Acts 17:27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
The Apostle Paul was a brilliant man. He approached every group of people with the Gospel of Christ on their level. In the case of the Athenians, Paul saw that they worshipped an unknown god. Clearly, Paul understood this inscription to mean that they didn’t know who this god was so he took this opportunity to tell them about the One True God.
As Paul stood before the Areogapus (their Supreme Court), he was questioned about what he was preaching to the people. In response he said, Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: They had admitted they didn't know who God was so Paul introduced them to Him.
God, Who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and Earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. Paul proclaimed God to be the Creator of Heaven, Earth, and everything in it. He told them that God does not need the help of any man because He is Who has breathed life into everything.
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, He went on to tell them that all the people on earth have virtually the same blood in their veins. This statement refutes all thoughts of racism and elitism.
and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, God divided the earth into continents and placed certain people in certain places on earth at a predetermined time as He sees fit.
so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; God’s hope is for all people everywhere to seek after Him and when they do, they will find Him because He is only a prayer away.
for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring.” Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. God is the Creator of all people. Every human being is created by Him so we shouldn’t believe that God Almighty is something made of gold, silver, or stone by the hands of man.
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in Righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. To believe such is actually ignorant and those who do believe this should repent because God has appointed a Day of Judgment and Jesus Christ will be the Judge.
He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. God proved all of this to be true by raising Jesus from the dead.
What we have just read is Paul’s dissertation to the Supreme Court in the great city of Athens. We find it in Acts 17:23-31. Paul presented his argument in a logical, step-by-step manner because the Athenians were logical people.
The call on these people was no different than the call on people today. Seek to know the Truth and you will find it. When you do, you will come to the conclusion that you are wrong and God is right. Then, repent of your sins and God will redeem your soul and you will be born again; a totally new and changed person. Only God can do this! His Will is for all people to seek Him. Today is the day to do this because the Day of Judgment is very close.
Seek the Lord. He will……….turn the tide……….in your life!
Don’t wait another day, Doreen
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