Acts 17:22–28 (ESV)
Paul Addresses the Areopagus
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To
the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he
needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“ ‘In him we live
and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“ ‘For we are indeed his
offspring.’
It is interesting to learn from Paul on how he “reasoned” with them through the Scriptures. Now they did not believe, nor did they know anything about God or the Scriptures.
Paul did not go in and tear them down, but worked with what he had. The “beleived”, but not in right god, or I should say God. The Bible tells us that there is only one God and that we are not to believe in other (g)ods. Only
the triune God get’s the capital “G”. Paul looks around and finds an inscription “To the unknown god”. This is what he builds off of, so that he can reason without offending them. He builds his case, that is
God’s case. He goes on to teach them that this unknown god is the creator of all things and is the one true (G)od.
I pray: O Lord, help me to “reason” with the Scriptures and
to teach in an effective way. Give me wisdom to effectively share the Gospel with people. Amen.