I've edited my post but I think you had already replied to it. Both the Bible and the SOP use the term "sins of ignorance" as a technical term for a class of sins opposed to willful sins (Num. 15:28-31).

Rosangela,

I guess I'm with Mike then. I know I've sinned willfully on too many occasions to count. I guess there is no atonement for me? No forgiveness? No salvation?

Woe is me!

Green Cochoa.

Again, willful sin is also a technical term. Do you premeditate your sins??
And, as I said, willful sin is dangerous not because God cannot forgive the sinner, but because it leads the sinner to not wanting or caring to be forgiven.

I think we're defining "sin of ignorance" differently.

Here's Lev 6:2 - "If a person sins and commits a trespass against the LORD by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor"

Can one say, "Oops, I didn't know I was lying to you"? That is not a sin of ignorance. That is a willful sin, done intentionally.

A sin of ignorance would be someone keeping Sunday conscientiously because he had not yet seen the light on the Sabbath. Continuing to keep Sunday after one has been given the light on the Sabbath is a known, willful sin. Those are the two classes of sin I'm talking about.

This is in contrast to committing a sin, some aspect of which the sinner is ignorant. For example, the guy who was picking up sticks on the Sabbath did not know that he was going to be stoned for it. But his was not a sin of ignorance because he knew the commandment and broke it anyway.

Yes, the trespass offering is also used for sins of ignorance. But the willful sin was covered only by the trespass offering. (It's the inverse.) The other sacrifices were only for sins of ignorance.

Did those who crucified Jesus know what they were doing? Did they crucify Him unintentionally?

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

I think some knew precisely what they were doing (the Pharisees), some knew partially, and some didn't know (the Roman soldiers).

The times when I think, say, or do something I know very well is unlike Jesus, are you saying these are sins of ignorance? If I'm fully aware of wrong doing how can it be considered sin of ignorance? Were the Jews sinning ignorantly, unintentionally when Jesus prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing"?

The idea of lisgagah seems to be that of “inadvertence” or “without intent.” Thus, "unintentional" is a better translation than "of ignorance." The idea is ampler than mere “ignorance.”
Again, “errors committed through ignorance, thoughtlessness, or weakness” are different from “willful, premeditated sin” (5T 604.3).
Can a real Christian sin with the intent of sinning, or because he wants to sin? (Notice that this is different from being suddenly overcome by a sinful desire, which would be classified as "weakness.") Can a real Christian sin because he despises God and His law?

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34

The crucifixion is a good Biblical example of an intentional sin of ignorance.



To me, Mrs. White has stated here that there is no sinner that God is unwilling to forgive. This means, it does not matter whether the sinner has sinned willfully or not--if he but asks pardon, Christ is willing to offer it. The unpardonable sin is the one which is unconfessed and for which pardon is unrequested.

"They know not what they do" applies to all of humanity in the broadest sense. Jesus prayed for all with this prayer. We do not know what we do, even when we have done it intentionally--perhaps thinking we know.

Note that I am not saying there is no difference in the level of guilt between those who choose to sin, knowing that it is sin, and those who sin unawares. I agree that the term "ignorance" can also be applied to this class of unconscious sin, but it is a more specific application of the word, which has also a broader sense that encompasses ALL our sins. It was the broad sense of ignorance spoken of by Jesus on the cross. It was also the broad sense of ignorance typified in the sacrificial system. Every sin of humanity is one of ignorance in this sense.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Notice in the above post I took pains to specify that it is the sins of humanity which are done in ignorance. This is because the fallen angels' sins are not in the same class.



It's hard to classify a sin as falling outside the realm of ignorance when it was a result of deception, and lack of knowledge. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." To our perspective, those conniving enemies of Christ knew very well what they were doing. They knew Jesus was innocent, and that they had no legal right to execute Him. That is why they paid people to testify falsely against Him. They were deceptive, jealous, arrogant, proud, and hateful...and I think they had some inkling of it. Yet Jesus recognized that they were truly "ignorant." Praise God for His mercy! Praise Him for His willingness to forgiven our very worst sins on account of our ignorance!

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.