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The Unknown God

by Dan Richardson

“For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you” (see Acts 17:16-31).

When Paul entered the city of Athens and saw a “city full of idols,” the divine record states that “his spirit was provoked within him” (verse 16). These people were “very religious” (verse 22), but their many religions were founded on “ignorance,” not God’s truth. Whatever sincerity and zeal was involved in their religious pursuits were of no profit because they did not confine themselves to God and the instruction of His law. After all, the true test which determines if one truly knows God, loves God, and serves Him acceptably is not one’s good intentions but obedience to His word (Matthew 7:21-23; I John 2:3; 5:3). The true God is indeed an “unknown God” to many today for the same reason. From this Bible text in Acts 17, let us consider what the apostle Paul taught about the true God.

The God of Creation. “The God that made the world and all things therein …” (verse 24a); “… seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (verse 25b); “and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth …” (verse 26a). However, the God of creation is unknown to many who accept the theory of evolution. These believe that all living things “evolved” from non-living matter over millions of years by natural process. This theory is taught as scientific fact today when, in reality, it is nothing more than an assumption by those who deny the God of the Bible. It is taught to our children and grandchildren in school text books and so-called education channels on television (i.e., the National Geographic Channel). It is promoted in museums of science, which are visited by many. Publications, like the National Geographic and Life magazine, promote evolution as fact. Even Sarah Palin, the Vice Presidential candidate on the conservative side of politics, in a recent interview with Katie Couric, acknowledged evolution as “scientific fact” that should be taught in public schools. To the contrary notwithstanding, evolution stands in opposition to the Bible (God’s word) account of creation (Genesis 1-2); it cannot be harmonized with scripture teaching, not even the so-called “theistic” evolution theory which makes attempt to include God. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by the foolishness of human wisdom which continually makes an onslaught attack against the Bible in order to remove God out of the equation (cf. Romans 1:21-28).

The God of Authority. “… he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything” (verses 24b-25). Authority (the right and power to command) begins with God. It is tragic when man presumptuously assumes such authority to himself. The agenda of humanism that permeates the thinking of many today, places man at the center of the universe with everything revolving around himself. Man becomes the authority in his life, which is the goal. Rejecting God’s way revealed in the Bible, they have exchanged truth for lies. The simplicity and purity of the gospel has been distorted by the creeds of man (II Corinthians 11:3, 13-15; II Timothy 4:3-4; II Peter 2:1-3). One of the most needful lessons for our time is that “the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

The God of Our Spirits. “Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man” (verse 29). “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness …” (Genesis 1:26). “… shall we not rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?” (Hebrews 12:9). Man has an eternal spirit which will continue after physical death. This distinguishes man from animals, a truth which apparently is not understood even among the religious of our day (a Catholic priest recently visited the local animal shelter of our city to “bless” the animals so that they would go to heaven!). Any theory that rejects God will take no thought of man’s eternal destiny. They are focused only with the earthly life and fleshly gratification (money, work, recreation, power, prestige, etc.) – these become their “god.” If man believes himself nothing more than another animal, he will consequently behave like one (which is exactly what’s happening – a fruit of evolution). Faith in God will clearly bring into focus man’s spiritual and moral duties (II Corinthians 7:1; Titus 2:11-12; I Thessalonians 4:1-8).

The God of Salvation. “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent” (verse 30). Man is a sinner (Romans 3:23) who needs salvation. God commands repentance – a change of mind/heart out of “godly sorrow” (II Corinthians 7:10), which will result in a changed life (Matthew 3:8; 21:28-29). We must repent or perish (Luke 13:3). God hates sin so much, and loves man so much, that He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, “who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). One of the greatest motivations for man to repent is to understand the greatness and degree of God’s love for us in the gift of His Son for our salvation (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-9). However, Jesus’ sacrifice will benefit only those who respond in trusting obedience to His gospel (Romans 1:16-17; I Corinthians 1:21). He commands faith (John 8:24), repentance, the good confession (Romans 10:9-10), water baptism (Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:21), and a lifetime of faithful service (I Corinthians 15:58).

The God of Judgment. “… inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). The second great motivation for man’s response to God is in the fact that he will stand before Christ, the divinely ordained Judge, “that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10). However one may attempt to deny his accountability to God and refuse to believe in the wrath of God against the sinner in the Judgment, it is an appointment, like death, that he will not miss (Hebrews 9:27). Therefore, let us “behold then the goodness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22).

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