Sources of Unbelief (2)

Hi there,

I believe the first piece on the Sources of Unbelief blessed you and I'm glad that it did. Let me share an excerpt from the last discussion: 

Knowledge is what gives you an edge over different experiences you encounter in your soul, body, and the world around you. 

The first source of unbelief which I've started speaking on is Ignorance. Yeah, you heard that right - Ignorance. Now, you see that it was between the lines in the first piece of this subject, right? Yeah. Let's ride on!

Friend, Ignorance is costly. I know that the love of money is the root of all evil as the Bible rightly states (1 Timothy 6:10) but ignorance is also a root of the many evils that happen to us. It's actually a force that produces unbelief and whatever is not of faith is sin! Since unbelief is a sin, it gives satan an inroad into our lives to oppress/afflict us - soul (mind, will, emotions and conscience) and body. This is simply because sin is the devil's realm of operation. Right in the word devil, you'd find the word, 'evil'. He's Dr. Evil! - Devil! 

I'm really not going to leave forgetfulness out of this issue because ignorance and forgetfulness are similar in some way - they both point to a state of not knowing. I forget things often and I tell you, it's not a kind place to be. However, I know I'm helped by God. The memory of the Righteous is blessed (that's the word God gave me - Psalm 10:7. You could find it helpful too). While ignorance is a state of lacking knowledge, forgetfulness is a state of not retaining knowledge. Forgetfulness can actually lead to ignorance if not realized and resolved.

You see friend, what a person doesn't know (or what he ignores) or what he forgets can cause him/her to make the same or different mistakes repeatedly. Scripture encourages us both to know God and not forget His goodness (John 17:3, Psalm 103:2).

When people don't know something, they might be sincere in their devotion to God but I tell you, they'll be sincerely wrong. For example, you might be sincerely serving God even as a 'christian' (in terms of social status - mere name, not spiritual status - having a right standing with God) without receiving Jesus but you're sincerely wrong! (John 14:6). God loves you where you are at, He isn't mad at you but his standard for serving Him remains (John 4:24, 14:6). Jesus remains the Way, not your sincerity or efforts. Your sincerity and efforts have their place in relating to God and people but they aren't the way to God; Jesus Christ is.

If God's standard shifts for any reason, the whole creation will split. Okay, imagine if God's standard (doctrine) on salvation by grace and faith shifts to salvation by the works of the law or self-works, do you realize what that means? you'll become unsaved and start struggling to be saved. You wouldn't be living from a point of Rest. I must say that Rest is not necessarily a state of inactivity; it's a directed (Spirit/Word-led) activity.

If God is unfaithful to His Standard, all that he has made will split. True Love is Faithful; it's based on Truth. You may know truths without living in Love (1 Corinthians 13:2) but you can't be in Love and remain ignorant of the Truth that makes you free (1 Corinthians 13:6). This is the Purpose of Standard: to keep everything in its rightful place. It's better for things to be right than being wrong. How do you feel when you're right? Fulfilled? Happy or depressed? Do you want that standard to change? (if you felt depressed, something is wrong). 

Imagine lowering the standard of marriage, there'll be a great disruption as we see in the world already: man-to-man/woman-to-woman marriage (it's appalling), misunderstandings leading to divorce, one man legally sharing his life with more than one woman; the same applies to a woman. When the standard of anything is lowered, things won't run well. 

What you don't know is actually not helping you; it's killing you - spirit (if you're unsaved), soul (i.e., your mind, will, emotions and conscience), and body - or degrading the system you belong to no matter the level of sincerity you operate in. When you got received Jesus Christ, the part of you that got instantly saved is your spirit which now knows all things - it's not ignorant (1 John 2:20, 1 John 4:17). 

There's also the salvation of the soul which takes place gradually after receiving Jesus. I'll call it Progressive Salvation. It happens to a believer by continuously knowing the Truth (John 8:36, 32 - read these verses in this order; you'd get the gist).

Friend, a believer can be sincerely wrong if s/he is in ignorance and I assure you that God wants you to be sincerely right (John 8:36, 32; Romans 12:2 - there's a purpose to the arrangement of those scriptural passages; kindly read them in that order). The good news is that He's already made the provision for it - His Word (1 Peter 1:2-4).

I'll show you something in the book of Hosea - Hosea 4:6. It says, "My people (i.e., God's people) are destroyed for lack of knowledge...". Although this Prophecy applies to the Old Testament days, it isn't alien to members of the New Covenant. Relating Hosea 4:6 to John 10:10 and 1st Peter 5:8, it is clear that a believer experiences destruction through ignorance. We won't be ignorant!

Let me end this piece by sharing a couple of thoughts with you: The weakest believer in the body of Christ is seated far above all principalities and powers. He is seated above all the power of the enemy. He doesn't just know. The people who know (it's continuous) their (it's personal) God will be strong and do great exploits. 

God Bless You! - Yes, You!

Glory! It's Grace Today.