Ignorance is no Defense

“For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.” (Am 3:10 AV)

A bit of background would be helpful.  Ashdod and Egypt are mentioned as the subjects of the above verse.  Ashdod was a city on the outskirts of Judah’s territory.  It was a median city between Egypt and Judah.  God gave that city to Judah, but they never subdued it.  Consequently, Ashdod remained in the hands of the Philistines and had close ties with Egypt.  Hence the mention of palaces.  Amos pronounces judgment against the city and Egypt for the ignorance of doing right.  One might wonder if that is just.  Well, there are two types of ignorance.  There is natural ignorance.  We simply have not availed ourselves of truth or the source of truth.  Like a child who may be held to a lower standard of behavior because he lacks the ability to know what is right, this type of ignorance is often encountered with a bit of leniency.  However, there is willful ignorance.  There is ignorance where the source and method of truth are known, but the ignorant avoid it.  They do not make the effort to know.  This is the ignorance spoken of above.  They do not know to do right because they did not want to know how to do right.

Of all the types of people I deal with, this is the most common.  They would rather not know.  By refusing to know, it suggests absolution from consequences.  This is not so.  It is interesting how many of experience and maturity still think this way.  Americans in particular are guilty of this.  In the recent past, my wife and I traveled abroad.  This was a once in a lifetime trip.  We went to a country that drove on the wrong side of the road, did not speak English, and whose culture was completely foreign to us.  It is easy to get into the mode where being American entitles us to live free from the law.  Or at least from law that was not like our own.  It is funny that we think that way.  We had wonderful hosts.  They knew the customs and law.  They kept us out of trouble.  Where it became really evident was navigating through domestic and international flights.  Because of my wife’s condition, we availed ourselves of the handicapped-assistance services.  What a blessing!  These wonderful ladies knew the airport like the back of their hands.  We had very experienced escorts.  If we would have tried what they did on our own, there is no telling how it would have turned out.  We didn’t know the rules.  We didn’t know the law.  But that didn’t alleviate us from adhering to them.  We simply needed to find someone who did know and could guide us through.

Although the above scripture is speaking to the lost, the same principle applies to the child of God.  Even more so!  We know where the truth is.  We know how to access it.  We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  There really is no excuse for not knowing.  The lost may claim ignorance and get away with it before their fellow man, but the saved cannot do the same before God.  God holds us accountable for what we know.  God also holds us accountable for what we could know but refuse to find out.  Just like being in a foreign field, ignorance is no excuse.  The authority will not let us off just because we are not from there.  The same is true of the LORD.  We are accountable for what we could know.  The Bible is our resource.  The Holy Spirit is our teacher.  The church is our encouragement.  If we are failing, it is because we choose to.  So, break open the pages of the word of God.  Read, study, and apply.  The Holy Spirit is only too ready to reveal great truths for our growth, blessing, and service to the LORD.