IS IGNORANCE REALLY BLISS
Someone said, “If ignorance is bliss there must be a lot of blisters.” Actually the phrase “ignorance is bliss” came from a phrase in a poem by Thomas Gray. The phrase is simply saying that not knowing is better than knowing. However, that is not true. Remember the television ad several years ago that said, “It’s 11 o’clock, do you know where your children are?”
Ignorance of the Bible is a dangerous thing. Paul’s statement in Corinthians, “Lest Satan should get advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). Luke wrote, “At the time of this ignorance God winked at but now….” (Acts 17:30). Peter writes of the dangers of ignorance, “For this they willfully forget…” (2 Pet. 3:5).
How does ignorance work?
1. It produces superstition. Many regard any religious beliefs as superstitious. The Bible is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
2. It produces evil religious leaders. Isaiah says, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant…” (Isa. 56:10). I heard one denominational preacher say after a great lesson was preached by a gospel preacher, “I’ve never heard that much scripture before.” This woman preacher was an ignorant religious leader.
3. It produces a false wisdom. Paul declared “…lest ye be wise in your own conceits…” (Rom. 11:25). Paul said, “Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them…” (Eph. 4:18).
4. It produces false standards in doctrine. Premillennialism is an example of this (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
Larry