This is Claire, I've never used a blog editor before - this is so exciting. Anyway, to come to a reasonable conceptualization of holiness I feel that, at least I, need to review the relationship of the three main spiritual attributes which come with our receipt of grace from God: wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Faith is a prerequisite however after that the field is, as they say, “open” for what can happen next. Bear with me as I review a few key bible verses.

This is Claire, I've never used a blog editor before - this is so exciting. Anyway, to come to a reasonable conceptualization of holiness I feel that, at least I, need to review the relationship of the three main spiritual attributes which come with our receipt of grace from God: wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Faith is a prerequisite however after that the field is, as they say, “open” for what can happen next. Bear with me as I review a few key bible verses.

A. Spiritual Wisdom is Available to Us All
Dan 2; 21    God ... gives widsom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding
 Jas 1; 5    ... if you lack wisdom ... ask God ... and it will be given ...

B. What are some Measures of Spiritual Wisdom as present in a Christian or a Christian Church
Jas 3; 17  Wisdom ... is first pure ... then peaceable ... gentle ... open to reason ... full of mercy and good fruits * ... without uncertainty or insincerity ...  *  note: Gal 5; 22 - Fruits of the Spirit ... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
 1 Cor 12; 8    ... gifts of the Spirit ... include ... utterance of wisdom ... utterance of knowledge
note: it should be getting obvious that the spiritual attribute of wisdom is linked to our interactions with people on earth ... these two gifts (wisdom and knowledge) are best placed in context by reference back to 1 Cor 12; 4 - 7 ... there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, varieties of working inspired by the same God and to each is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good ...
 Col 1; 9 - 10  ... we ... pray ... that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will ... in spiritual wisdom and understanding ... to lead a life worthy of the Lord ... pleasing to Him ... bearing fruit in good work ... increasing in the knowledge of God
 Jas 3; 13    ... who is ... wise ... and understanding ... let him show his works ... in the meekness of wisdom ...
 Col 2; 2 - 3  ... knit together in love ... to have ... understanding ... and knowledge ... of Christ ... in whom are hid ... wisdom and knowledge ...
 Ep 1; 9    ... He has made known to us in wisdom ... the mystery of His will ... according to His purpose ... set forth in Christ ... to unite all things to Him ... in heaven and ... on earth ...
1 Cor 1; 30 God ... is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom ... righteousness ... sanctification and redemption ...

C. Seeking to Clarify Definitions
Job 28; 28    Fear of the Lord is wisdom ... to depart from evil is understanding
 Deut 34; 9    ... after Moses died ... Joshua ... was full of the Spirit of Wisdom ... so the people of Israel obeyed ...
 Lk 21; 15    ... I will give you ... wisdom ... which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict ...
 Ecc 2; 26    ... to those who please Him ... God gives wisdom ... knowledge and joy ...
 Hos 14; 9  ... who is wise ... understand ... the laws of the Lord are right ... the upright walk in them ... transgressors stumble ...
 Is 33; 5 - 6    ... the Lord ... will fill Zion with justice and righteousness ... he will be the stability of your times ... an abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge ... the fear of the Lord is his treasure ...
 Ps 111; 10     ... the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ... a good understanding have all who practice it ... His praise endures forever ...
note: additional verses within Psalm 111 which help to frame this revelation:
* vs.3 ... full of honor and majesty is His work and His righteousness endures forever
* vs. 7 - 8 ... the works of His hands are faithful and just ... all His precepts are trustworthy ... performed with faithfulness and uprightness
Ps 111; 10 &  Prov 1; 7  ... fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge ...
In Proverb's chapters' 1, 2 & 3 the definitions for spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding become clearer ... this revelation uses allegory as well as both positive and negative images ... I present, here, one threaded sequence from our studies.
Prov 1; 20    ... wisdom cries aloud in the street ... "how long ... will you love being simple ... how long ... scoffing ... fools hate knowledge ...
 Prov 1; 29   ... because they hate knowledge and did not choose fear of the Lord ... they shall eat the fruit of their way ...
 Prov 1; 33   ... he who listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of evil ...
note: this reference to "listen" - it permits us to continue our thread of inquiry to revelation concerning spiritual understanding
 Prov 2; 2    ... make your ear attentive to wisdom ... incline your heart to understanding ...
 Prov 2; 3   ... raise your voice for understanding ... seek it like silver ... search ... as for hidden treasure ... then you will understand the fear of the Lord ... and ... find the knowledge of God
 Prov 2; 6 - 10 ... the Lord gives wisdom ... from His mouth come knowledge and understanding .. you will understand righteousness, justice, equity, and every good path ... for wisdom will come into your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul ... understanding will guard you ...
Prov 2; 21    ... the upright will inhabit the land ... those of integrity will remain in it ...
 Prov 3; 5 - 6  ... trust in the Lord with your heart and do not rely on your own insight ... in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths ...
 Prov 3; 7 - 8    ... be not wise in your own eyes ... fear the Lord ... turn away from evil ... it will be healing ... and ... refreshing ...
 Prov 3; 9    ... honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of your produce ...
 Prov 3; 11 - 12  ... do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of His reproof ... the Lord reproves him who He loves ... as a father his son in whom he delights ...
Pov 3; 13 - 18    ... happy the man who finds wisdom ... who gets understanding ... the gain is better than silver ... profit better than gold ... more precious than jewels ... that man's ... ways will be pleasantness ... his ... paths are peace ... all who hold fast ... will be ... happy ...
 Prov 3; 19 - 20   ... by wisdom the Lord founded the earth ... by understanding established the heavens ... by His knowledge the deeps broke forth and the clouds drop down dew ...
 Prov 3; 21 - 23   ... keep sound wisdom ... you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble ...
 Prov 9; 10    ... fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ... knowledge of the Holy One is insight ...

D. A Summary for the relationship of spiritual wisdom, understanding and knowledge
Our daily conversation may use these terms with a contextual meaning of:
* wisdom: accumulated learning, ability to discern, good sense, accepted principles
* knowledge: range of information, awareness of, acknowledgement of, responsibility for
* understanding: grasp of meaning, recognizing: what is going on ... what is important

The same terms apply as an absolute spiritual attribute of God:
* wisdom: God founded the earth
* knowledge: the deep broke forth and clouds drop down dew
* understanding: God established the heaven

Notice that, in this passage, that wisdom & understanding are spiritual attributes of God linked to definable places (earth and heaven) while knowledge is an attribute of on-going action ... from another view, I often note that wisdom and knowledge seem closely linked while understanding is separate ... if you ask why, for certainly there are unfolding levels of purpose as one studies spiritual principles, this principle seems defined by the image which links wisdom to earth, understanding to heaven and knowledge as the cycle of water between earth and heaven ... the purpose for each Christian and the Christian church is rooted in spiritual wisdom ... conversely ... spiritual understanding has a range for each person or church at one end of the spectrum in contrast to the absolute level understanding held by God ... how does God enable or if you prefer empower an individual or a group of individuals (e.g. local church) to reach higher levels of spiritual understanding ???  ... it seems in my study that spiritual knowledge is answer ... spiritual knowledge that breaks forth from the deep and drops like dew ... for those who have found spiritual wisdom ... the same checks and balances we find in our daily life experience or that science notes in the physical laws of our universe are also present spiritually ... no wonder since God is the author of all ... I sometimes use this thread to study the spiritual meaning of baptism though since this is a John Calvin study group I will stay focused on the current thread of holiness ... wisdom is a spiritual attribute which we are able to obtain by asking, by listening. by looking ... as wisdom increases in an individual so also does our knowledge of God which in turn permits an understanding, spiritually, of what is really going on and what is really important ... spiritual knowledge is a modulator of spiritual understanding ... both rest on the foundation of an individual Christian's wisdom ... each is uniquely customized for each person and are dynamically changing throughout a person's life ... so also for each local church ... what I have found interesting in John’s first seven chapters of this, book one of the institutes, is how he has linked all this back into the relationship of the Holy Spirit with scripture.

One spiritual concept that I never quite have an understanding of is just how dynamic and flexible God is in our life ... we define milestone events in scripture which seem historical in nature but are actually as current as the next breath that any one will take ... it appears that wisdom, knowledge and understanding are like that in our life ... I think that I'll leave this dialog at this point for your consideration ... this summary continues with a few additional collations ... my apology if it seems tedious ... the image of knowledge coming from the mouth of God is reflected well in the gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 - 4: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... all things were made through Him ... in Him was life ... the life was the light of men.”

E. Wisdom and Knowledge Considered Together
* Fear of the Lord is the beginning of both Wisdom and Knowledge
* Wisdom and Knowledge are both Gifts of the Spirit ... for the "common good"
* Wisdom and Knowledge are given to those who please God
* Wisdom and Knowledge are given to those who have Understanding

F. Wisdom Considered Alone
* Wisdom is given to those who ask for it
* You must "listen" to receive Wisdom
* Wisdom is "hid" in the knowledge of Christ
* Christ Jesus is our Wisdom

G. Knowledge Considered Alone
* Knowledge of God and Knowledge of God's will seem to be discrete spiritual attributes ... Knowledge of God's will increases our Wisdom and Understanding to lead a life worthy, pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in good works and increasing in the Knowledge of God
* Knowledge is hid in the Wisdom of Christ
* Knowledge comes from God's mouth
* Knowledge of the Holy One is insight

H. Considering Understanding
* we must incline our heart for Understanding
* we must raise our voice for Understanding
* Understanding comes from God's mouth
* to come to an Understanding of Christ
* to Understand the Fear of the Lord
* Understanding is gained by practicing Fear of the Lord