Ignorance Is Not Bliss

Leviticus 4:2 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:”

As I crested a big hill on Interstate 70, I saw what no one wants to see on the left side of the road: a police officer! Immediately I did what most of you would do-I pressed on my brake pedal to slow down. Even though I may have been passing a slower driver, do you think the officer would have understood and apologized for pulling me over? A law that is broken is still broken, regardless of the excuse-even ignorance. Take my youngest son Weston, for instance. Sometimes when he breaks a “law” in the Rice house, he claims, “Daddy, I forgot!” His punishment will help his memory, but forgetting is not an excuse for doing wrong.

The sin offerings detailed in Leviticus 4 are instructive about our life. While you may not be Jewish, you are part of Abraham’s family by faith in Jesus Christ. While you and I do not sacrifice animals according to the measures described here, we can learn two lessons about our lives. First, we are accountable for what we do. The rest of this chapter covers anyone and anything. From the “whole congregation” (verse 13) to a “ruler” (verse 22) to the “common people” (verse 27), no one is above the law or below the law. Notice the repetition of the word “guilty” in each of those verses-that gives a sense of responsibility. Isn’t it amazing the people, from all walks of life, who think they are above the law today? Over and over again, you hear of high-ranking executives of financial companies who think they are above the law. But God holds us accountable for what we do.

Not only are we accountable for what we do, we are more accountable for what we know. Verse 14 says, “When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then. . . .” Verses 23 and 28 say, “Or if his sin . . . come to his knowledge. . . .” So then, God holds us accountable for what we know and when we know it. Would these Jewish people have been better off to sin in ignorance? Would ignorance be acceptable instead of sacrificing all the animals? The answer is, “No”-Ignorance is not bliss. We are not just responsible for what we do; we are even more responsible for what we know.

No one enjoys a pricked conscience. While the feeling may not be exciting, it is not a bad thing to be reminded to do the right thing. Enjoying life after today requires doing what is right today. And may that be the case for us today.