“And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean” (Acts 17:19-20).
When Paul declared the truth to those in Athens, they were both confused and curious of such teaching. Their worldview was not the same as Paul’s and thus his teaching was “strange” (cf. Acts 17:18, 20). Paul, as well as all those who were proclaiming the gospel, held the worldview of a Christian. Consider some of the basics of the Christian’s worldview.
- Origins. Paul started with creation. “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 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” (Acts 17:24-28). How different is this from the secular, humanistic teaching of today! Paul declares that the Creator brought life into the world and that all nations came from one blood. Therefore, he would affirm that Moses’ record in Genesis 1 through 11 was accurate history. If man is mistaken about physical origins, what will happen when looking at the origins of sin, suffering and salvation?
- Objective, Moral Standard. Paul stated in view of the resurrection of Christ, “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). Judgment in the last day is based upon righteousness. That denotes a standard common to all men. It is God that ordained Christ to judge righteously in that day (cf. 2 Tim. 4:8). Therefore, all are to both know and comply with such righteousness that is of God, not of men.
- Obedience of Faith. Paul further stated, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts 17:30). Hence, the “Lord of heaven and earth” (Acts 17:24) commands all to “repent” (Acts 17:30). What they were ignorant of concerning God is now not a matter of ignorance. God’s command is to be obeyed. When Paul preached “the faith in Christ” (Acts 24:24), Luke records concerning Felix, “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, . . .” (Acts 24:25). Paul did not hesitate to make it clear to Felix who was truly in charge and that one could know the will of God and pattern his life by it. The stand made by Christians declaring that the word of God is the definitive answer to all questions is the correct worldview. Paul wrote to the Romans concerning his work, “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name” (Rom. 1:5). Faith must comply with doing the will of God (cf. Matt. 7:21). This worldview challenges all who will not conform.
Jimmy Clark