Relating the Gospel to Common Folk

[Guest]

She didn't need a theology lesson... she knew God.

Amen, JC!

[Guest]

Michelle,

My week has improved greatly--in 3 minutes it will be over!!! Thanks.

I do find it interesting to study everything I can about Jesus, including the society into which he was born. I'm just a little bothered by statements such as: "This being so, I don't see how anyone who seriously considers Christianity can avoid this historical aspect. This means anyone (all) who think about Jesus pretty well much have to also study the differences in language and culture between us and them, then and now." It seems to me that you are dismissing the personal relationship with God which is the basis for being a Christ-follower. I truly believe that someone who has little, or no, knowledge of first century Judaism, the Roman occupation, the relationship of servant to master, an honor/shame based society, or any of the myriad of other topics one could study, can still have a relationship, a dynamic relationship with God. I did, and still do. Do you agree it's possible?

Sorry, I was off-topic. This thread isn't about who is considering Christianity (becoming a Christian at any level of interest) or anyone (believer or not) doing "Jesus studies."

Before I answer your question:

6While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33At that, Paul left the Council. 34A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

I think someone could become a Christian (which is by definition, a dynamic event) without knowing very much about Jesus.

In verse 18b we see that, before his speech, Paul had already "preached the good news about Jesus and the resurrection." Those who had heard Paul speak before the speech undoubtedly knew who Paul was talking about; though in the speech itself, Jesus is not named (verse 31) and there were probably people in the audience who had never heard Paul before. In any event, for those who "became followers of Paul and believed" (verse34a); they, obviously, would have learned who Jesus was (verse31).

What is taught in the speech:
1. There is a Creator God who should be sought
2. Who commands all men to repent (knowledge of "sin" seems to be a given)
3. Who will judge the world by the man He appointed
4. The "proof" of the identity of man He appointed for this purpose is that:
5. He raised him from the dead

The resurrection of Jesus is taught but the general resurrection isn't specified; only a (the) day of judgment is mentioned. We could safely assume that Paul went on to teach the general resurrection to those those who believed.

Anyway, Michelle....
Paul didn't say when when the "man" lived, what his nationality, race or background was, or when God raised him from the dead. There is no mention of the Scriptures, the history of Chosen People (Israel), the Law, the Prophets, the promise of a Messiah or "Christ," the doctrine of the trinity, the preexistence and deity of Christ, virginal conception, anything about "a second coming" (when this man (Jesus) will judge the world) and/or teaching about the general resurrection, nothing about Jesus dying for our sins(!) or much anything else, details wise.

It seems that anyone can have that dynamic experience of becoming a Christian by:
Knowing: there is a Creator God who can be found (faith He exists)
Repenting: in obedience to His command (faith He should be obeyed)
Believing: that Jesus is alive and divinely appointed to judge the world

That's not a lot of information to know....
Thanks,
Rick