How many times have we heard the phrase “ignorance is bliss”? It may please many to be ignorant of the Word of God because they do not wish to feel guilty when they are sinning. The truth is that “good understanding giveth favor: but the way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). Living in ignorance only brings hardships, and dying in ignorance brings eternal torment. Jesus taught us that one soul is worth more than the entire world (Matthew 16:26). Ignorance will cost us our precious souls – therefore we cannot afford to be ignorant! It is true that we have finite minds that are incapable of knowing everything; but that should make us trust in God, who has infinite understanding: “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). God does not want us to be ignorant of spiritual matters, and the Bible reveals that if we are ignorant:

We cannot please God – The Word of God produces faith (Romans 10:17). If we are ignorant of the Word, we cannot be people of faith, and we will not be able to please God: “But without faith it is impossible to please him…” (Hebrews 11:6; cf. 2 Timothy 2:15).

Satan will take advantage of us – If we are ignorant of Satan’s tricks, he will take advantage of us: “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

We will not be able to resist temptations – Knowledge of the Word keeps us from sin: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). If we follow the example of Jesus, we should be able to say, “…It is written…” (Matthew 4:4) when we are tempted; yet ignorance will not allow us to do this.

We cannot differentiate good from evil – “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

We cannot teach others - God has commanded us to teach others in order to fight against this deadly disease of ignorance (Mark 16:15; 2 Timothy 2:2, etc.), but how can we teach others what we do not know?

Our consciences will not bother us, even if we are in sin – Because Saul of Tarsus was ignorant of the truth, his conscience did not bother him, even though he was persecuting the bride of Christ! (Acts 23:1). Our consciences must be trained by the Word of God, or they will lead us to death! (Proverbs 16:25).

If we are ignorant of God and spiritual matters when we die, we are “…without excuse” (Romans 1:20); therefore let us determine to seek the counsel of the Lord, that He may guide us to heaven: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:24).

Jason Hilburn

Indeed, ignorance does abound. So much of it has to do with folks not cracking open their bible and seeing for themselves what God has given us. Taking the word of Joe Smoe Preacher is fine...But at least open the bible and check it out.

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Perhaps we should follow their example in being in the Word.

I would agree- there are many ignorant people in churches out there. On the other hand, I have known too many in our churches paranoid of ignorance. They cannot reconcile the fact that it is okay to associate with lost people outside the Church of Christ. These people do a great disservice for the Kingdom by standing in judgment, rather than compassion, of those who do not have full understanding of the gospel. Let it be the prayer of our heart to find in-roads to those outside the truth and be a positive, encouraging and fruitful witness.

Shutting out the world seems to be a contradiction of the Great Commission, don't you think? Who was it that Jesus associated with? Sinners of all kind...People who knew nothing about God's Word.