Sins of Ignorance...

Passages we don't DARE
apply to Ourselves...

By Patrick Donahue


Christians are many times more familiar with some passages than others. These are usually passages that come up in sermon after sermon probably because of the situation the world is in today and/or because of the different aspects of the false teaching that surrounds us. I am sure you will agree that three of these oft quoted passages are Proverbs 14:12, Romans 6:23, and Matthew 15:14. Have you noticed though, that whenever these passages are cited, they are almost always used with reference to the people of the world and the denominationalists? We don't dare apply these verses to ourselves, that is, Christians.

Proverbs 14:12 reads, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Any man, whether he has been born again or not, who takes the "way which seemeth right unto" him rather than the Bible way, will suffer spiritual death and will be lost in "everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46), if he does not repent. Proverbs 14:12 is a perfect definition for the phrase, "sin of ignorance." The fact that the "way" spoken of in this passage, leads to death, shows that that "way" is a sin. The fact that it is "a way which seemeth right unto" the man, shows that the "way" is a way of ignorance. So we have a sin of ignorance. According to this passage in God's book, what happens to a Christian who commits a sin of ignorance? He suffers spiritual death.

Romans 6:23 reads, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." This passage teaches that the wages of even a Christian's sin is death, and it includes sins committed in ignorance or weakness. It makes no distinction between types of sins as many people are doing nowadays. Those who teach that sins committed in ignorance or weakness are automatically forgiven without repentance of the sin, are really teaching, that for Christians, the wages for willful sins only, is death. This passage teaches that the result of one or many sins, the result of any and all types of sin, is spiritual death.

Matthew 15:14 reads, "... they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Again, this passage applies to Christians just as much as it does to aliens. Surely the sins made reference to by this verse are sins of ignorance (at least on the part of the blind follower). So what happens to a Christian who sins in ignorance? Does he make it across the road because he is sincere? No, he falls into the ditch; he is lost until he repents.

Why do some seem to avoid using these and other like passages with reference to Christians? Because they would like to teach that an alien must do exactly what God says to be saved, ignorance notwithstanding, but that a Christian doesn't have to do exactly what God says to be saved, God will overlook some of his "minor mistakes." The three passages given, flatly contradict that concept. Ignorance is no excuse for Christians either. We all must do what God says to do in order to be saved. "God is no respector of persons" (Acts 10:34).

[Editor’s Note: Thanks to Pat Donahue for writing the articles! He may be reached at:PatDonahue@mail.com, 4607 Old Railroad Bed Road, Harvest, AL 35749, (256) 721-0726.]


Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com


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