--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ignorance is worst when it amounts to…" description: "\"“Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God.”\" — Charles Haddon Spurgeon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg" --- # Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God… ![“Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God.” quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg) > ““Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God.”” [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance of God is dangerous; true knowledge is applied through reverence to God. **In simple terms:** Knowing God guides wisdom. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge that honors the divine. Themes faith knowledge humility Mood hopeful serene Type religious inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - Bible study - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts theology spiritual growth wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How does reverence shape understanding? - What actions reflect God‑centered knowledge? A Different Perspective Intellectual knowledge without humility can become prideful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amounts Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amounts-ignorance-4286721/) [God Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-knowledge/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-god-864958/) [Ignorance Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-worst-4286720/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [“Ignorance is the worst plague of all, a form of blindness that destroys the hearts of the people who hide behind it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-estes/ignorance-is-the-worst-plague-of-all-a-form-of-blindness-that/) [David Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-estes/) > [Ignorance is the worst form of slavery. (Paraphrased)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/ignorance-is-the-worst-form-of-slavery-paraphrased/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [There are many aspects of the universe that still cannot be explained satisfactorily by science; but ignorance implies only ignorance that may someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/there-are-many-aspects-of-the-universe-that-still-cannot-be-explained/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ignorance-is-the-curse-of-god-knowledge-is-the-wing-wherewith-we-fly/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Until human being is not ready to receive knowledge, until then it is impossible for God to give knowledge to human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avinash-rai/until-human-being-is-not-ready-to-receive-knowledge-until-then-it-is/) [Avinash Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avinash-rai/) > [Our ignorance is God; what we know is science. When we abandon the doctrine that some infinite being created matter and force, and enacted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/our-ignorance-is-god-what-we-know-is-science-when-we-abandon-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“labelling our ignorance "God".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/labelling-our-ignorance-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [If the history of science shows us anything, it is that we get nowhere by labeling our ignorance “God”.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-history-of-science-shows-us-anything-it-is-that-we-get-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today, on our own turf, we face pagan ignorance about God every bit as deep as that which the early church faced in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/today-on-our-own-turf-we-face-pagan-ignorance-about-god-every-bit-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Ignorance is God's prison. Knowing is God's palace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/ignorance-is-god-s-prison-knowing-is-god-s-palace/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [No one infers a god from the simple, from the known, from what is understood, but from the complex, from the unknown, and incomprehensible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-infers-a-god-from-the-simple-from-the-known-from-what-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every human being is a god today. A god, who creates his own world employing deceit, envy, betrayal, murder, legality, obligation, superstition, faith, devotion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-lamichhane/every-human-being-is-a-god-today-a-god-who-creates-his-own-world/) [Shankar Lamichhane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-lamichhane/) > [Our ignorance of God is too great, because our estimations of God are too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-charnock/our-ignorance-of-god-is-too-great-because-our-estimations-of-god-are/) [Stephen Charnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-charnock/) > [“Against ignorance, God Himself is helpless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-lawrence/against-ignorance-god-himself-is-helpless/) [R.J. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-lawrence/) > [Wisdom leads to unity, but ignorance to separation. So long as God seems to be outside and far away, there is ignorance. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/wisdom-leads-to-unity-but-ignorance-to-separation-so-long-as-god/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) ## More by Charles Haddon Spurgeon > [“Do you talk about yourself like that? You feel you are good for nothing. You are like the bruised reed and the smoldering wick.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/do-you-talk-about-yourself-like-that-you-feel-you-are-good-for/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“If God calls to arduous duty, He is prepared to give all needed grace for doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/if-god-calls-to-arduous-duty-he-is-prepared-to-give-all-needed-grace/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“The minister is not responsible for his success. However, he is responsible for what he preaches. He is accountable for his life and actions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/the-minister-is-not-responsible-for-his-success-however-he-is/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“You may have heard the story of that respected martyr who was in the habit of always saying, “All things work together for good.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/you-may-have-heard-the-story-of-that-respected-martyr-who-was-in-the/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“Remarkably, Psalm 50:15 was originally written to those who had mocked God. They had presented their sacrifices without a true heart. Yet the Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/remarkably-psalm-50-15-was-originally-written-to-those-who-had-mocked/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“but there is not a Christian that does that, that lives up to his spiritual income. You have an infinite income, an income of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/but-there-is-not-a-christian-that-does-that-that-lives-up-to-his/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“We must not forget that the gospel of Christ is holy. It never excuses sin: it pardons it, but only through an atonement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/we-must-not-forget-that-the-gospel-of-christ-is-holy-it-never-excuses/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“We need clouds and darkness to exercise our faith; to cut off reliance on self, and make us put more faith in Christ. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/we-need-clouds-and-darkness-to-exercise-our-faith-to-cut-off-reliance/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“All things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23 Many professed Christians are always doubting and fearing, and they forlornly think that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/all-things-are-possible-to-him-that-believeth-mark-9-23-many/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“By faith, we understand that we are just like the children of Israel. Whatever our needs are, the Eternal God is our source. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/by-faith-we-understand-that-we-are-just-like-the-children-of-israel/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“It is disobedience and not obedience that prompts us to select from the commands of Christ which ones we care to obey.”–1893, Sermon 2317 “No”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/it-is-disobedience-and-not-obedience-that-prompts-us-to-select-from/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“I think of the smoldering wick as the backsliding Christian, one who has been a burning and shining light in his day, but has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/i-think-of-the-smoldering-wick-as-the-backsliding-christian-one-who/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“Depression so frightening that I hope none of you will ever experience such severe misery. But I always get back to this, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/depression-so-frightening-that-i-hope-none-of-you-will-ever/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“When we rank a properous providence of God higher than an adverse one, is that not despising the discipline of the Lord? I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/when-we-rank-a-properous-providence-of-god-higher-than-an-adverse-one/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“It is not great faith but true faith that saves. And the salvation lies not in the faith but in the Christ in whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/it-is-not-great-faith-but-true-faith-that-saves-and-the-salvation/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) [Explore all 104 Charles Haddon Spurgeon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) ## More Ignorance quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“If knowledge does not liberate the self from the self, then ignorance is better than such knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-sanai/if-knowledge-does-not-liberate-the-self-from-the-self-then-ignorance/) [Hakim Sanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-sanai/) > [You are senile old fool, and because of your impudence, I cannot fathom how you still live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-senile-old-fool-and-because-of-your-impudence-i-cannot-fathom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) [Vashti Quiroz-Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vashti-quiroz-vega/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Those who embrace prejudice doom themselves to live in ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-lintz-sr/those-who-embrace-prejudice-doom-themselves-to-live-in-ignorance/) [John P Lintz Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-lintz-sr/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/sanity-can-take-one-of-only-two-forms-that-of-ignorance-or-denial/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) [Browse all 5,657 Ignorance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Haddon Spurgeon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ignorance-of-god-and-knowledge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ignorance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ignorance-of-god-and-knowledge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/charles-haddon-spurgeon-4749_ignorance_ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ig_2114827.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon…” — Charles Haddon Spurgeon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Haddon Spurgeon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Ignorance is worst when it amounts...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ignorance-of-god-and-knowledge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/ignorance-is-worst-when-it-amounts-to-ignorance-of-god-and-knowledge/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```