Are you ignorant? Don't be!

A hat tip to Pastor Steve Hadley in his sermon "A quick tour of hell" in which he raised the following point. I pondered it greatly and felt compelled to write about it.

In at least three places in the New Testament Paul warned the new Christians not to be ignorant of certain things: spiritual warfare, Rapture/end times prophecy, and spiritual gifts. And as Pr. Hadley said, what are the three things Christians today most ignorant about? These very three things.

1 Corinthians 12:1
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Rapture/End times prophecies
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

2 Corinthians 2:11 Spiritual Warfare
lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

To be ignorant of these things is to leave ourselves vulnerable to Satan. Vulnerable Christians are like a beacon to satan and his demons, our antennae veritably up and like a homing device, calling for him to come and tempt us. Does a soldier go into battle blindfolded? Do we drive a car with our eyes shut? Do we eat unfamiliar foods that might be poisonous? No. And in like kind, we should not be ignorant of the weapons in our arsenal, weapons given to us by God. To know about the rapture is to have blessed hope, to know your spiritual gifts is to be used of the Holy Spirit to accomplish His goals, and to engage in spiritual warfare is to strike a blow against the powers and principalities of the air.

Ignorance is not bliss. Full knowledge of the bible is God's character and personality revealed. Why be ignorant of glory, love, and hope? No need! Brothers and sisters, immerse yourselves in God's Word today and every day. Be not ignorant!