How Many Have Already Begun Their Journey?
As I was reading my devotion the other day something jumped in my spirit that I have been pondering on. The Apostle Paul made use of every opportunity that he had to bring the good news of the gospel to the Gentiles. As a learned Roman citizen, he was aware of the beliefs and practices of the Romans and he used this knowledge to his every advantage. It took nothing away from his Judeo-Christian faith to speak of things commonly known to Gentiles:
22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.Acts 17:22-23 (NLT)
While it was certainly not the intent of the builders of the shrines in Athens to build an altar to the true and living God, Paul used this to point them to the one altar that had on it, “to the unknown God”. This was a skillful introduction to his sermon letting the Athenians know that there is a God that they have not named who is greater than any of the gods they have named.
Even though church membership has declined dramatically in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center, 90% of Americans say they believe in a higher power, with 56% say they believe in the God of the Bible, and 33% saying they believe in some higher authority. This looks like the odds are in our favor as believers to begin a conversation, like the Apostle Paul in talking about “the unknown God”. We already have 33% who give credence to someone, somewhere!
Our nation is in trouble. For the first time in recent history there are nations who have the same ability to perform nuclear warfare as effectively we can. The threat for global destruction is real. As believers we know that when Jesus returns He will establish a new heaven and a new earth, but do unbelievers know this? Do they know that to be “absent from the body is present with the Lord”?
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:4 (KJV)
Are you that preacher?
Maria