Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. In Romans 10:1-3,
Paul wrote, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God
for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record
that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God." Note God's requirement of
men in order to be saved.
Zeal must be according to knowledge. The religious
world is filled with the knowledge of men. God's Word warns man
to follow that which is right. "But in vain they do worship
me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men." Israel
was lost because they were not following God's Word. Romans 10:1.
The expression "might be saved" indicates they were
in a lost state.
Salvation is dependent upon the knowledge of the
truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 teaches, "For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." Faiths of men
lead people away from the truth. Ignorance of God's Word of truth
keeps one in a lost condition.
God wants his Word of truth handled rightfully.
2 Timothy 2:15 teaches us, "Study to show thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth." When we handle God's Word in the right
manner, we do not need to be ashamed.
Acts 3:13-19 teaches, "The God of Abraham,
and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified
his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence
of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied
the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted
unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised
from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through
faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know:
yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness
in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot (know) that
through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those
things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets,
that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore,
and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the
times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
Peter said they did this in ignorance. In verse
19, they were taught that they could repent of it and be converted.
Thus, anyone in ignorance of truth can repent and be converted
from their error.
Ephesians 4:17-18 teaches, "This I say therefore,
and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:"
The Gentiles walked in error. Their understanding was darkened.
They were alienated from God through ignorance, and they were
blinded from truth.
Let each of us examine ourselves carefully to
see whether we might be in ignorance of truth. Pleasant View Towers,
1205 9th. St., Box 110, Vienna, WV 26105.