Acts 17: 16-18

(Acts 17: 16-18)

『Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.  Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 』

 

Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Itene. However, when Paul saw that the whole city of Athens was filled with idols, his heart was angry. When we live in this world, we have to see the full of idols, so that this kind of heart should arise. At that time, Paul argued with the Jews in the synagogue and with the people he met daily in the marketplace. He argued with philosophers as well. They did not listen to Paul. These are all Gentiles. Even in the city we live in, the idols of wealth are full.

n verses 28-29, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 』The Lord does not want any image because the Lord is a Spirit. When humans make a shape, they feel like God is there. Humans like to make carved idols. The Lord is near, but because the Lord is a Spirit, He is not in what man has made. The Lord wants to dwell in us. The Lord is not in human-built buildings. If people think that the Lord is in a building, it is a lie, it is only a religion. The Lord wants to dwell in the repentant saints.

The Lord gave the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament. This is a model of the sky. It is not that the Lord will dwell in the visible tabernacle and temple. It is to see this and think about the kingdom of God. The worship we offer is a model of worship in the kingdom of God. This means that the Lord does not dwell in the building that is said to be a temple today. In John 4:21, ``Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 』The Lord wants to dwell in the hearts of the saints.

In Acts 17:30, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 』

Repentance is the gospel. The church may be full of people who do not repent and sit as self-proclaimed holy temples. So, the pastor says, "If you go to church, you will be saved." They say that they were saved with one prayer of reception. That is why people think that they will be saved if they go to church while living for themselves. It is to think that you are the center of all life, and you are a saint. And he is praying for help for the material, success, and prosperity of this world. To do this is to act on the delusions created by the devil. It is said that the devil who controls the whole earth in these last days will deceive the chosen ones if he can.

 

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