The inability to decide whether or not God exists. It is characterised by indecision and compromise when faced with the challenge to wholehearted commitment, and is condemned as sinful, inexcusable and unnecessary in the light of God's clear self-revelation.
Agnosticism is inexcusable in the light of God's self-revelation
In the creation
Romans 1:19–20 See also Psalm 19:1–2; Acts 14:17
For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
In the person of Jesus Christ
John 1:18 See also John 14:9; Hebrews 1:1–3
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
Agnosticism is sinful
Because God calls for wholehearted commitment
Joshua 24:14–15 See also Exodus 32:26; Deuteronomy 6:13–14, Deuteronomy 30:15–19; Acts 14:15
Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”
Because God's call demands total obedience
Matthew 9:9 parallels Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27–28 See also Matthew 4:18–22 parallel Mark 1:16–20
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.
Agnosticism results in compromise
In worship
1 Kings 18:21; 2 Kings 17:41 See also 2 Kings 17:29–33; 1 Corinthians 10:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.
In commitment
Matthew 6:24 parallel Luke 16:13 in the attitude to money; Matthew 8:19–22 parallel Luke 9:57–62 in service; 2 Corinthians 6:14 in relationships with unbelievers; Ephesians 4:14 in accommodating false teaching
Agnosticism as a result of ignorance
Ignorance through being uninformed
Acts 17:23–30 See also Acts 3:17–18
For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’ Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
Foolish ignorance of God's existence
Psalm 14:1 parallel Psalm 53:1 See also Psalm 92:5–7; Jeremiah 5:4
For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.
Ignorance of God's presence
Psalm 115:2 See also Psalm 42:3; Joel 2:17; Micah 7:10
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Ignorance as a result of rejecting God's truth
Psalm 10:4 See also Psalm 36:1; Jeremiah 5:21–24; Zechariah 7:11–12; Acts 2:22–23
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
Ignorance as a result of sin
Ephesians 4:17–19 See also Isaiah 1:3–4; Jeremiah 4:22
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
Ignorance is no defence against God's judgment
Romans 1:18 See also Judges 2:10–14; Isaiah 44:9–11
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.