The Need for Perfect Understanding

It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus… (Luke 1:3)

Where is your heart . . . concerning understanding? We hear about knowledge, wisdom and understanding. All are important, but understanding has a grace associated with it that is a bit different — something we need to take heed to. Think of it as the “icing on the cake”, if you will.

We know that knowledge has, basically, two definitions: 1) information and 2) discernment. Wisdom deals with “the capacity to understand and, as a result, to act wisely” (Louw-Nida). In other words, wisdom speaks to “knowledge that impacts our behavior”. “Understanding” takes things to another level. We can also think of “understanding” as “needful, thorough and replete knowledge . . . beneath the surface of a thing”.

Look at it this way. Everybody knows that there is such a thing as measles. While some may know it when they see it, only those exposed to a greater degree of knowledge and wisdom have a true understanding — from all angles — concerning the why, what, who, where and how associated with measles. Those are the people that prescribe the necessary resources and actions to help a person overcome. It goes without saying that this example can apply to several issues, so feel free to fill-in-the-blank. Through this, the difference between knowledge, wisdom and understanding are made clear(er).

It could be said that he who has understanding has a complete “grip” or “firm grasp” on a particular subject or thing. Louw Nida defines “understanding” as “insight — capacity for determining a right course of action”. Another Semantic Domains dictionary says, “prudent or skilled — implying this state is a result of proper teaching” (Swanson, J. [1997]. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains) Those who “understand” are able to address and comprehend issues from various angles. When we have an understanding, we don’t just have information. We know where information “fits” and where it does not.

Consider the following scriptures that mention understanding and you’ll see the necessity prescribed by God, as well as a common theme:

Deuteronomy 1:13
Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.
Deuteronomy 32:28-29
For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
1 Kings 3:9
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1 Chronicles 22:11-13
Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee. Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
Ezra 8:18
And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen….
Nehemiah 8:2-8
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Psalm 49:20
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Proverbs 1:5
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels….
Proverbs 4:5-7
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Proverbs 10:13
In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
Proverbs 13:15
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
Proverbs 14:6
A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
Proverbs 15:14
The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
Proverbs 15:32
He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
Proverbs 21:16
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
Proverbs 24:3-4
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Isaiah 56:11
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Jeremiah 3:15
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Matthew 13:15
For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Matthew 13:19-23
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Mark 12:33
And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Romans 1:29-2:1
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Ephesians 1:15-18
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 4:17-18
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
1 Timothy 1:7
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Jude 10
But these speak evil of those things which they know (Greek – understand) not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

As you can see, understanding is critical to our success and progress in Christ — as ministers and as believers. The focal point of today’s exhortation revolves around Luke’s statement (in Luke 1:3). Having had PERFECT UNDERSTANDING from the beginning, he was able to write . . . IN ORDER — doing so in an orderly way AND doing so in such a way that giving heed results in order in the listeners’ lives.

That being said, today’s prime message is this . . . we cannot do ministry . . . EFFECTIVELY . . . unless/until we have PERFECT UNDERSTANDING. Only then can we facilitate God’s call to order in the earth.

We are called to be like Solomon. We should have a passion for . . . PERFECT UNDERSTANDING. We must be like the rulers of Moses’ day — men (and women) of understanding. We must embrace reproof, knowing that it is a vehicle by which understanding comes. We must embrace understanding, knowing that it gives us the rooting we need to keep God’s word. We must pursue understanding, knowing that it doesn’t come by osmosis. We must value understanding, knowing that it comes from God and should never be taken for granted.

Do you have . . . PERFECT UNDERSTANDING? Are you pressing towards it? Do you have a heart for it? Once we pursue and allow God to equip us with PERFECT UNDERSTANDING, we can and will be nothing but a blessing unto the people of God. Without PERFECT UNDERSTANDING, your ministry won’t really be ministry at all, but a figment — a false sense of importance and authority with little to no impact.

NOTE: “Perfect understanding”, many times, is the difference between he that is called and he that is chosen.

Lift up your voice for understanding and trust God to take you down the “path of impartation”.