Ignorance Ain’t Bliss

The Bible makes it clear that ignorance is not bliss, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. While ignorance might seem like a harmless or comfortable state, Scripture warns of the serious consequences that it brings. Ignorance, whether due to neglect, hard-heartedness, or unwillingness to seek understanding, it is not excused. For believers, Scripture emphasizes the need to pursue wisdom and knowledge to live according to God’s will. For unbelievers—an eternity in hell.

In this article, we will dive deep into several key warnings Scripture declares concerning specific ignorances that are very common today, and how to avoid them.

Don’t be ignorant of God’s righteousness

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 10:1-4 NKJV

As the old saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” A person can have a zeal for God, to want to serve Him, follow Him, and increase His kingdom, but miss the mark completely. Why? Because the object of their faith is not in Jesus Christ, but in an organization, a human being, rules and regulations outside of the Bible, and in themselves.

Take Mormonism for instance. If you look at graphic below and you will see according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) the high and steep steps a Mormon has to go through to get to spend eternal life with their Heavenly Father, in the Celestial Kingdom.

First, it starts with baptism into the LDS Ward. In order to do the rest, like Temple Endowments, Eternal Marriage, and so on, you must also receive a Temple Recommend. In order to get the Temple Recommend Card, it means that your external walk anyway must be up to par with the LDS church. If not, you don’t receive the card, and you cannot get into the temple to do the endowments or get married. Oh, and that last one—endure to the end—you better not mess up, or down the ladder you go.

The only free gift according to the LDS, is the gift of the resurrection, and to a Mormon, is the only free gift their “Jesus” offers. You may be thinking that the Telestial Kingdom is good enough, but if you were to ask a Mormon, he would say it would be like hell. So, as you can see, they have a zeal to get to the top of that ladder to be with their Heavenly Father, but it’s up to them to stay there. It’s all based on what YOU do, not what Christ has already done, which can be seen below of what Biblical Christianity looks like.

According to the Biblical Gift of Eternal Life only found in the Bible, it is that gratitude to God and Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit that produces good works that God has already purposed in us at salvation so that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). The only way not to be ignorant of God’s righteousness, is to read His Word (the Bible) and be doers of it (James 1:22-25).

But this problem isn’t just with Mormons, but Jehovah’s Witnesses who value the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society over Jesus Christ. Also Roman Catholics who value the Pope’s words and traditions over the Bible; and those who say they are good enough to go to heaven in their own strength. To say, “My god would never condemn homosexuality or abortion,” is to say that they are ingorant of God’s righteousness only found in the Bible. Their god does not exist, and is a figment of their immaginations. Most men will proclaim their own goodness (Proverbs 20:6), but it is the man that looks at himself through the mirror of God’s Law and see that he is not good in and of himself and in need of Jesus as His substitutionary attonement to save him from his sin, which is only through Jesus Christ.

Don’t be ignorant concerning God’s plan for Israel

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

– Romans 11:25 NKJV

Paul is writing to the Romans about the relationship between Gentile Christians and the Jewish people. He is explaining that although many Jewish people have rejected the gospel, this does not mean that God has completely rejected them. He is allowing a partial hardening to come upon them until the full number of Gentiles has come to faith. Essentially, Paul is saying that God has a plan for both Jews and Gentiles to be saved, and that we should not think too highly of ourselves as Christians or dismiss the Jewish people altogether. We should be humble and trust in God’s plan for both groups. This passage also highlights the importance of sharing the gospel with both Jews and Gentiles, as all are in need of salvation in Christ.

Don’t be ignorant of Satan’s devices

Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

– 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NKJV

Between the first and second letter to the Corinthians, there was an issue that the Apostle Paul brought to the attention of the recipiants of a letter that needed to be addressed thoroughly and quickly. It is believed that the person of offense is the believing man in their congregation who had relations with his father’s wife (stepmother) in 1 Corinthians 5. This incestuous relationship was ongoing and everyone in the congregation knew about it. Even though the offender was guilty of sexual sin, the entire congregation was also guilty of ignoring the man’s disobedience and failing to hold him accountable. This left unchecked could have spread like cancer to cause new and immature believers to commit sexual immorality as well.

Whether or not this was the incident that sparked Paul to send sharp rebuke to the Corinthian Church, the truth we find out in the second letter is that this person repented and was forgiven (2 Corinthians 2:6-9). Paul tells them now, since he has repented and turned from sin, that they should restore him fully back into the fold. The purpose of church discipline is always for repentance and restoration. It is never to continue to punnish past what Christ has already paid for with His blood. His blood was enough.

One of Satan’s devices is to cheat the believer out of true forgiveness and divide the church in any way he can. There are so many times where a brother or sister sins and offends in the church. Actions are taken from Matthew 18 to inform of the offense and call for repentance.

1. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you gained your brother (Matthew 18:15).
2. But, if he does not listen to you, take one or two people that know of the situation with you as for witnesses to what this person has done (Matthew 18:16).
3. But, if he still refuses to hear, take it to the church. If he even refuses the church, he is to be removed from the blessing and fellowship of the body of Christ (Matthew 18:17-20). If he does repent at any time, restore him to the fold and fully back into fellowship. If this person is a leader or pastor, he may not be restored back into the same position, but at the very least back into community with that church.

Can you see how Satan can use this to tear believers to pieces and cause division if not handled properly? Not going to the sinning brother first causes griping and gossping to others which can lead to many more sins. Going directly to the church elders burdens them with things the offended person should have done privately. But once a person is forgiven, not bringing him back into the fold or holding something other than repentance over their head is giving Satan the chance of reducing a sinner to despair. It’s bad enough that Satan’s strategy was lust to bring this Christian man down, but then used the strategy of “tollerance” against the church to put up with it and possibly spread sexual immorality within the body. Satan will use anything, even so called “small things” to steal, kill, and destroy the testimony of a believer and obeidence to Christ (John 10:10). Don’t be ignorant of the devil’s devices.

Don’t be ignorant about spiritual gifts

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

– 1 Corinthians 12:1 NKJV

One of the most divisive aspects of church is the spiritual gifts of individuals.

Spiritual gifts are the gracious endowments leading to miraculous results that came by extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit. No one can claim these to be of their own power or knowledge, but that the Holy Spirit gives them to us to further His kingdom. They were once ignorant of the “dumb idols” they worshipped before through pagan idolatry. Now that the Spirit of the Living God resides in them, they are now empowered by that real Spirit by these gifts. These gifts are discussed in the next few verses:

1. The word of wisdom: The unique ability to speak forth the wisdom of God, especially in important situations. This was displayed by Stephen (Acts 7) and Paul (Acts 23).
2. The word of knowledge: The unique ability to declare knowledge that could only be revealed supernaturally as shown by Jesus (Matthew 17:24-27) or Paul (Acts 27:10, 27:23-26).
3. faith: The unique ability to trust God against all circumstances or what we see with our eyes. When Peter walked out of the boat onto the water in Matthew 14:22-23 is a great example of the gift of faith. Another mighty example of the gift of faith was in George Mueller, a Christian leader and philanthropist who in the nineteeth century England provided for thousands of orphans completey by prayer, without ever asking for donations.
4. healings: Which is God’s healing power either given or recieved that cannot be explained by natural phenominon. This was demonstrated throughout the New Testament, especially in Acts.
5. working of miracles: When the Holy Spirit decides to override the laws of nature and display His power through an individual. These are not necessarily healing gifts, but acts of unnatural abilities like when Brother Yun escaping a Chineese prison without being seen as described in the book, “The Heavenly Man.”
6. prophecy: the unique ability to speak God’s message in a particular situation, always in accord with the Bible. This may involve fortelling the future, but mostly declaring God’s Word in power, speaking what the Holy Spirit declares to them.
7. discerning of spirits: the ability to tell the difference between true and false doctrine, and what is of the Holy Spirit and what isn’t (Acts 8:18-23; 16:16-18).
8. different kinds of tongues: Speaking in tongues refers to the ability to speak in a foreign language that the speaker does not know, in order to communicate the gospel to someone who speaks that language. This was beautifully illustrated to us at Pentacost in Acts 2 where the apostles spoke intelligable languages understood by others.
9. interpretation of tongues: When someone speaks in a language that is not their own, and without interpretation, the message is meaningless. However, if someone speaks in a real foreign language in a church gathering, and there is someone who can interpret, then the message can be understood and the church can be edified.

But it’s not all about the individual gifts themselves, but the distribution of the gifts, how we recieve the gifts, and what they are used for. These gifts can be abused if not done decently and in order, or understood in line with what the Holy Spirit biblically intends them for.

Don’t be ignorant about spiritual gifts. As you can see in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, there are different gifts, for different ministries, for different activities for the profit of all in the body of Christ. They are a diversity of gifts which brings unity to the body (1 Corinthians 12:14-31). They are distributed by the Holy Spirit according to whom He wants to give them (1 Corinthians 12:11) and not everyone will have the same gifts. Not to mention these verses clearly teach the Holy Trinity, in that they come from the same Spirit, Lord, and God who works in all of them (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

Don’t be ignorant about suffering and trials in the Christian life

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

– 2 Corinthians 1:8 NKJV

Picture this: you’re out there sharing the gospel with some random stranger on the street. They actually get it, they’re on the verge of committing their life to their Creator, and then—just as they’re about to make the biggest decision of their life—you step in and go, “Wait, wait, hold up. Before you do that, there’s just a tiny little checklist of things I need to tell you. When you give your life to Jesus Christ:

• you’ll be persecuted for just desiring to live a godly life in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:12)
• unbelieving family members will become your enemies (Matthew 10:34-37)
• you might lose friends (2 Timothy 4:10)
• the world will think your weird and call you names (1 Kings 18:17; Mark 3:20-22; Acts 2:13; Hebrews 11:36)
• you’ll feel like an outsider no matter where you go (John the Baptist, Ruth, Joseph, etc)
• you may be imprissoned (Hebrews 11:36)
• you’ll lose your life (Matthew 10:38-39)
• and a whole bunch more I’d rather not mention.”

It’s not that here in America any of us will be stoned or sawn in two (Hebrews 11:37), but standing up for righteousness sake with Jesus may cost a high price on this side of heaven. Here are some real examples of persecution of Christians in the United States:

• Aaron and Melissa Klein, former owners of Sweetcakes by Melissa, were forced out of buisiness because legal battles because they declined to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple in 2013.
• Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd., finally won a six year legal battle when he declined to bake a wedding cake for two gay men citing his Christian beliefs about marriage. The couple filed a discrimination lawsuit, and the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court ruled narrowly in favor of Phillips on the grounds of religious bias in the state’s legal process. He was forced to give up the wedding cake portion of his business, and suffered much financial loss and emotional toll.
• Evangelist, Hans Schmidt shot in the head while preaching on the corner of 51st Avenue and Peoria in Glendale, Arizona in November 2023. This 26-year old father of two made a partial recovery, with the ability to walk, talk and play drums, but will never be 100% back to normal.
• 21-year old Salvation Army worker, Jared Plesec, was shot dead while sharing the gospel to his neighbor in the saftey of his apartment complex during the Christmas season in 2017.

When Jesus called men and women to follow Him, what did He expect of them? Was it reasonable? What proves whether a person is a true disciple or not? Jesus was straight, direct, and to the point when it comes to calling those to follow Him. He didn’t water it down or make it palatible. He presented eternal life to them, and said what it would cost them. The rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-21; Luke 18:18-23; Mark 10:17-22) thought he had already achieved it, until Jesus told him to sell all that he had, give it to the poor and follow Him. Renouncing all that a person has to be His disciple can be too much for people (Luke 14:33).

I try to be real with people when sharing the gospel and tell them it will be a difficult on the road to eternity. But as much suffering as may take place, it is a fulfilling life. The truth is: how much do you want Jesus, and what are you willing to endure?

Want to know more? Purchase this 6-week study, “Being a Disciple: Counting the Real Cost” by Kay Arthur.

Don’t be ignorant about the second coming of Jesus and the resurrection

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NKJV

I have to admit, when it comes to eschetology and the study of the end-times, I should be better and understanding it. But, I am not ignorant that it won’t happen. I believe it with all my heart.

But, it’s not just that we believe that He is coming, but that we believe He can come at any moment. Because if we really believed He could come at any time, we would be getting ready for it. But since most of us are living for today in the moment, most of us do not believe that it will actually happen.

That’s what many of Jesus’ parables taught, especially the Kingdom of heaven parables, is to be ready, because at any time, the Father could tell the Son to go back for His bride, and He would go. He would not delay. If Jesus is your everything, show you are ready and waiting for Him, because you don’t know the day or hour in which the Son of Man is coming (Matthew 25:1-13).