What You Can Know

When Paul looked around the city of Athens, he particularly was impressed with an altar they had dedicated to an “unknown” god. As his journey confirmed, the Athenians, like people throughout ancient Greece, were obsessed with a kind of religion filled with gods. They had come to believe that some of these gods did not want to reveal themselves to ordinary mortals. They were “unknown.”

Paul realized that this was an important part of that culture. He wanted them to know that “what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.” He wanted them to know that he was bringing a message that could give them complete certainty.

In his speech, Paul noted that, “having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent.” Paul wanted them to know that God indeed could be known. In addition, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.”

Even today, many people do not realize that they can know the living God, and have a personal relationship with Him. Some think of Him as being detached from His creation. Even Christians can fail to develop an intimate, personal relationship with Him. Many cannot imagine that the God who created the universe actually cares about them, and wants to know them.

Make sure that you are confident in your relationship with God. Don’t just know about Him. Make sure that you really know Him. Spend time with Him. Seek Him. Talk with Him. Listen to His voice. And commit your life to Him.