There’s a big difference between doing something wrong in God’s eyes when you’re ignorant and doing so when you know better. The apostle Paul is a perfect example of someone who zealously sinned against God and His chosen people, even murdering them in His name! Paul was utterly against Jesus before he was converted on the road to Damascus because he didn’t know any better. He actually thought he was doing good by God!
 
I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
-Acts 26:9-11
 
Paul was so zealous that he pursued his persecution of Christians to the far reaches of his abilities. In retrospect, it is easy to judge Paul harshly; however, look at yourself for a moment. Maybe you were a member of an errant religion and wrongly judged so-called orthodox Christians (Maybe you would’ve persecuted yourself as you are now, if you know what I mean). I can certainly relate, having come from multiple religions before understanding God’s Word on true religion (ala James 1:26-27). I recall being a lot like Paul, boasting in my ignorance.
 
For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
-Philippians 3:3-6
 
You might think that God would have no mercy on that kind of arrogance, especially one that resulted in the deaths of His children. Instead, God used Paul’s history to prove a point to us all – He is merciful to the very worst of us. He is merciful when we least deserve it! What a wonderful illustration we have in Paul.
 
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
 
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
-1 Timothy 1:12-17
 
Apparently, God tends towards mercy when it comes to ignorant sinning. While He never condones sin of any kind, the Bible teaches us that He treats ignorant sinning differently than willful sinning. James amplified this very truth.
 
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
-James 4:17
 
Jesus speaks a similar truth to us through His Parable of the Faithful Servant.
 
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 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 12:42-48
 
Jesus’ parable is where we get the saying, “To whom much is given, much is required.” This is essentially the substance of James 4:17. To carry this thought out a bit further, consider that the more God sanctifies us (ala Philippians 1:6), the more responsible we become to doing the right thing since we know better.
 
The more we understand God’s will, the more liable we are to obey Him.
 
We can no longer expect the same kind of leniency from God once we’re convicted of the Truth. As I’ve taught my congregation in the past, this minimally manifests as God the Holy Spirit using our good conscience to haunt us whenever we willfully sin. If that doesn’t turn us around, then God only knows what kind of discipline is in store for us.
 
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
-Hebrews 10:31
Love in Christ,

Ed Collins