Ignorance is Bliss?

"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."James 4:17

Last week, my pastor's message was about absolute truth and later he blogged on the subject, stating that truth is personal and is found in a Person. (Christ) Of course, I asked a lot of questions; it is what I do. I was a bit surprised when my comment was answered by the idea that one has to be "true" to oneself.

That sounds so relative. I don't like relative! So I questioned and received an answer based on James 4:17. "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin," pointing out that truth is revealed by God's word and His Spirit.

I've been thinking on that a lot because it makes sense and yet, I don't like it. I think I've always been drawn to a set of absolute rules over the concept of grace. Grace is a lovely concept but does it really make sense?

I still have a lot of questions and I wonder if I just have questions because they are easier than accepting answers. Yet the biggest questions in my head are about this concept of truth and it being a personal nature, at least to some degree.

In Bible study, we discussed Colossians 2, and it brought up the subject of holy days/rituals and if it was okay to participate or abstain from them. We discussed how these "extra" things don't save a person, so it really comes down to motivation and the heart of why one is pursuing or observing things like that. A friend brought up the fact that we have to be true to our beliefs; if one thought observing something like that or eating a certain food was wrong, then it was wrong for them. If they had no such conviction, then it was okay for them.

It's relative.

Does truth "change colors as it changes climate?"(Pascal)

After thinking about this way too much, I wondered where the idea of "Ignorance is bliss" comes in. If it is know what we ought to do and not do it...... what if we simply don't know? Are we to be held for truth we are not aware of? Are we to be held accountable for a truth that is bigger and broader than our own personal truth that may allow us to indulge without much of a conscious?

Is ignorance bliss?