Reference: Ignorance
Hastings
It appears to be in accordance with natural justice that ignorance should be regarded as modifying moral responsibility, and this is fully recognized in the Scriptures. In the OT, indeed, the knowledge of God is often spoken of as equivalent to true religion (see Knowledge), and therefore ignorance is regarded as its opposite (1Sa 2:12; Ho 4:1; 6:6). But the Levitical law recognizes sins of ignorance as needing some expiation, but with a minor degree of guilt (Le 4; Nu 15:22-32). So 'ignorances' are spoken of in 1Es 8:75 (RV 'errors'), Tob 3:3, Sir 23:2 f. as partly involuntary (cf. Heb 5:2; 9:7). The whole of the OT, however, is the history of a process of gradual moral and spiritual enlightenment, so that actions which are regarded as pardonable, or even praiseworthy, at one period, become inexcusable in a more advanced state of knowledge. In the NT the difference between the 'times of ignorance' and the light of Christianity is recognized in Ac 17:30 (cf. 1Ti 1:13; 1Pe 1:14), and ignorance is spoken of as modifying responsibility in Ac 3:17; 1Co 2:8; Lu 23:34. This last passage, especially, suggests that sin is pardonable because it contains an element of ignorance, while Mr 3:29 appears to contemplate the possibility of an absolutely wilful choice of evil with full knowledge of what it is, which will be unpardonable (cf. 1Jo 5:16). Immoral and guilty ignorance is also spoken of in Ro 1:18 ff., Eph 4:18. For the question whether Christ in His human nature could be ignorant, see Kenosis, Knowledge.
J. H. Maude.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
"When you sin unintentionally and do not obey all these commands that the Lord spoke to Moses- all that the Lord has commanded you through Moses, from the day the Lord issued the commands and onward throughout your generations- read more. and if it was done unintentionally without the community's awareness, the entire community is to prepare one young bull for a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the regulation, and one male goat as a sin offering. The priest must then make atonement for the entire Israelite community so that they may be forgiven, for the sin was unintentional. They are to bring their offering, one made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord for their unintentional sin. The entire Israelite community and the foreigner who resides among them will be forgiven, since it happened to all the people unintentionally. "If one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering. The priest must then make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the person who acts in error sinning unintentionally, and when he makes atonement for him, he will be forgiven. You are to have the same law for the person who acts in error, whether he is an Israelite or a foreigner who lives among you. "But the person who acts defiantly, whether native or foreign resident, blasphemes the Lord. That person is to be cut off from his people. He will certainly be cut off, because he has despised the Lord's word and broken His command; his guilt remains on him." While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord
Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!
For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" -
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing." ] And they divided His clothes and cast lots.
"And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, just as your leaders also did.
"Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,
For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,
They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.
Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.
one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. Since it was out of ignorance that I had acted in unbelief, I received mercy,
He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.
But the high priest alone enters the second room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him-to those who commit sin that doesn't bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that.