The Gospel Changes - Acts 17
In my study through the Gospels and Acts looking to better understand what the Gospel is, we come to a profound moment in Acts 17. Paul is preaching the Gospel to the Greeks in Athens. Much of the message is the same. He is preaching about the same God, appealing to faith, calling people to turn to God, but everything else about his message is different. He isn't appealing to scripture, he is appealing to their poets (vs. 28). Even though they have many gods, he also commends their spiritual quests, and uses them (the altar to the unknown god) to have an avenue to start talking about God. Here are a few conclusions of mine from this passage.
1) God is already working in the "unsaved" world. In the make up of the culture God is bringing good, and trying to draw them to Himself.
2) As stewards of the Gospel, we need to find what God is doing in others, and explain it to them using their language. If they don't hold scripture in high regard, maybe we ought not appeal to it. Find who their authorities are (like musicians, actors, etc), and appeal to them. Still telling the message of scripture but in their language rather than ours.
3) Don't come in condemning, but affirming, as Paul does here.
4) We must lay to rest our training of presenting the Gospel in one way (four spiritual laws, or Romans road, or the salvation prayer, etc) and be retrained to understand the gospel more deeply so that we can present it in thousands of creative ways that resonate with the culture we are talking to.
5) Finally leave the results to God. Some believed Paul, others didn't.
1) God is already working in the "unsaved" world. In the make up of the culture God is bringing good, and trying to draw them to Himself.
2) As stewards of the Gospel, we need to find what God is doing in others, and explain it to them using their language. If they don't hold scripture in high regard, maybe we ought not appeal to it. Find who their authorities are (like musicians, actors, etc), and appeal to them. Still telling the message of scripture but in their language rather than ours.
3) Don't come in condemning, but affirming, as Paul does here.
4) We must lay to rest our training of presenting the Gospel in one way (four spiritual laws, or Romans road, or the salvation prayer, etc) and be retrained to understand the gospel more deeply so that we can present it in thousands of creative ways that resonate with the culture we are talking to.
5) Finally leave the results to God. Some believed Paul, others didn't.
5 Comments:
It is a pretty profound chapter when it comes to engageing culture in the right way. I don't know if Luke meant it to be that way, but it shows Paul's great adaptabiblity of the Gospel message to the culture of the people.
At times it can be so counter productive and distastful when people quote scripture, and at other times the most beautiful expression of love. What do you suppose is the difference? You are inspiring me to read over Acts 17 again. Thanks.
I agree with your assessment. I guess when people try to use scripture to prove that the way they think is right and someone else is wrong it borders on distastful (especially when the person they are talking to does not recognize the Bible as authoritative).
When the apostles where preaching to Jewish audiences through Acts so far their whole message revolved around the scriptures, and showing Jesus as the fullfilment of the scriptures. I just found it interesting what a dramatic shift with the greek audience, and it kind of caught me off guard.
Jon, Using culture to confront culture can conceive a creation of Christ.....yikes...lots of c's...not intended. I love this chapter of Acts. It reminds me that Jesus entered our world, he didn't require (nor could we) that we enter his. I think we have lost the art of engaging with culture and are heavy on the confrontation. There is no doubt that the invation of Christ established a beach-head and ultimately won the war...the war was not with man, but with sin, with the Enemy...we as Christains need to put away "ammunition belts" and put on "first aid kits" and take the culture and world to the great Physician. Sorry, this is your blog...I'm going off...great thoughts Jon....
Right on Steve, and my blog is your blog.
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