If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. Leviticus 5:17 ESV
Reality: out of ignorance or just because of laziness to study the truth or matters of God, there are areas in our lives and actions that we are unaware that displeases God. We may have been raised to do things these way, we have been culturally raised to believe one thing and had practically lived it all the living days of our lives, but only when we understand it from scriptures that we need to change it, will we change it. Still the grace of God abounds in such situation, and when we realize something is wrong, and we need to change it, God will give us the grace and the capacity to make the necessary changes. In this text, the moment the individual realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. His ignorance did not make him innocent, but only after he realized his mistake will he bear his iniquity. I am saying ignorance of the law is not an excuse. Not knowing something is wrong does not make it right, but it does not bear the guilt and shame when someone doing does not know it to be wrong. Let us consider the following people as an example, Abraham lying that Sarah was his sister, Isaac saying the same, Jacob deceiving his Father and pretending to be Esau to get the blessing, the Hebrew midwives in Exodus lying to Pharaoh that Hebrew women gives birth before they arrive to save the babies. These people were all lying, it did not make it right. But how will they know if it was wrong when the commanded “you shall not give false testimony” or “you shall not lie” was delivered only to them in the book of Exodus 20 which was decades and centuries later for some of the people listed above. Some liberals will then argue in that case it is better to be ignorant, I say no, though grace is available to the uninformed, their actions still has consequences. Scripture also says my people are destroyed by lack of knowledge. But that is another story. For now, just remember that ignorance of something wrong does not make it right. As we come to God and seek God, we will continue to understand his will and be transformed accordingly. 1 February
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