We’ve all heard the statement “ignorance is bliss”… but have you ever really thought about the true meaning of that statement? Like when you’re on the phone with a friend and the kids are suddenly quiet, but not screaming at you or asking you to do something… you wonder what they’re doing, but you can actually have a conversation on the phone without interruption.. So you say “ignorance is bliss” and let it be.  Or when it comes to politics, I usually choose the “ignorance is bliss” route, until we enter election year and I realize I don’t know anything about the candidates or policies, yet the ignorance gave me some comfort for a period of time.  You get the idea… sometimes it’s easier to not understand what’s going on in order to not worry about the situation, to not fear something and enjoy the current outcome.  I think this is how a lot of people feel about death, afterlife, heaven, hell, what happens to us when we die… people choose to stay ignorant, why?  The unknown usually induces fear in people.  The unknown brings discomfort and most people like to stay in their own “comfort zones”.  

So what does “ignorance is bliss” mean? The definition of the saying “ignorance is bliss” is “if you do not know about something, you do not worry about it.” “The phrase “ignorance is bliss” means that not knowing about something can lead to happiness or peace of mind.  It suggests that ignorance can be a protective shield from stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions that come with knowledge or understanding”. If I don’t know what happens after I die, I don’t need to worry about it.  If I choose to explore what having a relationship with God means and learn about heaven, then I must worry or think about what choices I have to make to get to heaven.  If I have to think about the choices, I have to change my behavior and actions.  If I have to change my actions, I might lose friends and family.  If I lose friends and family, I might be alone. If I’m alone… and so on and so on.  Do you get what I’m saying here?  As we explore the unknown of heaven, it leads to another thought or action and people will then have to make changes to their life based on living for the present or living for the future.  It would be easier to just stay in the ignorance lane.  In staying ignorant, it keeps us from fearing the unknown.  

The ironic thing about the statement “ignorance is bliss” is that it’s saying that not knowing about something can lead to happiness or peace of mind, which is what knowing about God actually brings.  This statement is contrary to Christian living.  Living your life surrendered to Christ is the only way to find actual peace of mind.  Knowing who Jesus is and accepting him in your heart is true peace of mind, yet we casually say “ignorance is bliss” and choose to stay ignorant on the topic of God and heaven, to remain in our comfort zones.  When it comes to a relationship with God and heaven, ignorance is not bliss.  If someone thinks ignorance is bliss when it comes to learning about heaven, I’d say that’s a statement from the enemy himself.  He doesn’t want you or that friend to know about God and heaven.  Satan wants you to believe “ignorance is bliss” when it comes to the Gospel and having a relationship with Christ.  As I’ve been looking into the statement “ignorance is bliss”, I looked up the actual definition for the word “bliss”, which means “1. complete happiness; enjoying eternal bliss in heaven 2. paradise, heaven”.  Interesting, right?  So when we say ignorance is bliss, we could be saying “ignorance is heaven”?  There is such irony in that statement… Again this brings me to my thought that this “ignorance is bliss” statement is from the enemy himself when it comes to Jesus.  How could not knowing something enter you into a place of peace?  How could the place of peace, heaven itself, come from remaining ignorant?  It can’t.  Heaven comes from exploring who Jesus is, what he did for you, why he did what he did and because of what he did, how we can be in that eternal place.  If we remain ignorant on the topic of heaven and eternity, the irony to “ignorance is bliss” is that we’ll never actually get to heaven in our ignorance.  We’ll never get to experience that “state of peace”, heaven itself, if we remain ignorant on the topic.  We actually have to do the opposite.  We need to explore, study, understand heaven and the creator himself, the one who made a way so we can one day be there with him.  We need to accept Jesus Christ to experience Heaven and a new earth one day.  

This life on earth is so short compared to eternity in heaven and I do think that’s an uncomfortable thought for a lot of people.  For most people who do not know about God and what he’s done for us.  In our exploration of Jesus and heaven itself, it brings about a comfort you likely didn’t have before.  In learning more about heaven, it brings you more of a desire for heaven and eternity itself, without the feeling of fear because you realize that heaven should be the goal for every human on earth.  

God didn’t open our eyes to the good news to keep it to ourselves.  No, Jesus didn’t die for us to remain ignorant of who He is and what salvation means for us.  Jesus died so that we can be saved, help save others and be in eternity with Him forever and ever.  Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to God and heaven.  Ignorance is the opposite of how we should be living our lives.  The opposite of ignorance is knowledge.  Proverbs 1:7 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”.  We think staying ignorant about a certain topic keeps us from fearing the unknown, keeps us comfortable, but what we don’t realize is that it’s actually holding us back from living.  The fear of the unknown, the fear of God himself, is actually the beginning of knowledge, which is the opposite of ignorance.  But fools despise wisdom and instruction.  People would prefer to remain ignorant, if that means they’ll be comfortable.  People choose ignorance over wisdom and instruction, if that means comfort over discomfort, if that means living their life as it is instead of changing for salvation.  We need to be uncomfortable for a period of time, in order to find true comfort and rest in Jesus.  We need to seek God for wisdom and knowledge, rather than remaining ignorant of who He is and what He did for us. 

Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is not heaven.  Not knowing is not giving you a peaceful state of mind.  “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6  In learning about God, we will actually become more wise and knowledgeable, God has the ability to do this.  But Satan would prefer you to stay in your comfort zone.  In being fearful of the unknown, it’s one more person in hell and one less person in heaven.  I realize this is an uncomfortable thought, but it should open all of our eyes to the reality of eternity and why knowing about eternity and who Jesus is, is so important. “I tell you, now is the time for God’s favor, now is the day of salvation”. 2 Corinthians 6:2