Day 938: Sins of ignorance - Acts 3 vs 17 - 21

17-18 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.” 19-21 “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” Acts 3:17-21 ESV

Following the miraculous healing of a man who'd been lame since birth, a crowd had gathered around Peter and John, awestruck by what they had seen. Peter immediately explained that it was ‘through faith in the name of Jesus’ that the man was healed. And he pointed out that it was the same Jesus whom they had demanded Pontius Pilate should have crucified. He said to them “You killed the Author of life”, but then adds, “whom God raised from the dead.” I can imagine the panic that must've come upon many of them. But what is the first encouraging thing Peter then said to them in today's reading? (vs 17-18)

He recognizes that they – and their leaders - had acted out of ignorance. This didn't excuse what they had done, but it did hold out a ray of hope. Later in Acts the apostle Paul explained that their ignorance was because the people in Jerusalem “didn't recognize who Jesus was, nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath.” (Acts 13:27) Paul wasn't being judgmental when he said that because he had also once done terrible things out of ignorance. He said “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Acts 26:9)

But this ignorance was not only true of the people in Jerusalem who crucified Jesus. When Paul arrived in the city of Athens he noticed how many idols there were. It was obvious they were devoted to many different gods. So Paul challenged their thinking and said that, since men and women are created by God, they ought not to think that “the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.” (Acts 17:29) And then he added: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

That’s the same message Peter preached in Jerusalem, which was the second encouraging thing he said to those who had sinned so badly because of ignorance. Look again at vs 19-21 of today's reading.

While ignorance may 'excuse' the reason why someone may have acted in a certain way, it doesn’t blot out the evil of what was done. A stranger who didn't know all the road rules of a country he was visiting might, in ignorance, cause an accident that led to the death of another driver. Even under man's law he would likely still face criminal charges. But Peter and Paul both spoke of a repentance that leads to our darkest deed being blotted out. How can this be?

The answer to that is found at the very cross when Jesus was crucified. The gospel of Luke tells us that, as He was crucified between two criminals, Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) The reason our sins can be blotted out, and that times of refreshing can come to us from the presence of the Lord, is because Jesus paid the penalty we deserved for our sins, even the sins we committed in ignorance.

Ignorance can't excuse or 'blot out' wrong things we have done. We still need a Saviour. It's because of God's mercy that He doesn't judge us the moment we sin. Where would any of us be if that were the case? And the apostle Paul gives a timely reminder to us all when he says: “Do you presume on the riches of God's kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)