Sins of Ignorance by Charles Spurgeon

Leviticus chapter 5 verses 17 and 18 If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible. He is to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way, the priest will make atonement for him for the wrong he has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.

Scripture presses on us the sobering truth that sin is sin, whether committed knowingly or in ignorance. Many suppose that if they are unaware of their sin, they are therefore innocent. But the law of God makes no such allowance. God's Word teaches that the man who breaks God's commandment, even though he does not know it, is still guilty and must bear his iniquity. This shatters the vain refuge of ignorance. God's laws remain fixed, and every deviation from them, whether willful or inadvertent, is accounted as sin before Him.

Think of your flitting thoughts, your pleasure in pondering impurity, your evil desires, wishes, and affections. These are all iniquities. Think of your many careless and idle words, your rash words of anger, of falsehood, of petulance, of pride, your murmuring words, your unbelieving words, your irreverent words, words scarcely meant, which fell from you without thought. What a multitude of these may be laid to your door, and all of these are full of sin. and God records each one of them as violations of His holy standard.

Truly, unintentional sins are no trifle, for they reveal both the corruption of our nature and the solemnity of God's holiness. But blessed be God, the same passage that exposes our guilt also points us to the sufficiency of atonement. The Israelite who sinned in ignorance was not left hopeless. A lamb without defect was sacrificed in his place. This was no empty ritual, but a type and shadow of the greater reality to come.

Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, shed his blood for all the sins of all his people, not only for their open rebellions, but also for their hidden faults, their blind offenses, their ignorant wanderings. The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. What comfort lies here? Our consciences often trouble us for the sins that we willfully commit. But what of our countless unintentional sins? They too were laid upon Calvary's Lamb. Not one was overlooked. Not one was left unatoned for. His sacrifice reaches as far as our guilt reaches, even into the dark corners of our ignorance.

Here, then, is our twofold duty. First, to take sin seriously, even when it seems small or unintended. Let us pray with David, who can discern his errors. Forgive my hidden faults. Second, to rest wholly in the all-sufficient, sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Our ignorance leaves us guilty, but his cross leaves us forgiven. Though our sins are more than we can number, His grace is greater than we can measure. Where our sin abounds, His grace abounds all the more.

If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, he is guilty.