"In Christianity, the word of knowledge is a spiritual gift listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8. It has been associated with the ability to teach the faith, but also with forms of revelation similar to prophecy. It is closely related to another spiritual gift, the word of wisdom.
"Throughout church history, this gift has often been viewed as a teaching gift and connected with being able to understand scriptural truth."
"The Catholic Encyclopedia defines it as "the grace of propounding the Faith effectively, of bringing home to the minds and hearts of the listener with Divine persuasiveness, the hidden mysteries and the moral precepts of Christianity."
"Among Pentecostal and some Charismatic Christians, the word of knowledge is often defined as the ability of one person to know what God is currently doing or intends to do..."
(And if you want the rest of that sentence you can read the entire article yourself :-). I'm cutting it off right there :-).
WHAT IS THE GIFT OF THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE?
Proverbs 9:10
King James Version
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Mark 2:1-12
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
1 Corinthians 13:2
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:8
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they
shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away.
1 Corinthians 14:6
Now, brothers and sisters, 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?
There Is Uncertainty about the Exact Nature of the Gift
Bible-believers are not united on the nature and purpose of
this gift. There are various ways in which the gift is understood. They include
the following.
It was given for the specific purpose of communicating divine
revelation.
It has to do with God giving divine knowledge and insight into certain
situations.
The support for each position is as follows. (What about
both?)
Option 1: It Is the Supernatural Ability to Know Divinely Given Truths
It is argued that the gift of the word of knowledge was a
supernatural ability to understand what was divinely inspired Scripture and
what was not. This gift is linked directly to the apostles and the New
Testament prophets. The gift was only available when the doctrinal foundation
of Christianity was being laid. The Apostle Paul spoke of this gift being done
away with. He wrote the following to the Corinthians.
Once the Scripture was completed the need for this
particular gift of knowledge vanished.
All Bible-believers will agree that if this gift was only
given for the distinct purpose of confirming divine revelation before the New
Testament was completed, then the gift is no longer available. However this is
what is at issue. Was the gift limited in this way?
(No!)
Option 2: It Is the Ability to Supernaturally Know Certain Facts
There is another way of understanding of this spiritual
gift. The gift of the word of knowledge refers to the ability to know facts
about a situation, or a spiritual principle, that could not have been known by
natural means. This allows someone to see a situation as God sees it. It is
still much needed in the church today. The following observations can be made.
THE GIFT WORKS WITH THE WORD OF WISDOM
There are times when the gift of the word of knowledge works with the
gift of the word of wisdom. First, God gives the believer supernatural
knowledge into a particular situation, and then He gives wisdom on how to apply
that knowledge.
THE SPIRIT OF GOD PROVIDES THE INFORMATION
This word of knowledge is exercised when the
Spirit of God provides information to someone about the condition of another
person. It does not have to come with fanfare. In fact, it can be
exercised without the person being aware of it. The gift must be used with a
humble heart. (Disposistion, weve talked about)
IT IS NOT AN OCCULTIC
GIFT
The word of knowledge is not the same as the occult gifts that some spiritual mediums claim. Simon the soccer, great
compliment. (ACTS 8:9-24) The greed of
Simon is recalled in the modern word simony, “using religion as a means of
profit.” It is not an occult
power, but a God-given ability
to build up the body of Christ.
"A prominent Methodist catechism, "A
Catechism on the Christian Religion: The Doctrines of Christianity with Special
Emphasis on Wesleyan Concepts" states:
The unpardonable sin is
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy includes ridicule and attributing the works of the Holy Spirit
to the devil. (Catechism: a summary of the principles of Christian
religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of
Christians).
WE ARE NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT FOR PERSONAL GAIN
Like all the other gifts of the Spirit, the word of
knowledge is never given for a believers’ own personal advantage, to take
advantage of another believer, or to embarrass someone. It is to build up the
church – the body of Jesus Christ.
IT IS NOT FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY
This gift should only be used in private contexts. There is
no place for some public display of this gift in a flamboyant way. If the Holy
Spirit is working, then it will be consistent with the way He always works. He
will glorify Jesus Christ and Him alone. Indeed, He will never glorify any
human being exercising a spiritual gift.
BELIEVERS NEED THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Scripture speaks of knowledge in a variety of areas. First
there is the knowledge of God.
We can have some
limited knowledge about the God of the Bible.
Paul also emphasized that unbelievers oppose the knowledge
of God. This could refer to knowledge about God or knowledge which God
possesses. He wrote. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we
fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary,
they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every
pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we
take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ are living in
opposition to the knowledge of God.
WE NEED KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
The Bible stresses the necessity of knowledge about the
Christian faith. Paul wrote to the Romans the need for the following. Romans
2:20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children,
because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—
We are commanded to have knowledge about Christianity. Paul
also wrote to the Romans concerning the encouragement which knowledge of the
Scripture provides.
Romans 15:14 Paul the Minister to the Gentiles I myself am convinced, my brothers and
sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge
and competent to instruct one another.
The Bible also emphasizes knowledge about right living. Peter wrote the following to the believers about the various virtues work together.
2nd
Peter 1:5-8
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your
faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and
godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if
these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being
ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE NEW TESTAMENT PROVIDES EXAMPLES OF THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE
We have seen the importance which the Bible places upon
knowledge. The New Testament also provides us with some examples of the
supernatural exercise of knowledge.
John 1:45-50
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
(Needs expanded upon)
JESUS EXERCISED THIS ABILITY WITH NATHANIEL
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite.[a] There is no duplicity in him.” 48 [b]Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;[c] you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?[d] You will see greater things than this.”
Footnotes
1:47 A true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him: Jacob was the first to bear the name “Israel” (Gn 32:29), but Jacob was a man of duplicity (Gn 27:35–36).
1:48 Under the fig tree: a symbol of messianic peace (cf. Mi 4:4; Zec 3:10).
1:49 Son of God: this title is used in the Old Testament, among other ways, as a title of adoption for the Davidic king (2 Sm 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27), and thus here, with King of Israel, in a messianic sense. For the evangelist, Son of God also points to Jesus’ divinity (cf. Jn 20:28).
1:50 Possibly a statement: “You [singular] believe because I saw you under the fig tree.”
JESUS EXERCISED THIS ABILITY WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL
When Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well, we find that He exercised the word of knowledge. John records the following.
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.”
The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right
in saying, ‘‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one
you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’” (John 4:16-18
NRSV).
This is another example of the exercising of the gift of
supernatural knowledge.
SIMON PETER’S CONFESSION WAS MIRACULOUSLY REVEALED
Simon Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah was another example of this gift. Jesus said to Peter.
And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in
heaven“ (Matthew 16:17 ESV).
It was God the Father who revealed Jesus’ identity to Peter.
In sum,
at times,
the Lord provides supernatural knowledge to believers.
This knowledge is never for personal gain but rather to further
the work of the Christian ministry.
Summary – Question 19
What Is the Gift of the Word of Knowledge?
The Bible speaks of a spiritual gift called the “word of knowledge.” This particular gift of the word of knowledge is a spiritual gift that allows the believer to supernaturally know something about a situation or a person.
It is not to be used to take advantage of the circumstances of others. Neither is it for public display.
There are some who believe the gift is no longer available for the church. They link it to the apostles and prophets who had unique ability to understand what was divinely inspired revelation as well as what was not. Because the New Testament Scripture has been written there is no longer any need for the gift.
However, others argue that this gift is absolutely necessary
today. They see this gift as more than merely determining which prophetic words
were from God and which were not. Instead it is supernatural insight into
certain facts. Thus, the gift is much needed.
Were gonna print to much $v and have run away inflation,
The fed doesn’t have the tools to deal with this as it hit both the supply and consumtion side of the economy.
Knowing somebody knows who I am when they say they didn’t.
Knowing intentions behind
whats being done. (edge of woods tractor, etc...)
Say things before the experts
Say the opposite of what the experts say and it comes to pass.
etc. etc. etc...
So Keep mocking...
Keep jeering
Keep snearing...
Keep laughing...
Keep doubting...
See what it gets ya...
I give ya a hint...
Its very unpleasant, and it will never ever stop being so.
Or?
Eternal bliss and joy.
What is the delima in humbling yourselves?
The arrogance of man has about reached its height.
It doesn't matter how much evidence is put in front of eyes that don't see.
You still wont believe,
Luke 16:31
Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’
Yup...
I love you so much baby.
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