Ignorance on Fire

Pastor Brett Williams

Pastor Brett Williams made a statement that caught my attention while teaching at Agape Church on Sunday morning. “Ignorance on fire is better than knowledge on ice.” Now that is an arresting statement that deserves scrutiny.

​Meditation
1 Timothy 1:12-13--I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.
 
Paul, formerly called Saul, was a zealous Pharisee who devoted himself to persecuting followers of Christ. By his self-professed testimony, he acted out of arrogance, believing that Jesus was not the Messiah and His disciples deserved to die. Yet, God gave him mercy because his unbelieving zeal was based on ignorance. God saw in Saul, a man whom He knew would light the world on fire once his unenlightened devotion was wedded to truth. 
            
Ignorance is never commendable, but when coupled with desire, it takes on a quality that strengthens its inadequacy. For example, when anyone becomes a new believer, they are hardly grounded in spiritual knowledge and certainly not equipped with experience following Jesus. But the most effective testimonies are often from those whose newly found faith is eagerly shared with whoever will listen. Why? Because they are on fire with the knowledge that God has transformed them from darkness to light, from hopelessness to faith, from a death sentence to redemption, and separation from God to salvation. God often uses ignorance on fire to bring credibility to the power of His love in changing people. 
            
The point that Brett was making is that it is far better to have people share their faith from ignorance than to be highly knowledgeable of the gospel yet silent. Cold faith is as helpful as wet matches. Mark Cahill noted in The Watchman, “I don’t take advice about witnessing from people who don’t share their faith.” If we feel inadequate to present the gospel to nonbelievers, we should remember that it is not our eloquence or knowledge that wins people to Christ; it is the Holy Spirit working in their hearts. Our responsibility is to share our stories. God will infuse our weakness with His strength. We don’t have to have all the answers to hard questions; the Answer resides in us. Don’t let ignorance be an excuse to obliterate opportunity. Don’t let knowledge be an excuse not to care. 
 
Inspiration
It is no excuse to explain your ineloquence.  God does not require eloquence. He only requires obedience. Claiming your personality precludes sharing your faith is an invalid reason. You are not going on your own strength but on His. Asserting that others will not listen or that you know they have no interest is an unacceptable justification for refusing to go. Jesus does not require that those to whom you go respond favorably or even express interest. He commands you to go regardless of their response.—R. Roderick Cyr in Difficult is the Path
 
 
©2025 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)