Ignorance is not always seen as a bad thing. The old saying “Ignorance is bliss” might lead you to believe that ignorance is to be preferred. However, just because you think everything is fine does not mean that it is! Ignorance is not truly bliss. You may be ignorant of the fact that you have a water leak under your slab, and be happy thinking that everything is fine. But eventually you will discover that things are not as blissful as you believed. (Yes, that is the voice of experience speaking.)

A long time ago somewhat explained it to me this way: “Being ignorant is not a sin. Staying ignorant is.” It is one thing to not know something because you have not had proper information shared with you through no fault of your own. It is an entirely different matter to be confronted with true information and then chose to ignore it.

In Acts 3 we see how Peter was changed by the Resurrection of Jesus. He was empowered and emboldened by Jesus to tell others that “He is Risen” and that changes everything. After Jesus used him to heal a cripple outside the Temple, Peter was sharing this message of the living Jesus with the crowd that gathered. Peter says that he knows the Jews acted in ignorance when they crucified Jesus.

Acts 3:17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.”

Peter is trying to help them escape their ignorance by telling them that Jesus is their Risen Lord and Savior. He loves them so much that He let Himself be killed in order to pay the price our sins demand. That He did everything we need to be saved is confirmed beyond all doubt by His resurrection. So Peter tells those who killed Jesus that His love is big enough to forgive even that. He had come so that everyone could be forgiven and receive the undeserved gift of eternal life.

When you have that knowledge, that certainty, that faith, it changes you. God wants your life to be transformed by His love. He tells you not to let fear and worry block your view of life as it is under His control.

1 John 4:18 perfect love drives out fear

That perfect love is Jesus Christ, God’s love that came to earth as one of us to free us from our slavery to sin and death and fear and worry. And that love incarnate told us how our lives should be changed by our faith in him.

Matthew 6:25, 34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear  … do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Imagine what it is like for those who have not been led to faith. Their worries and fears surround them and cripple them. They may feel blissful and secure in their ignorance, not knowing that without faith in Jesus they are doomed to an eternity of torment. But it does not have to be that way. God has made it possible for everyone to be forgiven for Jesus’ sake. In Acts, Peter was trying to make sure the Jews didn’t STAY ignorant.

You and I need to remind each other not to let fear keep us from living lives as God’s trusting children. We need to be emboldened in the same way Peter was to share what we know and lead others out of their ignorance. We want them to join us as those who are blessed by believing that because Jesus lives, we live also.