Is Ignorance a Defense Before God?

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30–31).

We might be deceived into believing that ignorance is bliss. Wise King Solomon even nearly said so — “Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain” (Ecclesiastes 1:18 NASB). But we all know from experience that not knowing, especially willfully not knowing, is detrimental.

God has not left us alone. More than that, God has not left us without witnesses to His existence and to what He, as our Creator, desires of us: "That you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:15–17).

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Romans 1:19–20).

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:20–21).

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:17–18).

Ignorance as a result of the hardness of their hearts! Some people are willful in their ignorance of God’s will: they simply don’t want to know because they don’t care about God’s will or about pleasing Him (see Hebrews 11:6; Proverbs 8:17). “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:14–16).

Ignorance is no defense before God in judgment — “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:7–10).

And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more (Luke 12:47–48).

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:1–3).

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6–7). “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Peter 1:14–16).

Caleb's Tenacious Faith

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).

What Caleb saw and experienced in the land that he and eleven other spies saw and experienced was the same. Of course, we’re familiar with the story about how ten of these spies came back essentially saying they could not overcome it; but Caleb and Joshua contradicted their report. Again, Caleb urged that they were “well able to overcome it.”

One can almost imagine the excitement in Caleb’s voice as he tried to convince Israel that the land was theirs — maybe even a bit of urgency in the excitement since he probably understood the tide turning against their desire to faithfully follow the Mighty God who had brought them to Kadesh-barnea, the very southern part of this rich land expressed by God as flowing with milk and honey (Num 13:27; 14:8-9). This was a turning point for Israel that became forty years of waiting and watching as a faithless generation died as punishment for their lack of faith (Psalm 95:8-11; Heb 3:7—4:11).

For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. (Heb 3:16-19)

Caleb’s faith was tenacious as he faithfully obeyed the Mighty God who asked a nation to do what seemed impossible. And so, after hearing that the land would be theirs, and having to wait 45 long years for the unfaithful to die in the wilderness, Caleb asks Joshua for his inheritance from the Lord:

“Now behold, the Lord has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. Now then, give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out as the Lord has spoken.” So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. (Josh 14:10-13)

We’re not given a physical description of Caleb, but I imagine him as a bulldog: smallish, scrappy, and solid muscle. Interestingly, his name means “dog” (ISBE, I:573). The most positive implication being that of loyalty and strength as a dog is “man’s best friend.” Caleb was God’s best friend as he faithfully defended the Lord and was blessed with strength to engage and win a war with giants in the land (i.e., the Anakim were so described — Num 13:22-23; Deut 1:28; 2:10-11).

Although Caleb is not mentioned by name in the New Testament, he might well be in the mind of the author of Hebrews who was moved by the Holy Spirit: “For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Heb 11:32-34; Josh 14:12).

We need Caleb’s tenacious faith! “He wholly followed the Lord” (Josh 14:14). We need to completely trust and obey our Mighty God (see Php 4:13; Col 1:11; 1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 2:4).

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Eph 6:10-13)