Don’t Be Ignorant

Romans 10:3 says, “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”

There are several important doctrinal truths about which unbelievers - and sometimes even Christians - seem tragically ignorant, with an ignorance affecting their very lives and destines. Perhaps the most tragic is that mentioned in our text. Paul was writing specifically of the Jews, but the same ignorance is found in countless others - people who seek to earn salvation by their own religious and moral works rather than through faith in the imputed righteousness of Christ, Who died for their sins.

There is also widespread ignorance concerning death and life beyond the grave. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (Thess. 4:13-14). With respect to Christian life and ministry, Paul says, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware” (1 Cor. 12:1). Yet most Christians neglect to develop or use their gifts, mainly because of ignorance concerning their proper function as described in 1 Cor. 12, 14; Rom. 12:3-21; Eph. 4:7-16, and other key passages.

We urgently also need to be instructed concerning the deceptions of the wicked one, “So that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). For all who seek instruction rather than ignorance, let them study God’s word, for “All Scripture is...profitable for...training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).