The concept of acting "knowingly" in the Bible often pertains to the awareness and intentionality behind one's actions, particularly in the context of sin and obedience to God's commandments. The Bible addresses the moral and spiritual implications of knowingly committing acts that are contrary to God's will, emphasizing the importance of understanding and intentionality in the believer's walk with God.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often associated with knowledge and intentionality is "yada," which means to know or to perceive. This concept is evident in the laws given to Israel, where intentional sins are distinguished from unintentional ones. For example, in Leviticus 4:2, the Lord instructs Moses regarding offerings for unintentional sins, highlighting the difference between sins committed knowingly and those done in ignorance. Numbers 15:30-31 further underscores this distinction: "But the person who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD and must be cut off from his people. Because they have despised the LORD’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word "epiginosko" is often used to convey a deeper, more complete knowledge. The New Testament writers emphasize the gravity of knowingly rejecting the truth of the Gospel. Hebrews 10:26-27 warns, "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."

The Apostle Paul also addresses the issue of knowingly sinning in Romans 1:18-21, where he speaks of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness, despite having knowledge of God through His creation. This passage highlights the accountability of those who, with full knowledge, choose to reject God.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

The Bible consistently teaches that knowingly committing sin carries significant moral and spiritual consequences. In James 4:17, it is written, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." This verse underscores the responsibility of believers to act according to their knowledge of God's will.

Furthermore, the concept of knowingly following God's commandments is central to the life of a believer. Jesus emphasizes the importance of knowing and obeying His teachings in John 14:15: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." This reflects the idea that true knowledge of God leads to a life of obedience and love.

Conclusion

The biblical perspective on acting knowingly is deeply intertwined with the themes of accountability, intentionality, and the pursuit of righteousness. Believers are called to live with a conscious awareness of God's will, striving to align their actions with His commandments and to avoid the pitfalls of knowingly engaging in sin.1. (adv.) With knowledge; in a knowing manner; intelligently; consciously; deliberately; as, he would not knowingly offend.

2. (adv.) By experience.

The Love, Fear, Trust, and Honour which are Due from Man to God
... The love of God is a dutiful act of man, by which he knowingly and willingly prefers,
before all other things, the union of himself with God and obedience to ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation lxxii the love fear.htm

Whether Drunkenness is a Mortal Sin?
... In this way drunkenness is a mortal sin, because then a man willingly and knowingly
deprives himself of the use of reason, whereby he performs virtuous deeds ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether drunkenness is a mortal.htm

Whether a Menstruous Woman Should or May Lawfully Pay the Marriage ...
... Now he who knowingly asks for the debt from a menstruous woman sins mortally.
Therefore she also sins mortally by consenting to pay the debt. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether a menstruous woman should.htm

Whether Anyone Sins through Certain Malice?
... a thing less is that one chooses to suffer some hurt in its regard, in order to
obtain a good that one loves more: as when a man, even knowingly, suffers the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether anyone sins through certain.htm

How the Man not yet Righteous Can Know the Righteous Man whom He ...
... For when I say, and say knowingly, that mind is righteous which knowingly and of
purpose assigns to every one his due in life and behavior, I do not think of ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 6 how the man not.htm

Note C. --Chap. vii George Muller and his Second Conversion
... this, that the two secrets of his great happiness were, his great love for God's
Word, and his ever maintaining a good conscience, not knowingly doing anything ...
/.../murray/the two covenants/note c chap vii george muller.htm

Decrees of Fabian.
... II. The man is rendered infamous who knowingly presumes to forswear himself.
[2877]. Whosoever has knowingly forsworn himself, should ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/decrees of fabian.htm

Whether Idolatry is the Gravest of Sins?
... Thus the sin of one that sins knowingly is said to be graver than the sin of one
that sins through ignorance: and in this way nothing hinders heretics, if they ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether idolatry is the gravest.htm

Whether Discord is a Sin?
... Wherefore a man directly disaccords with his neighbor, when he knowingly and
intentionally dissents from the Divine good and his neighbor's good, to which he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether discord is a sin.htm

Whether a Sale is Rendered Unlawful through a Fault in the Thing ...
... Another defect is in respect of quantity which is known by being measured: wherefore
if anyone knowingly make use of a faulty measure in selling, he is guilty ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a sale is rendered.htm

Knowingly (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (adv.) With knowledge; in a knowing manner; intelligently; consciously; deliberately;
as, he would not knowingly offend. ...Knowingly (1 Occurrence). ...
/k/knowingly.htm - 7k

Knowledge

/k/knowledge.htm - 12k

Knowing (547 Occurrences)

/k/knowing.htm - 7k

Liar (18 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one
who lies. Multi-Version Concordance Liar (18 Occurrences). ...
/l/liar.htm - 11k

Guiding (69 Occurrences)
... out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his
left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the ...
/g/guiding.htm - 26k

Wittingly (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) Knowingly; with knowledge; by design.
Multi-Version Concordance Wittingly (1 Occurrence). Genesis ...
/w/wittingly.htm - 6k

E'phraim (146 Occurrences)
... out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his
left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the ...
/e/e'phraim.htm - 35k

Ephraim's (14 Occurrences)
... out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his
left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the ...
/e/ephraim's.htm - 10k

Manasseh's (9 Occurrences)
... out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his
left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the ...
/m/manasseh's.htm - 9k

Blasphemy (15 Occurrences)
... 19:6, 22 = Isaiah 37:6, 23; also Psalm 44:16 Ezekiel 20:27; compare Numbers 15:30),
"But the soul that doeth aught with a high hand (ie knowingly and defiantly ...
/b/blasphemy.htm - 20k

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