To the Unknown God

Ref. Acts 17  When the Apostle Paul went to Athens in ancient Greece, his soul was greatly troubled at the sight of a city so completely idolatrous. This anxiousness within his spirit compelled Paul to reason with the people; so, in the synagogue and in the agora (marketplace) Paul proclaimed the One true God, Jesus and the resurrection.

Upon hearing Paul speak, some of their respected philosophers interjected, “What is this babbling birdbrain trying to say?” And their own response became, “He seems to be proclaiming foreign gods.”

“Foreign gods”? Should God have seemed foreign to the Greeks? Their statements and confusion at Paul’s message was in essence a testimony against the Jews of that day. God had chosen Abraham and his descendents (the Jews) to make Himself known in the world as the One true God; and here you had in Athens a great population of Jews, and yet it seems as though even they were confused at the preaching of Jesus their Messiah.

Paul, summarily, was brought to the Council of the Hill of Ares, and asked to explain this, “new teaching.” But this council was not just casually inquisitive; in fact, history attributes them with executions for proclaiming beliefs contrary to theirs. In essence, Paul’s life was once again in jeopardy for teaching about Jesus. But fearlessly, Paul began by bringing to their attention that as he had walked their city he had seen their many idols representing their many gods, and told them, “I even found an altar with the inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” Paul went on to make known God and His plan for all men everywhere.

Is God still unknown today? Sadly, many Christians may be faulted in the same way as the Jews of that day. We have this great message of being united to God through Jesus, and yet much of world remains as confused about God as these ancient Greeks. Do our churches represent God in the way Jesus did by offering grace and forgiveness; or are they more akin to Moses, dictating law and judgment? Jesus came proclaiming the Good News to the spiritually poor, and He represented the goodness of God; His only harsh words of judgment were for the religious.

If you find yourself spiritually poor, wondering about the unknown God, the Good News is that you are not unknown to Him. Jesus came to represent the love of the Father and to lay down His life for you so that you might live in Him. Pray, and ask Jesus to enter into your heart. Let His forgiveness wash away all guilt, and let Him be the Lord of your life.