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If one is totally ignorant of the Bible, so that he never learns its message of salvation, he will be lost eternally (Mark 16:15–16; 2 The. 1:8–9). Even those who learn enough to obey the Gospel and do so, imperil their souls by choosing to remain in spiritual infancy. When a woeful ignorance characterizes the church, as I believe is now the case, dire consequences effect the whole body. Here are a few:
- A teacher shortage results (Heb. 5:12). I am sure that the most frequent reason given for not teaching is, “I don’t know enough.” It is probably the truth in many cases. One can no more teach Bible than Biology without knowing the subject. Why one who has been a member of the Body for 10 years doesn’t yet know enough to teach is another matter.
- Spiritual pygmyism results (Heb. 5:12–13). Biblical ignorance causes one to perpetually remain a spiritual baby. It is from these that most of the “bawling” is heard in the church.
- Inability to discern good and evil (Heb. 5:14). A person who cannot see the difference in worldly and Christian conduct is demonstrating his Biblical ignorance. A person who says, “There are no moral absolutes” shows his ignorance for God says there is such thing as “good” and “evil.” A Christian who says he can see no harm in “social” drinking, dancing, or viewing obscene movies and cannot distinguish modest and immodest clothing often fails these matters through ignorance.
- We are susceptible to “every wind of doctrine.” (Eph. 4:13–15). Perhaps the church has felt the devastating curses of her ignorance at this point more than any other. The devil will never invent a false doctrine, but that the Holy Spirit has anticipated it and refuted it in the New Testament. However, this is all for naught if we don’t know the Book. The old, moldy doctrines of Calvinism and the more recent waves of holy-rollerism have been exposed repeatedly by faithful preachers in public debates. Many of our people think these doctrines are new because they are ignorant of the Bible and church history alike. Some are deliberately leading the church toward denominationalism; ignorance provides their following.
[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in the March 27, 1975, edition of the Granbury Gospel, weekly bulletin of the Granbury Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor.
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
