- IGNORANCE -- is a fact of life. What does God have to say about that?
- Do we have a "right" to remain ignorant?
- Ignorance is not always due to lack of opportunity to learn but, oftentimes, it is the result of willful choice.
"Ignorance -- is a fact of life." That should require no explanation. But does the Bible have anything to say about ignorance, as a matter of principle? Indeed, it has a great deal to say about the subject. Anyone can, if he or she will, easily discover many passages of Scripture dealing with the question of ignorance. I will merely say, that God condemns "ignorance," in principle. It were absurd to suppose that everyone ought to know everything there is to know about everything. That is not at all the point. Nevertheless, God despises and condemns willful ignorance; which brings us to points #2 and #3.
What does it mean to have a "right," involving any sort of purpose or activity? If I have a "right" either to believe, or in fact to do, any given thing, it means that I may freely embrace any such belief(s), and/or I may freely engage in any such activity, without fear of incurring to myself any adverse consequence(s) as the result. But that idea then leads to another no less important idea, viz.: In every case involving the question of "rights," there is also implied the fact, that there exists a higher Authority whose prerogative it is to dispose and to enforce all such "rights".
Let me illustrate what I mean. If someone says, for example, that he has the "right" to believe whatever he wants to believe: Is it in fact true, that he does have such a "right"? Well, then, let us suppose that he "believes" he is the President of the United States--and he presumes to act upon such belief, by attempting to walk into the President's private bedroom in the White House. Shall he not very quickly be disabused of such wrong-headed belief? And shall he not then suffer certain "adverse consequences" as the result of acting upon his belief? It were irrelevant to object that our imaginary person may not perceive his going to jail, as being an "adverse consequence"; for, such an objection denies objective Reason (which, incidentally, is a very serious and widespread problem--in this "Postmodern" era).
I only gave one example; though an infinite number can be imagined. But the truth of the matter is unspeakably important--as it is also very relevant to this "Postmodern" culture. So many (even Christians--who should know better!) wrongly presume they have the "right" to believe whatever they want. And just for that (wrong) reason, the Christian Church has been virtually destroyed in this generation: because, the idea that Christianity is DEFINED BY the SCRIPTURES, that idea has been completely rejected by the vast majority of church leaders and their congregations.
Those, who suppose they have the "right" to believe whatever they want to believe -- are on a fast train to Hell. For, Hell (the Lake of Fire) is the ultimate "adverse consequence" to all such fools, who reject the truth of God.
Does anyone, then, have a "right" to be an atheist? or a homosexual? or a child molester? or an adulterer? or an addict? or a gossiper? or a voyeur? or prayerless; or willfully ignorant? Is there not a holy God in heaven who is the Supreme Authority over all the affairs of men? Has He nothing to say about, or will He at all refrain from judging, even "every idle word" which we may utter? How much more, then, will He judge--and either punish or reward, according to His Word, our choices and our conduct in life?
Point #3:
Most often, individuals remain ignorant of relevant and important ideas, because they are willing to remain ignorant. Rather than investing their time to develop themselves, spiritually, for Christ's sake (the Christian's life is not his own), most are content to continue to live largely unto themselves, and not as unto Christ. Is that not a form of robbery? Is it not also hypocrisy? And is it not, also, a form of gross deception -- by misrepresenting what is supposed to be a Christ-filled life? And is that not, finally, blasphemy -- to misrepresent the Person of Christ, to others?
Willful ignorance is not so much an explicit ACT; but it is rather a mindset which exhibits a character of indifference to the reality of God, of His Word and of His Authority.
Ignorance is the fruit of unbelief, and the progenitor of rebellion.
"How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
"Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: they would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." (Proverbs 1:22-33)
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