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That wisdom and a good understanding of the will of God is necessary to accurate walking or ready obedience.

I. Before I give you the reasons, let me state the point as it lieth in the text.

1. That every man that hath a tender conscience would be accurate and exact in his obedience to God, not contenting himself with a slight tincture of Christianity, but looking into every creek and turning of it, that he may in no point be lacking and defective in his duty. Now this cannot be without much wisdom and knowledge; therefore here, when the apostle presseth them to "walk circumspectly," he presently addeth, "Not as fools, but as wise."

2. We have no sure rule to walk by but the will of God.

3. This will is revealed to us in His Word. There our duty and our happiness is clearly stated (Psalm 119:105).

4. This word we need thoroughly to understand, otherwise how shall we know our duty? (Proverbs 19:2.)

5. This understanding must not be idle, but reduced to use and practice. A readiness to serve God in God's way bringeth us soonest to a knowledge of God's will. The Word was not given us to try the acuteness of our wits in disputing, but the readiness of our obedience in practising.

6. This reducing what we know to practice is our wisdom. Knowledge is never right but when wisdom goeth along with it.

II. The reasons why much wisdom and a good understanding is required of Christians.

1. That they may resemble God, and discover His perfections to the world.

2. That there may be a due impression of His word upon us, which is all wisdom; and if we understand it and improve it, it must needs make us wise also; for the impression is according to the nature of the seal; and so the new creature must needs be the wisest creature on this side heaven.

3. The great danger of ignorance, or the evils that come from the want of spiritual wisdom.

(1) To ourselves. Our worship is but a fond superstition, a blind devotion to an unknown God, a mere guess directed by custom and some devout aims (John 4:22). Our zeal is but a wild fury (Romans 10:2).

(2) To others. There is no preventing trouble in the Church or scandals to the world if we have not spiritual wisdom and understanding.

4. The incredible delight and peace it begets in our souls.

(1) The bare knowledge of God's will is very delightful, and yieldeth much more pleasure to the mind than an epicure can find in his most exquisite sensual enjoyments.

(2) The peace which accompanies it.

5. The properties of this knowledge and wisdom show the necessity of it.

(1) Because it is employed about the highest things, to know God's nature and will, what He is, and how He is to be enjoyed.

(2) These things are most useful and profitable (John 17:3).

1. Is of reproof to divers sorts of persons who live in ignorance, or countenance ignorance upon several pretences.

(1) That it belongeth not to them that dig in the mines of knowledge; they leave that to clerks and men of learning.

(2) Others have a little general and traditional knowledge of the religion commonly professed among us, and talk of it by rote after others, but generally look no further than the outside of it.

(3) Some confine their knowledge to a few obvious truths, and for other things they leave it to preachers more accurately to search after the mind of God, and content themselves to see with other men's eyes.

(4) Some think ignorance is the mother of devotion, and that men leave off to be good when they grow more knowing.

2. Is to press us to get this knowledge and understanding of God's will. The apostle speaketh to children of light; and none of us know so much but we may know more.

(1) Labour to get a more full knowledge of heavenly mysteries, especially of those which are necessary to salvation (Hebrews 5:12, 13).

(2) Get a more clear knowledge. Fulness relateth to the object, or matters known; clearness to the subject or faculty knowing.

(3) Get a more certain knowledge, or more confirmed knowledge in the truth (Acts 2:36; John 4:42; John 17:8).

(4) Get a more distinct knowledge. Truths are best known in their frame and dependence. A confused knowledge is always unsatisfactory; it is not till we see how one truth agreeth with another, as the curtains of the tabernacle were fastened by loops; till we are able to "compare things spiritual with spiritual" (1 Corinthians 2:13).

(5) Get a more experimental knowledge. Most of Christianity is not only to be believed, but felt (1 John 5:10).

6. Get a more practical knowledge. Knowledge is for use, not an idle speculation. As a gallant and a physician cometh into a garden, one looketh upon the colour and beauty, the other upon the virtue and use of herbs and flowers: "For if, these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ" (2 Peter 1:8). "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4). A practical Christian is more ready to serve and please God every day.

(T. Manton, D. D.)

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KJV: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

WEB: Therefore don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.