Moving beyond “I Don’t Know”

Humility is essential for Christians, and the way we express this humility is by saying, “I don’t know” when appropriate. Because there’s so much about God, ourselves, and the world that remains a mystery, “I don’t know” is a wonderful statement. We never want to be a “know it all,” so make sure to say, “I don’t know!”

Nevertheless, this consideration does not mean that we should always say, “I don’t know.” There are some things we should know. In fact, if we say “I don’t know” too often, that shows that our thinking needs maturity. An example of this might help. Take eternal security. In my mind, this doctrine is a settled issue. Several texts address this question by reassuring us of Christ’s power and love (e.g., John 10:28–29; Rom 8:31–39; Eph 1:14). Though this conviction might put us at odds with other brothers and sisters who disagree, that’s OK. Christian maturity requires that we maintain our convictions, even when others disagree with us.

It takes humility to say, “I don’t know”; conviction to say, “I know”; and wisdom to know when to say which. If you respond “I don’t know” to important questions, maybe the Lord would have you study and pray more about that issue so that you develop a conviction. We should remember Paul’s exhortation to not be “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 3:7). May the Lord bless us with “the Spirit of wisdom of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph 1:17), so that our thinking moves beyond, “I don’t know.”

Pastor Chance