There is a
five-fold ignorance from which our fear arises.
First, we
are ignorant of God.
Second, we
are ignorant of others.
Third, we
are ignorant of ourselves.
Fourth, we
are ignorant of our circumstances.
Fifth, we
are ignorant of the covenant of grace.
Flavel, John (2011-12-27). Triumphing Over Sinful Fear
(Puritan Treasures for Today) Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.
This is just an excerpt from Flavel’s book. This five-fold ignorance is seen by him as
the cause of our sinful fear.
This ignorance is not the same as stupid. He’s not castigating his readers. Rather he wants you and me to understand that
we can and need to relieve this ignorance.
In 1 Peter 1:14 we find the word “ignorance.” It is the Greek word: ἄγνοια agnoia.
There is nothing demeaning about the term. It simply refers to:
1) lack of knowledge, ignorance
1a) especially of divine things
1b) of moral blindness
Though we
have had our “sight” restored that doesn’t mean we “know,” what we need to
know. It does mean that we can know what
we need to know.
Read John 9. This is my favorite story and, if we really
think about it, we can see some mighty parallels to our gaining our sight.
Here are some
of my thoughts:
·
He was born blind so how distracted was he after
he gained his sight? Sensory
overload? Oh yeah!
·
He didn’t know blue or red or purple.
·
He didn’t know what he looked like.
·
He didn’t know what his parents looked like.
·
He didn’t know how to coordinate his clothes (ok
– maybe that’s not really one).
·
He didn’t know what light was.
·
He didn’t know what beauty or ugly was.
·
He didn’t know didn’t what anything looked like.
Get the
picture?
He was –
well – ignorant. He didn’t know what can
only be known by sight.
That’s us when we come into the Kingdom, when we gain our
sight. We’re ignorant. Everything is the same but our ability to
correctly perceive it and identify it is radically altered. So, ignorant fits.
But we need not and should not remain ignorant. Did you know that in the early church it was
not uncommon for a new believer to undergo years of catechetical training
before they were admitted to a functional place in the body? No one doubted they were saved but the early
church leaders understood that ignorance was a grave danger to the new believer
– as well as the body.
They understood and appreciated (that is both the leadership
and the new believers) that there was much to learn (as well as unlearn) in
order that the new believer would not be a danger to themselves or others. They took seriously (the leadership) their
obligation to teach – from milk to meat – the new believer. The new believer understood that they were
blessedly ignorant and submitted themselves to sometime arduous and lengthy
instruction.
How about you? I know,
even though I’m a seminary graduate and an ordained minister, that I have
places where I am ignorant. There are
places where I missed the milk truck and places where I still need someone to
cut my meat for me. Ignorance is a
condition not a sin ----
Unless ------
Unless that ignorance is intentional, arrogant or
prideful. Intentional ignorance is quite
honestly, a sin. It is a refusal to
submit to the instruction of the Word and the ministry of the Spirit. It is also a refusal to accept the commission
to demonstrate God’s glory.
I knew a woman whose faith was, “Jesus loves me this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.” It was clear
that she really did believe this and that Christ was her savior. But she refused to grow any further than
that. Because, I believe, of her refusal
to grow in knowledge and wisdom she had a very fearful life.
I remember her confessing to me with tears streaming down
her face and her body shaking that she had slept with her second husband before
they were married. I asked her if she
believed that Christ paid for that sin. She
acknowledged she did. I then asked her
if she believed he died for ALL her sin.
She was shocked. She had never
learned about the breadth of His atonement. Her ignorance had made her hold that sin to
and against her heart for years being tormented by fear.
It’s the same with trials, suffering, blessings,
opportunities, ad infinitum ----- Unless we relieve our ignorance, unless we
set ourselves to know, understand, appreciate and apply the truth He has
revealed we will always suffer and fear more than we need to.
Jesus made it clear:
Mat 11:28-30 Come to
me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and
lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30)
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
