Acts 17:30

Sins of Ignorance

Harold Lindsell

• Harold Lindsell (December 22, 1913 – January 15, 1998[1]) was an evangelical Christian author and scholar. He is best known for his 1976 book The Battle for the Bible.[2]

Harold Lindsell: commentary on 2 Timothy 2:18

Several kinds of error are distinguished in Scripture. Since all believers are imperfect and know only in part, it is impossible for any one individual to grasp all the truth or to be free from all error. There is an error which springs from honest ignorance (Acts 19. 1-6). As an illustration of this, the Christian church has long been divided on questions of baptism, church government, and so forth. Obviously someone must be embracing error. Well-intentioned believers, however, willingly forsake their error when they are properly instructed, and they are not guilty of intentional sin, even though their error may be a grave one. But Paul is not speaking of the error of ignorance here. Rather he is denouncing those who by their peculiar views relative to the resurrection are upsetting the faith of some. Probably Paul does not mean to suggest here the idea of apostasy, which is something entirely different from errors of ignorance, or even of peculiar doctrinal views which, while incorrect, do not necessarily separate one from the household of faith.

2Timothy 3:16-17(16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:(17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

1Pe 3:21(21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 5:23(23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

2 Peter 3:16-17(16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.(17) Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Sins of Ignorance

1. Define Ignorance.

2. How the world views ignorance.

3. How the bible views ignorance.

4. How to avoid ignorance as an excuse.

1. Ignorance DefinedIgnorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge).[1] The word ignorant is an adjective

describing a person in the state of being unaware and is often used as an insult to describe individuals who deliberately ignore or disregard important information or facts. Ignoramus is commonly used in the US, the UK, and Ireland as a term for someone who is willfully ignorant.

• Ignorance is distinguished from stupidity, although both can lead to "unwise" acts.

• The legal principle that ignorantia juris non excusat, literally "ignorance of the law is no excuse", stands for the proposition that the law applies also to those who are unaware of it.

Willful delusionMatters which are obvious are sometimes ignored, not taken into consideration. This phenomenon is not limited to ordinary persons without native ability but extends to the highest level of human governance resulting in nightmarish scenarios that could, with more wisdom, have been avoided.

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignorance

• Michael Peter Fay (born May 30, 1975) is an American who briefly gained international attention when he was sentenced to caning in Singapore as an 18-year-old in 1994 for theft and vandalism. Caning is a routine court sentence in Singapore but most Americans were unfamiliar with it, and Fay's case was believed to be the first caning involving an American citizen.[1]

• The number of cane strokes in his sentence was reduced from six to four after U.S. officials requested leniency.

2. How the world views ignorance

Ignorance of the law is no excuse• The rationale of the doctrine is that if ignorance were an excuse, a person charged

with criminal offenses or a subject of a civil lawsuit would merely claim that he or she is unaware of the law in question to avoid liability, even though the person really does know what the law in question is. Thus, the law imputes knowledge of all laws to all persons within the jurisdiction no matter how transiently. Even though it would be impossible, even for someone with substantial legal training, to be aware of every law in operation in every aspect of a state's activities, this is the price paid to ensure that willful blindness cannot become the basis of exculpation. Thus, it is well settled that persons engaged in any undertakings outside what is common for a normal person, such as running a nuclear power plant, will make themselves aware of the laws necessary to engage in that undertaking. If they do not, they cannot complain if they incur liability.

• The doctrine assumes that the law in question has been properly published and distributed, for example, by being printed in a government gazette, made available over the internet, or printed in volumes available for sale to the public at affordable prices.

Some modern criminal statutes contain language such as stipulating that the act must be done "knowingly

and wittingly" or "with unlawful intent," or some similar language.

3. How the bible views ignorance

Acts 17:30

• (ASV) The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:

• (BBE) Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart:

• (ESV) The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

• (ISV) Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent,

• (KJV) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Act 17:31(31) Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

How the bible views ignorance

Leviticus 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: (16) And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him. (KJV)

unwittingly unintentionally

Not a matter of no information available, but of person’s

intentions.Notice the person still has guilt.

What can be in a person’s heart?

Matthew 15:18-20 (18) But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man. (19) For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings: (20) these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.

Cities of refuge

Deuteronomy 19:4-6 (4) And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; (5) As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live (6) Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

What about deep dark… Scotland?

Colossians 1:5-6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

V23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

How did the word get out?

By Boat

By Letter

By Foot

What about today?

Why claim ignorance?

2 Peter 3:5-6 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: (6)Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Psalm 95:10(10) Forty years long was I grieved

with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and

they have not known my ways:

Ultimately, who is to blame and whose fault is it for not

knowing God’s word?

4. How to avoid ignorance as an excuse

• Be steadfast and don’t look back.• Don’t be prideful or stubborn.• You can read and study.• God has given us all we need.

1 Peter 1:13-14 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Ephesians 4:17-19 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: Who being past feeling have given themselves

over unto lasciviousness, to work alluncleanness with greediness.

Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Have you submitted to God?

Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.