Presenting the True God

Background Scripture: Acts 17
Lesson Scripture: Acts 17:22-34

Introduction

The foremost task of Christians is to present the gospel to the world. We live among many who profess a belief in God, but we see much evidence of idolatry around us. As the truth is mixed with error, it is easy to become accustomed to a margin of unbelief. A close relationship with God will give us opportunity to present the truth in a way that fits the situation.

Let us examine how Paul presented the true God and learn from his example.

Key Verse

And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken (1 Kings 18:24).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

In Paul’s day, Athens was an ancient Greek city renowned for its art, literature, architecture, and culture. Its architecture boasted great and beautiful marble temples used also for learning and debate. The remains of the Parthenon attest to this, and in Paul’s day it was in its full splendor as the temple of the heathen goddess Athena. The world’s rich and powerful sent their sons to Athens to be educated and acculturated. The Athenians considered themselves to be the most learned and progressive culture in the world, which included religious life as well. Countless temples and altars were erected there to be sure no god was slighted by not being worshipped.

Paul’s zeal for spreading the gospel caused him to preach in the Jewish synagogues of Athens as well as in the marketplace, which was where teachers who did not have their own school building gave their lectures. The citizenry gathered there to hear what new things would be talked about. Paul’s teachings of Jesus, repentance, and the resurrection were peculiar enough that he was brought to Mars Hill, where a court of learned and respected men sat to listen and pass judgment on what was being taught in the city.

Paul’s sermon that day started by relating to the everyday life of his audience, their gods, and their worship. He did not use thundering denunciations of sin like an Old Testament prophet, though there is no doubt that blatant immorality and sin were prevalent there. Neither did he emphasize fulfilled prophecies like he would have if preaching in a Jewish synagogue. He did not start, as he did in the heathen city of Lystra, by proclaiming God’s fatherly beneficence to mankind in providing “rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). Rather, his sermon that day illustrated, as it had in all these other places, his conviction of becoming “all things to all men” (1 Cor. 9:22).

He started by referring to the altars and temples erected to the pantheon of gods that the Athenians so highly esteemed. Then he proclaimed, while standing in the shadow of these very temples and altars, that there was but one God who had created everything. He did not need temples or idols or men’s hands to worship Him. The message of all nations and people being made of one blood addressed the Athenians’ belief in their own superiority.

He told them God is not distant and unreachable, referring to their own poets who also expressed this thought. This reference can be understood as a friendly invitation to reach out to God, to “feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27). Up to this point, his listeners could have felt as if they were listening to one of their own.

But as Paul continued speaking of repentance, Christ’s judgment, and especially the resurrection, a change took place in his listeners. Some mocked, and others, perhaps as if to say they had heard enough, indicated the rest of Paul’s message could wait until another time. The Bible does not indicate that Paul was given another chance to address the court. A few believed his message, apparently including one of the judges on Mars Hill, Dionysius the Areopagite.

Practical Truths for Today

The most important element in presenting God to the world around us is having Him abiding within. Genuine conversion and consecration to God is evidenced by our conduct, priorities, speech, and actions. When our heart is right with God, our demeanor will be cheerful, and we will be interested in the welfare of others. Our priorities will be shown by how we spend our time and our money, putting the good of others above that of ourselves. A Christian’s speech will be measured with integrity. We will not be given to pleasureseeking and selfishness but rather to building God’s kingdom and seeking the benefit of those around us. A close relationship with God, the witness that we have been with Jesus, will connect us with our fellowmen.

Temptations and human weakness pull us from the center of the right road. Giving ourselves room in order to satisfy self will hinder our presentation of the true God. This might be in the places we choose to go (entertainment venues, for example). It could be in lavishly spending money on ourselves (perhaps expensive vacations or hobbies). It could be in promoting a political point of view instead of living as citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Following conspiracy theories and curious health fads will also indicate to the world whether or not we have a quiet confidence in the true God.

Our relationships to the world reveal our devotion to the true God. How we treat each other as husbands and wives when making plans and mutual decisions reveal whether our innermost attitudes are self-serving or self-sacrificing. The unmarried will also be showing the world whether inwardly they possess the charity that only comes from serving the true God.

For those of us who live encircled in a traditional, church-oriented setting, this cultural background can moderate how we present the true God. We have finely-tuned consciences, which are often a help to us. Because of this, however, we may tend to think that the same level of spiritual awareness is present in other people as well. When presenting the true God, Paul did not seek to impose the parts of his upbringing that were merely cultural. He met his listeners where they were and did not withhold sharing the gospel, even if they did not meet certain standards. A brother commented about passing a vehicle that was occupied, in his estimation, by rough-looking persons and made a remark about the motley-looking group. The Holy Spirit reproved him for that attitude, and he realized anew that God’s love is bestowed equally on all human beings. God graciously bestowed his salvation upon us, and we should think charitably of all people, believers or not.

May we allow the Word, the Holy Spirit, and our brothers and sisters to help us in our witness. May our lives show that our feet are on the solid rock of godly belief.

Questions

1. How can we effectively present the true God to someone who seems wrapped up in themselves without alienating them?
2. What does it mean in our day to be “made all things to all men”? (1 Cor. 9:22).
3. How can we respectfully point those we meet to God without portraying a superior attitude?
4. What cultural leanings might hinder us from presenting the true God?

Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).