Why Ignorance is Never A Good God Thing

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Ignorance is Not A Good God Thing

There are a few areas where the Spirit of the Lord instructs us not to be ignorant. The old saying, ‘what you don’t know won’t hurt you is simply not true. There are certain areas that The Lord wants you to become smart in really fast. It is for your good and it’s for the establishment of the God’s Holy Kingdom.

[Tweet “Jesus has compassion on the ignorant. Such a wonderful Savior He is to us.”]

Some Bible Areas Where We Are Encouraged to Get Smart Really Fast

  • The Barna Research Group recently surveyed 1,007 American adults and found that many born-again Christians exhibit surprisingly high levels of ignorance on the following core Christian beliefs:
    • 80 percent of born-again Christians agree with the statement, “the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves.” The Bible does not make this claim.
    • 49 percent of born-again believers accept the notion that Satan is not a living being, but a symbol of evil.
    • Even though born-again Christians are those who believe they will go to heaven because they ‘have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus…,”
    • 39 percent of the born-again segment also maintain that “if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in heaven.”
    • 30 percent claim that “Jesus Christ was a great Teacher, but He did not come back to physical life after He was crucified.”
    • 29 percent say “there are some crimes, sins or other things people might do which cannot be forgiven by God.”
    • 26 percent disagree with the notion that they personally have “a responsibility to tell other people [their] religious beliefs.”1
  • As you can see from these statistics, the Body of Christ has some work to do in teaching and instruction.
  • So, here are a few areas where the Lord specifically points out to us as children that we are to become wise and educated concerning His ways.

Some Bible Topics We Should Become Smart In

What happened to Israel in the wilderness

1 Corinthians 10:1 (AV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

Concerning the rapture

Thessalonians 4:13 (AV) 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Concerning the devil’s devices

2 Corinthians 2:11 (AV) 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Concerning Time as the Lord Measures It

  • One day is as a 1000 years in God’s economy.

2 Peter 3:8 (AV) 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Concerning the High Priestly Ministry of Jesus as your High Priest

Hebrews 5:2 (AV) 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

  • This is a wonderful verse because it may seem to be a bit much that we should know all about some of these areas.
  • The Lord doesn’t want us to be ignorant of this area or lacking knowledge in that area or not having an understanding over in this portion of His Word.
  • But, what if I haven’t gotten there yet?
  • Well, the scripture says this falls under the purview of the Jesus ministry as High Priest.
  • He has compassion on the ignorant.
  • Such a wonderful Jesus He is to us.
  • But the line does get drawn in the sand as this next verse shows.

Some Are Willingly Ignorant

  • Despite the admonition to become wise, some choose the path of ignorance.

1 Corinthians 14:38 (AV) 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

  • God says if any man chooses ignorance, let him be that way.
  • Any man who is willfully ignorant, any man who chooses not to pursue the knowledge of God is just on their own.
  • Ignorance is never the best course.
  • It just isn’t.
  • John Calvin made the following quote.

It is a person’s duty to seek God, who comes to meet us in such a way that we can have no excuse for our ignorance. Surely nothing is more absurd than that people should be ignorant of their Author.2

  • Yet, some persist.

2 Peter 3:3–5 (AV) 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

  • You can see that the agenda of these men is impure.
  • They were willingly ignorant so they could follow their own lusts.

Some Choose Ignorance to Abstain Responsibility

  • Another idea that floats around is that the Lord will not hold me responsible for what I don’t know.
  • They therefore choose ignorance as a way of abstaining from responsibility.
  • Sorry, that plane just won’t fly.
  • The Lord gave His Word and He gave You His Spirit to teach it to you.
  • Why do you think He went through all the effort, so you could plead the fifth?

Ignorance is Painful Contrary to Popular Opinion

  • There are yet others who say that what they don’t won’t hurt them.
  • Nothing is further from the truth in the realm of the Spirit.
  • Taking this type of thinking to extreme shows its error.
  • What if I don’t know Jesus in the pardon of my sins?
  • What if I refuse not to know?
  • Isn’t the end of this man painful, an eternity from separated from God?
  • Remember that the knowledge of God is precious and holy and never to be played with.
  • God’s Holy Word is not mental candy.
  • It is to be debated but believed and acted on.
  • The knowledge of God is sacred and Holy.
  • Honor and reverence is always right.

Isaiah 66:5 (NKJV) — 5 Hear the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word:…

Call to Action:

Grab your Bible and study God’s Word in the areas mentioned in this post. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and teach you so that you can be smart in this areas of faith.

Question: In what capacity are you helping others to become wise in God’s Holy ways? Please leave your story in the comments section below.

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Reference:

  1. Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002). ↩
  2.  Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002). ↩

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Category: Spiritual Development