” how is God accomplishing His purpose revealed in Verse 21? 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The answer is found in the Good News of the Kingdom of God. God’s anointed King, the Messiah, the First Born from the dead, seated in heaven at the Right Hand of God presently. And in the outpouring of the promised Holy Spirit of God on the Day of Pentecost, as God the Father and Jesus the Son, through the power of the Holy Spirit, began to create a New Creation of the Spirit. Paul identifies this new creation as “One New Man in the earth,” people, filled with the glory of God. It consists of Jew and Gentile, Male and Female, Bond and Free. This new creation is “receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved . . .” (Hebrews 12:28). This is the WISDOM of God.
As Romans 8:23 says, we who have believed were given “the first fruits of the Spirit, and we also “groan” for the full manifestation in our human bodies.” Paul writes in verse 24-25, that “we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Our “hope” is a sure expectation of what has been promised. Peter, as he speaks about scoffers and our looking for the “Day of the Lord,” reminds us “But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Romans 8:26 goes on to say, “Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered.”
We are weak! We don’t like to admit this. One of our problems is that we are too “self -sufficient,” We cannot live this kingdom life without the “Helper,” the Holy Spirit. We have no idea of how many times the Spirit of God has rescued us from the jaws of death and destruction. How many times He had gone before us and prepared the way.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Can you see how in God’s Wisdom, heaven, and earth are to be working together to bring about God’s ultimate purpose in Christ? That is Christ and His church throughout the world.