“Now concerning spiritual gifts, Brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (I Corinthians 12:1).

Ignorant: (Def): (Gr.): Agnoeo from Noeo: A negative of exercising the mind by observation, not comprehending, perceiving or understanding

Over ten times in his Epistles the Apostle uses the word Agnoeo, ignorant, to denote his deep desire that the reader not be ignorant of the things of God. It was the earnest passion of the “preacher, apostle and teacher of the Gentiles” (cf. II Timothy 1:11), that the people would come to the knowledge of the Truth.

This then, is the burden of the Teacher to the student, the Preacher to the people, the Apostle to the nations living in darkness, to remove the blindness, to remove the lack of comprehension, the perceiving and understanding of the truth of Christ and the Gospel.

The Apostle expressed this in his prayer to the Ephesians, Wherefore I cease not in my prayers for you, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Him; that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the Glory of His Inheritance in the Saints” (Ephesians 1:15a, 16a, 17).

The lack of comprehension, perception and understanding is what has held Israel back from the full righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, as the Apostle wrote: “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:3-4).

The Apostle confesses his own ignorance concerning Christ as he was a “blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (I Timothy 1:13). Oh, the extent of the mercy and love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Jesus, who appeared to Paul is our faithful High Priest, who as the writer to the Hebrews says, “Can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for He, Himself, also is compassed with infirmity” (Hebrews 5:2).

I would not have you ignorant. Concerning Israel, the Apostle wrote further “For I would not, Brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25).

Whether concerning spiritual gifts, the place of Israel in the economy of God, the working of Satan, the second coming of Christ, or the things of God in general, the heart cry of the Apostle was this earnest expression of deep intercession, “I would not have you ignorant”.

There are many things of which we do not have knowledge, perception or understanding, that are unknown, but that is not our final state of being. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to show us the things of God and make them known to us. Jesus said “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore, said I that He (the Holy Spirit) shall take of Mine and shall show it unto you” (John 16:15).

It behooves us to seek the Lord, to seek the things of God, to seek to understand, perceive by observation and to understand the mysteries of God, the things that are hidden and need to be revealed. Complacency has no place in the Kingdom. This is the season of revelation. The Lord is at hand.

Satan is also at work in the earth, but as the Apostle noted in his Epistle, “we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:11b).

It is the last days. The Day is at hand, The time is short. Therefore, I would not, Brethren, that you should be ignorant, but that you should come to a full understanding and knowledge of the Glory of God.

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