Ignorance is not an Excuse God Accepts
Sin is anything we say or do, and sometimes, even what we think about, that displeases God. It is anything we do that not does not measure up to His standard. When we miss His will, we are guilty of sin, even if we were unaware it was wrong. (Leviticus 5:17) That may seem unfair, but think about it with me.
God is a Good Father, so He always punishes us when we sin. (Romans 1:18-20) Since sin separates us from God and brings spiritual death that is the only proper reaction to our sin. He must try to show us that is is harmful, so He makes sure we feel guilt, and we receive some punishment to deter us from sinning more.
Therefore, even if we sin in ignorance or we are unaware of God's ways and His will, it is still sin. God hates sin, and He desires for us to be forgiven of our sins. The way to move us toward forgiveness by repenting and trusting Him to forgive us is to enforce His penalties for our sins. That leads us to the place where we realize our separation from Him and His displeasure, so we will be led to repent and go the other way, while trusting in His grace to forgive us.
This is obvious in the Leviticus 5 instructions for the guilt offering, and it is obvious by what God has shown us under the New Covenant, too. Now, we can be sure the Holy Spirit is convicting the world, which is everyone, of sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16:8-11) Everyone will be aware of their sins at some point and know they can't forgive themselves, so they need to turn to the Lord.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 6-8.
God is a Good Father, so He always punishes us when we sin. (Romans 1:18-20) Since sin separates us from God and brings spiritual death that is the only proper reaction to our sin. He must try to show us that is is harmful, so He makes sure we feel guilt, and we receive some punishment to deter us from sinning more.
Therefore, even if we sin in ignorance or we are unaware of God's ways and His will, it is still sin. God hates sin, and He desires for us to be forgiven of our sins. The way to move us toward forgiveness by repenting and trusting Him to forgive us is to enforce His penalties for our sins. That leads us to the place where we realize our separation from Him and His displeasure, so we will be led to repent and go the other way, while trusting in His grace to forgive us.
This is obvious in the Leviticus 5 instructions for the guilt offering, and it is obvious by what God has shown us under the New Covenant, too. Now, we can be sure the Holy Spirit is convicting the world, which is everyone, of sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16:8-11) Everyone will be aware of their sins at some point and know they can't forgive themselves, so they need to turn to the Lord.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 6-8.