Ignorance Is Not Bliss!

The English poet Thomas Gray wrote, "where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise." Many people just remember this small portion of his poem using it to justify all kinds of actions and attitudes. I will admit on rare occasions "ignorance may be bliss." However, most of the time ignorance is hazardous! For example, ignorance of basic sanitation and nutrition has caused countless deaths.

More serious is the level of ignorance people, including professing Christians, have of God. The extent of Biblical illiteracy in the North American church is a matter of concern. Ignorance about God is as hazardous to our spiritual health as the ignorance of the dangers of drinking contaminated water is to our physical health.

One example is the wrong image people have of God. Some see God as the stern and holy judge watching them and just waiting for a chance to punish them. This view among other things leads to a life of fear; guilt, sternness, and little love or joy. Another view sees God as the great loving grandfather in heaven. This outlook creates opposite problems life is all love, with little holiness, righteousness, or discipline.

From this one problem of a wrong or inadequate view of God come many problems in Christian's spiritual lives. This is one reason that so many Christians are fearful, anxious, feel defeated, are in sinful lifestyles, do not realize answers to prayer, and so on. Therefore, it is very important that each of us develop and maintain a Biblical view of God.

The harm ignorance can cause is seen in ways parents carry out the responsibility to teach their children that God has given parents. Psalm 78:2-7 describe this responsibility: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands."

It is hard to teach and model what you do not know. Yet this teaching and modeling is precisely what our children need. This is another area were ignorance has bad consequences in not just our lives but also in our children's lives.

Fortunately, we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit so we can be knowledgeable, have an incredible life with Christ, and be good parents. The key thing is that each one of us needs to blow the dust off the Bible, open it, and start studying it.

So pray for God the Spirit to lead you into truth, get back into God's Word, and purpose to leave the harmful ignorance of God behind you.

Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker May 2004



Articles by Rev. Daniel B. Baker :: Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker