September 7, 2024
“For all the Athenians and strangers who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.” Acts 17:21, KJV, emphasis added.
The apostle Paul confronted the pagans, who were only interested in hearing or telling something new and were not interested in finding the truth. Paul wanted to tell them about the unknown god that they vainly worshipped. He wanted their hearts to be drawn to the one true God, not to superficial things such as filling their heads with information and knowledge. As it is written, “Now concerning things offered unto idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” 1 Corinthians 8:1. Knowledge can make people arrogant and proud. Knowledge often becomes an idol.
From time to time, I have wondered if most evangelicals are like these religious but unregenerate people that Paul describes for us. It is my observation that many Christians today go to church ‘to tell or hear some new things or learn some interesting new facts’ of little importance. Could it be that many of them think that knowing God is only learning more details and facts about all His attributes and His teachings? The word ‘know’ is often used to describe something more than casual or superficial. Adam knew his wife, Eve, and she conceived. “Knowing God” is a deep and intimate understanding and devotion to God. God is not interested in filling our minds with mere knowledge of dates, facts, and such matters. He is deeply interested in us knowing Him intimately and most definitely not superficially.
Instead of going to church to learn new Greek or Hebrew words, or creative new interpretations of the word of God, mightn’t God prefer us to get to ‘know’ Him so that we can be more fruitful and please Him more? ‘To hear or tell something new’ is attractive for those who want to keep learning. I agree. But when ‘hearing or telling something new’ usurps the priority of getting to know God more intimately, then it is a problem. When ‘hearing or telling something new’ becomes your religion and your delight and not obedience to God, then you are being misled just as the Athenians were being misled. When we know God, we will obey Him and keep His commandments. Also, we will love other people just as God loves them.
“To hear or tell something new” reveals the natural curiosity of the human mind. Likewise, we were created to love virtue and hate vice. And we do until some selfish desire overrides what we know to be the right thing to do. Within each human heart is the natural desire to see the truth, which is to know God, for He is truth. How might we use this to advance the kingdom of Christ?
In most evangelical churches, teaching the truth about the necessity of repentance from sin and a holy walk to inherit the Kingdom of God would amount to “hearing or telling something new.” Most of these churches do not teach these truths or even believe Christians can stop sinning to the extent that sin becomes the exception in their lives and not the rule. Instead, they teach that Christians are saved ‘in’ their sins and not ‘from’ their sins. It may have never entered their mind that Christ brought victory over the flesh, world, and Satan. They are so used to hearing about their ongoing defeat, it seldom enters their mind that victory over sin is not only possible but required.
Telling Christians these things will be new to most of them! How sad is that?
