Identifying Wise and Experienced Christians for Guidance and Counsel
Identifying wise and experienced Christians for guidance involves recognizing specific characteristics and a commitment to biblical truth. The book of Proverbs frequently emphasizes the value of wisdom and counsel, stating that "let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel" [1]. Wisdom is presented as a divine attribute, with God declaring, "I have counsel and wisdom: I am understanding, and I have strength" [2].
Such individuals are often characterized by prudence, which is intimately connected with wisdom [5]. They are those who "deal with knowledge" and "look well to their goings," understanding both God's ways and their own [5]. This prudence is evident in their ability to foresee and avoid evil, and it serves as a means of preservation [5]. The apostle Paul prayed for believers to be "filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding," indicating that true wisdom involves understanding God's directives [9]. This knowledge helps Christians to be "knit together in love" and to grasp "the mystery of God, namely Christ" [3].
Wise Christians are also those who have a deep understanding of the Gospel and Christ, enabling them to discern and resist false teachings [8]. Their understanding is not merely intellectual but spiritual, as "they are all plain to him that understandeth" whose "understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God" [10]. These individuals are often described as "good men" who walk in "the way of righteousness, holiness, and truth," following the guidance of the Spirit and the Word of God [11].
Moreover, those who are wise are often those who "turn many to righteousness," serving as "bright luminaries in the Gospel kingdom of Jesus Christ" [6]. This suggests that experienced Christians who offer guidance are not only knowledgeable but also actively engaged in leading others toward faith and spiritual growth [6]. Moses, for example, was instructed to "Choose for yourselves wise and discerning and knowledgeable men for each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders" [4]. This highlights that wisdom, discernment, and knowledge are essential qualities for those in positions of leadership and counsel within the community [4]. Listening to such counsel and instruction is crucial for believers to become "wise in their latter end," demonstrating concern for their eternal state [7].
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 1:5 (BSB) — let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 8:14 (Geneva1599) — I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.”
- Colossians “Colossians 2:2 (BSB) — that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,”
- Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 1:13 (LEB) — Choose for yourselves ⌞wise and discerning and knowledgeable men⌟ for each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prudence — Exhibited in the manifestation of God's grace -- Eph 1:8. Exemplified by Christ -- Isa 52:13; Mt 21:24-27; 22:15-21. Intimately connected with wisdom -- Pr 8:12. The wise celebrated for -- Pr 16:21. They who have Get knowledge. -- Pr 18:15. Deal with knowledge. -- Pr 13:16. Look well to their goings. -- Pr 14:15. Understand the ways of God. -- Ho 14:9. Understand their own ways. -- Pr 14:8. Crowned with knowledge. -- Pr 14:18. Not ostentatious of knowledge. -- Pr 12:23. Foresee and avoid evil. -- Pr 22:3. Are preserved by it. -- Pr 2:11. Suppress angry fee”
- Daniel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Daniel 12:3: And they that be wise - Those who are thoroughly instructed in Christ's word and doctrine, shall shine - shall be eminently distinguished in the Christian Church by the holiness of their lives, and the purity of their creed. And they that turn many to righteousness - They who, by preaching Christ crucified among their brethren, shall be the means of converting them to the Christian faith; shall be as the stars - bright luminaries in the Gospel kingdom of Jesus Christ. This also may be applied to the case of holy and useful men, particularly the faithful ministers of”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 19:20: Hear counsel, and receive instruction,.... Of parents, masters, and ministers; especially the counsel and instruction of Wisdom, of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the wonderful Counsellor; and of his Gospel and of the Scriptures, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation; that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end; in the latter end of life, at death; that then it may appear a man has been so wise as to be concerned for a future state, for the good of his soul in another world; by listening to the counsel and instruction of Christ, in his word; by lookin”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:14: 4:14 We won’t be tossed and blown about: Mature Christians, with a well-grounded knowledge of the Good News and of Christ himself, will be able to discern and resist false teaching (see Gal 1:6-7; 3:1; Col 2:8-23; 1 Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3; 6:3-5, 20; 2 Tim 4:3-4; Titus 1:11).”
- Colossians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Colossians 1:9: The apostle proceeds in these verses to pray for them. He heard that they were good, and he prayed that they might be better. He was constant in this prayer: We do not cease to pray for you. It may be he could hear of them but seldom, but he constantly prayed for them. - And desire that you may be filled with the knowledge, etc. Observe what it is that he begs of God for them, I. That they might be knowing intelligent Christians: filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Observe, 1. The knowledge of our duty is the best k”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 8:9: They are all plain to him that understandeth,.... Whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God; who is a spiritual man, that has a discerning, and can judge of spiritual things: as for the carnal man, let him have what natural knowledge or wisdom he will, he cannot know these things; for they are spiritually discerned, and can only be discerned by spiritual men. The Bible is a sealed book to others, learned or unlearned; the mysteries or doctrines of the Gospel are hid in parables from such; but those to whom Christ has given an understanding to know him, ”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 2:20: That thou mayest walk in the way of good men,.... Who are not so by nature, but made so by the grace of God; such as the saints, prophets, and patriarchs of old; and who walked in the way of righteousness, holiness, and truth; being directed therein by the Spirit and word of God: now the use and profit of wisdom's instructions, or of the Gospel of Christ, and the doctrines of it, and a spiritual understanding of them, are not only to deliver men from the wicked man and the naughty woman, but also to influence and engage them to follow the examples of good men, and t”