The world has a saying: ‘ignorance is bliss.’ With this mindset, unpleasant facts are ignored, rather like the ostrich with its head in the sand:

ostrichIgnorance, however, doesn’t alter the facts (as the saying ‘ignorance of the law is no excuse’ makes clear) and is not the same as faith, which looks at all the facts available, including the fact that God often intervenes in ways we can’t explain! Blissful ignorance ignores truth, but faith acknowledges God’s ability to intervene (as demonstrated by Shadrach, Meshach and Abedngeo when challenged by Nebuchadnezzar; they knew that God was able and willing to deliver them, but declared that even if He did not, they would not bow down to worship other gods!)

Paul makes it clear in his letters that ignorance is not something to be sought after; he does not want us to be ignorant of spiritual truth (see Rom 11:25, 1 Cor 10:1, 1 Cor 12:1, 1 Thess 4:13). Instead, the truth has power to set us free (John 8:32) and there are many things it is essential to know.

These essential things include the fact that the Christian life costs (Luke 14:25-35). Jesus, at the height of His popularity, did not flatter the crowds or pandered to them, but warned them unequivocally of the cost of following Him. He wanted them to give a knowing response to His call for discipleship, which means having the right priorities (putting God first before self and family), understanding that the Christian way may even demand our lives (see Jn 12:25). There must be no turning back (unlike the ten spies who only saw the difficulties and whose bad report led to the Israelites’ rejection of God’s plans), only a pressing on into all that God has to offer us. After all, whatever the cost of discipleship, it cannot compare to the freedom and life God offers us, nor does it compare to the cost of our salvation. The NHS in England is ‘free at the point of delivery’, but is paid for through taxpayers (many of whom may not need the services it offers.) Salvation is free to us, but cost Jesus everything; we have to be prepared to give up everything for Him, secure that the truth sets us free.