THE SIN OF IGNORANCE Introduction: We are all ignorant, just on different subjects. (saying of Will Rogers). But what can we say about ignorance of God, or Scriptures, and the like? Well, let s start with this staggering bit of information. 1/2 the world s pop. has no true knowledge of God...this would include Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, etc. They are ignorant of God. 1/2 of the rest has no true knowledge of the gospel...this would include Muslims, Jews, etc. They are ignorant of Jesus Christ in truth being the Savior. 1/2 of the remaining has no true knowledge of the perfect law of liberty, God s saving grace through faith and the nature of His church and kingdom...this would include most Catholics, Protestants and many other religious groups such as Jehovah s Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. That is a lot of ignorance. Hosea 4:6 says My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. So we are not speaking of anything new. Even God chosen people have been and can continue to be destroyed because of ignorance. God has determined to join knowledge and salvation...not me! The Scripture reads like this...you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Many folks have a mistaken idea of the state of those who are ignorant...usually expressing a degree of leniency in judgment that the Scriptures do not seem to give. I guess we could say they are ignorant about ignorance. Ha! Let me begin very boldly by saying ignorance of God, His Word, Jesus Christ or anything that pertains to life and godliness is SINFUL! You heard right. Ignorance is not bliss at least not in matters of the soul. Ignorance is sinful and a curse to the soul. Let me prove it to you. I) Ignorance Of God Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. - Back in verse 23 it says Paul had seen an idol
inscription to the unknown god. And he said the god they worshipped ignorantly, he wished to proclaim to them. It was NOT going to be overlooked; they must repent! Ephesians 4:17-19 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. These folks the bible says are alienated from God due to ignorance in them. Romans 1:18-20 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. How much plainer can it be said...to not know God is to be lost! I think some folks get off into speculating about the condition of some poor soul who is uncivilized or in a part of the world where everyone seems to be off track religiously and think it is just not fair that they be lost in hell because he did not know God. But, remember: one is lost due to HIS SIN, ignorant or not. Violations of Civil laws are still subject to prosecution even if you are ignorant...so may God s laws. And did you notice how Paul says it is our fault if we are ignorant? He says that man suppresses the truth in his sinful living. Some folks are ignorant because they want to be ignorant in their desire to live their life they way they want. II Peter 3:5 seems to support this. Listen For this they willingly are ignorant of (KJV) the ESV says For they deliberately overlook this fact. There are folks who are ignorant on purpose they deliberately ignore are ignorant of some facts.
II) Ignorance Of The Gospel I Timothy 1:12-15 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. So what if I know God, but do not know the true gospel? Result: I am still a sinner, though ignorant. - In 2:3-5 we read God would have all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth that involves one mediator Jesus Christ. II Thessalonians 1:7-10 says everlasting destruction awaits those not only who do not know God, but do not obey the gospel. In Romans 10:1-4 we hear the Holy Spirit instructing that the Jews who truly Know God, but not His Son...still adds up to lost. There is just not truth to the idea of man that as long as you believe in God, your good. Remember: We are lost due to sin, not because of lack of salvation! Illustration of man drowning. Is it because he had no one walking by at the time to throw him a life preserver that he drowned? No! He drowned for he was in the water!! And you will see the same is true of those who do not obey the gospel. Ignorance of the gospel is not a justifiable excuse with God. III) Ignorance Of Perfect Obedience But, won t God have to pardon ignorance somewhere...for we all are ignorant, just on different subjects. Remember? Yes. But, it does not seem to be in the area of knowing of Him or the gospel of Christ. But, yes, He does seem to mercifully allow for some ignorance thankfully!! And so, let s talk about that for a few minutes. The Old Testament provided for such - Leviticus 5:17-19...If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done, though
he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven. It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the LORD. First off, notice that though someone might inadvertently, without knowing, do something wrong, it was still wrong. It was still a sin. AND, it still had to be paid for by way of penalty. The many exhortations of the NT to grow in knowledge imply relative ignorance - Philippians 1:9-11 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Take note of God s will for us that abound more and more in knowledge and be filled with righteousness. This is our Father s will. It may not be depicting us having to become perfectly knowing, or absolutely not ignorant of anything pertaining to God to have any hope of going to heaven, but we are still be urged to grow in knowledge. God will judge how much we have tried to not be ignorant. Really? Yes, really. Remember Apollos? The bible says he knew perfectly the way of the Lord except on one point. And what needed to be done? He needed to be correctly and set straight on the one point of the baptism of John still being valid. We all need to be warned that we can be ignorant too long - Hebrews 5:12-14 teaches us that sufficient time can elapse for you to no longer be ignorant of meatier things of the bible, but if you are you better get on the ball. I recall once hearing of a man who grew up in the true church in Scotland saying he had never heard a lesson on authority before he was in his 20 s. That is staggering. Never
use ignorance as a crutch, when you could do better. God s will is that we be less ignorant of His will as days turn into years. IV) Some Final Considerations Seek and You Shall Find is a promise - Matthew 7:7-8. Many folks just aren t seeking - John 3:19-20 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. I firmly believe it to be true that anyone, anywhere, anytime will somehow be aided by God to know Him or Jesus Christ, His Son if they are seeking the truth. God clearly lays the blame for ignorance at the feet of man. Romans 1:28 says some do not want to retain God in their knowledge. And that is just the truth. In fact, let me say that it is the truth about most folks. It is not that God has not revealed Himself to them, but they just don t want to know. And if they on the surface begin to show some interest, Not all learning leads to knowledge. II Timothy 3:7 describes people this way always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. So however you want to slice it, it is the ignorance of man, not God. There is a Difference in Absolute and Relative commands milk and meat parts of Scripture and ignorance in some of matters, though not justifiable, I believe God will show mercy. He is going to have to save ignorant people to some degree otherwise no one will be saved. I firmly believe I will die, even if age 100, not knowing what everything the bible means. Listen to Peter II Peter 3:15-16 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given
him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. Notice that i must be very careful lest my ignorance causes me to twist Scriptures and eventuate in my destruction, but yes, some things Paul (and I will say Peter, too) are hard to understand. Conclusion: All people are ignorant, only on different subjects. But, do not for a moment fall for the trap of the devil thinking ignorance is bliss or ignorance is a justifiable excuse or ignorance is not punishable. Ignorance is sinful.