As we come to our final week on this series of biblical decision-making, we'll look at wise counsel. God has provided the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus called our Counselor, and the body of believers.

The Holy Spirit is the presence of God with us in our daily lives. He works in us, preparing us for the good works God has for us. What good works? Building up the church, feeding the hungry, caring for the orphan and widow, going into the world to share the gospel. He gives us gifts, which we use in the community of believers, to accomplish this work. The Holy Spirit prays and intercedes for us when we don't know how to pray. And he teaches us what to say in difficult situations, such as evangelism or when comforting the grieving. 

In all these situations and to pursue the work of God's Kingdom in the world through the unity of the Church, the Holy Spirit guides us, convicts us, and counsels us. The evidence of this is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Toward these things, the Spirit counsels us.

Caveat: This doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit will show us where to park, where to move, what job to take, or where to vacation. (Carol put so well how we take the Lord's name in vain by ascribing to him the outcome of these decisions, so I won't go into that here.) When we claim that God told me such-and-such or led me to this-or-that, we disable the counsel of the community of God, another vital aspect of wisdom. Who needs others to help if God is in direct communication with us?

The Bible is full of commands to seek wise counsel and gives us numerous examples of the Body of Christ making decisions together--how to address the neglected widows in the community or whether or not the Gentile Christians should be circumcised. Throughout Church history, we see councils coming together to address theological and social issues. Because each one of us is a member of the Body of Christ, the decisions we make affect the entire Body. Also, as Jamie wrote just yesterday, God has given us the Body for accountability. They have perspectives about us that we may not have. For example, often, we may not be aware of spiritual gifting until it is affirmed by the community, and knowledge of our spiritual gifts affects the decisions we make.

In view of this rich history and because of these reasons, we need to seek the wisdom of other believers in the community as we make our decisions.

Letting go of the notion that decision-making comes via direct revelation from God may be stressful. Where are the guarantees? How do we know we're making the right or good decisions? God has revealed his will for humanity and gives us freedom within that to make different decisions as long as we do so in light of his kingdom work. And he has not left us alone to make these decisions. He gives us wisdom in the Bible, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the community of believers, and common sense to think through implications.

Wisdom Series:
Part One: Want Fries with That?
Part Two: Knowing God's Will
Part Three: Living Wisely within God's Freedom
Part Four: Wisdom Literature