Gospel Encounter 31

 

THE UNKNOWN GOD OF TODAY !

The God that you worship, what is He like?

Just how much do you know about Him?

Do you worship Him with understanding?

Is your understanding of your God first-hand or second-hand?

 

ACTS 17:22-31 . . .

SOME OBSERVATIONS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE UNKNOWN GOD OF TODAY

(22) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, ‘Ye men of Athens (put in your hometown), I perceive that in all things ye are too RELIGIOUS (for that is the meaning from the Greek for ‘superstitious’-KJV)

Much of what tries to pass as “worship” these days clearly indicates that the worshippers are ignorantly worshipping their idea of God, their idea of what He is like for they do NOT KNOW GOD.

People these days KNOW ABOUT God but how many really KNOW God?

(23) For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.

Paul now shows these unsaved worshippers the nature or character of the ONE TRUE GOD. He doesn’t mention the name of Jesus Christ at this time, just God, Who is Lord.

(24) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

• HE is the Creator of ALL things (by the way, ‘all’ means ALL!).

• HE is Lord of heaven (the realm of spirit) and earth (the natural realm.

• HE dwells in US-temples . . . not in buildings made by man (remember when the ‘service’ is over, the Church goes home!).

(25) Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

• Nothing that stems out of our skills can be included in true worship. Our achievements/skills can be education, oratory, family, musical abilities etc. Unless they have gone through the cross, they will not be fully controlled by the Lord. . . for in that way only can He come forth as life.

• ALL things come from Him . . . so don’t blame the devil. Our God is never taken by surprise.

(26) And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

(27) That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

• HE has specifically appointed that all mankind everywhere will seek after Him because He controls everything surrounding everyone working that ‘all’ together for the good of His great plan of the ages. . . for HE IS GOD ALMIGHTY. He is close to each one.

(28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

• Paul declares these truths to these unsaved men of Athens. Whether these men knew it or not, God was in control of their lives by being in control of their circumstances. All mankind make up the visible expression on earth of the invisible God in the heavens. How could Paul say such a thing? Because he had received a revelation of the greatness of his God, the love of his God, the grace of his God . . . a revelation of the God who cannot fail not even with one of His offspring.

(29) Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

• This one true God does not acknowledge as spiritual any images of Himself — no statues — actually NOTHING that is supposed to look like Him . . . replacing the reality of Him Who is Life.

In fact nothing out of our IMAGE-nation!

(30) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

• HE does not invite people to repent . . . He COMMANDS them so to do. He is so in control that He can declare, “No-one comes to the Father except He draw him”. . . and He, being God, when He draws, He expects there to be a response.

‘repent’ = to draw one’s thinking from another source.

(31) Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

• God will judge every one through Christ . . . a judgment unto righteousness (NOT punishment). This one true God gives this assurance to all . . . ‘for as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive’ (I Cor. 15:22). The ‘all’ covers the same people!

Let us list a few pointers to help some learn of the one true God and enable them to forsake the untrue god of their imaginations.

• God is all-knowing (OMNISCIENT) . . . He knows every thought of every man that ever was.

• God is everywhere present and not bound by time (OMNIPRESENT).

• God has ALL power (OMNIPOTENT) which leaves no power whatsoever for the devil.

‘Thus our God makes all things work together for good . . .’ (Romans 8:28) . . . ‘to the firstfruits first and then ‘every man in his own order’.

If your God has been ‘unknown’ to you, we trust that as you seek Him, He will unveil Himself to you and you will KNOW HIM intimately. §