Acts 17:16-34 | in the Worldਨਮੂਨਾ

Being in the world means meeting people where they’re at, affirming aspects of truth they’re seeing, and taking the time to help them understand God more fully. It also means confronting the world when it’s off base.

Paul was distressed over the rampant idolatry in Athens. When it comes to the things of God, he knew it was off base. More than that, he challenged the philosophical systems of the people talking with him, the overplayed sense in Stoicism that sees God in everything and therefore is unable to critique evil, and the Epicurean mistake of seeing God as completely uninvolved in our world and our lives, and seeing this life only as the sum total of existence.

Glimpses of God only take you so far. At some point, somebody has to tell you what’s up.

Paul points the Stoics to a different view of God, one where God delineates between right and wrong, and will set all things right again. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness…” (Acts 17:30a, NIV). He points the Epicureans to a future resurrection: “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because he has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom he has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead” (17:30, NIV).

In both cases, he points them to Jesus. To his resurrection. As proof of his claim. To his coming again. And to repent.

Connecting with people of the world does not mean affirming everything they do or believe. It means loving them more than that. Loving them enough that you’re willing to point them to Jesus, who’s coming again and before whom all of us will give account. Loving them enough that you’re willing to call them to the same repentance Jesus calls us too. Loving them enough to share with them that God wants them to turn to him.

The gospel will confront people of the world, but you are a bridge. Speak their language. Speak Christ’s language. As a Christian, you’re a translator and ambassador.

If this plan helped orient you to the ongoing work and teaching of Jesus in this world, we encourage you to subscribe to our other plans on Acts.