This and That 090512 Ignorance?

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."

Peter’s Pen 1st Peter 2:1-3

1Pe 2:1-3  So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  (2)  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-(3)  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Peter has repeatedly affirmed our assurance in Christ and is now moving us into some practical and surprising areas of living out our faith.  He has already called us to love one another earnestly based upon our union with the Lord.  Now he moves on.

“put away”

No, this is not “work” but it is part of our growth in Christ.  We are never called to do what we cannot – but we cannot without His power. 

When we read a command or an admonishment, we are often tempted to put it on “the” list and dig into the “doing.”  Though the high motivation is a good thing springing from a pure heart, the rushing into the “doing” might not be so wise.

Commands or directives are not challenges thrown out for us to “prove” our love for Him.  Rather, they are intended to draw us closer to Him first seeking His direction and power to obey.  If commands and directives are intended to “prove” anything, it is to prove that we need Him and that He is faithful to provide what we need from Him to follow.

In Romans 1:5 Paul writes about, “obedience of faith.”  Many a late night has been spent where the meaning of this is debated and analyzed.  But if we can just accept the simple fact that faith (trust) changes our actions, we will be a lot closer to understanding what Paul is saying.

Jesus calls us to “trust” His faithfulness and His power and His love for us.  He calls us to “do” so we might be in a better position to see His trustworthiness.  The more we act, trusting Him, the broader and deeper our trust grows.  I have trusted Him (not always well) for over 30 years and He has never failed me.  Where the bumps in the road come for me is in not paying attention and acknowledging that in every circumstance and situation He has been the source of any and every ability to obey.  

Just this morning I was mulling over our present circumstances and wondering whether we had provision for the future.  I had to laugh at myself because we have much more provision for today than we could ever need.  All our needs are met in Him today – I can rest in Him – today.  But friends, today is all we ever have.  Tomorrow is just impending today – when it gets here, it will be today.

I’d love to write about our souls longing for eternity – an eternal “today.”  But I’ll save that thought.

Peter calls us to, “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”  Now we might – possibly – be able to put away these things on occasion, but Peter nails all of us when he says we are to put them ALL away.  That ALL is the clincher – the crusher. 

I don’t even see these things all the time – I engage in them and then later remember.  If I don’t notice them ALL, it’s not likely I’ll put them all away.  Here comes faith/trust!  He can enable me to notice and stop.  He can make me sensitive to their potential in every situation.  He can shut my mouth and ears. 

Peter tells us how to embark on this “putting away.”

V 2:  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-

“Like” new born infants!!!!!!!  How dependent is a new born?  That’s how dependent we are to be upon Him.  But, what’s  great is that what we need is provided – we need to desire it!  It is, “the pure spiritual milk,” that we grow by.  Milk – “Got Milk?”   What in the world is Peter talking about?

1Co 3:2  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

Heb 5:12-14  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  (13)  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.  (14)  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Ahh – perhaps this is why Peter ends this reference to milk with, “that by it you may grow up into salvation.”

Jesus is a gentle teacher and a loving friend.  He knows we are weak and frightful.  He knows everything about us – and He provides us with what we specifically need when we specifically need it.  In this instance, we need “milk” to grow us as we “put away” these sinful things. 

Remember, the picture here is of infants not big strong strapping adults.  Remember, too, that this is not just about our bodies but about our hearts and minds as well.  It’s called humility and it’s a tough thing.  We have to learn that we can’t – He can.  We need to pray that we will humble our hearts and accept our infantile needs in Him and allow Him to feed us that “milk” which we must have to grow.

Milk first and fundamental - as He shows you what and how and enables you to do so.

I suspect that the toughest part of this whole passage is:

“Like newborn infants”