"because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." (1 Timothy 1:13)
1 Timothy 1:12-13 "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief."
This was Apostle Paul who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious to the church of the living God, yet God in his mercy forgave him. Why? Because Paul "did it ignorantly in unbelief."
John 9:39-41 "¶ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth."
Likewise, Jesus said to the Pharisees which claimed to know the truth: “If ye were blind, ye should have no sin…” This is the same as Paul who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church, but did it ignorantly in unbelief because he was blind to the truth at one point. What about Christians who sin wilfully against God? Well, for the Pharisees who claim knowledge of the truth, Jesus said unto them: “therefore your sin remaineth.”
The Bible tells us in this passage:
Hebrews 10:26-27 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
After Paul had received the knowledge of the truth, he ceased to be a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church i.e. he repented. The same cannot be said for Christians who sin wilfully against God after they have received the knowledge of the truth.
Hebrews 10:26-27 tells tells us that "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins" for these Christians, but a "CERTAIN" (sure, undoubted, unquestionable) fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the "ADVERSARIES" (enemies). God even count these Christians his enemies.
James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
James calls these Christians "adulterers and adulteresses," and he further elaborates what he meant by this i.e. friendship of the world makes one an enemy of God. Whosoever will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. These are the Christians who will continue to sin against God even after they have received the knowledge of the truth. Why? Because God's words have no place in their stony ground hearts.