To The Unknown God

Acts 17 v 23

There is a lot of discussion in the U.K at the moment as to whether certain statues should be taken down. So, statues of people in the past who had some connection with the slave trade or certain other things, people now want removed. The problem however is that the views of a society on various issues changes over the years. It's easy to condemn people from past who were involved in things possibly contrary to the will of God, which society then accepted. The people from the past who we are now condemning, would condemn people today for such things as abortion or homosexuality. They are contrary to the will of God but society today doesn't see them as wrong.

When you use the criteria for a statue to be acceptable that person must be perfect then all statues need to be brought down. All mankind is sinful, only the Lord Jesus Christ is without sin and is perfect. We aren't to erect idolatrous statues of Christ which can never properly represent Him.

Years ago in Athens there was an altar, which probably means a monument in stone to the " Unknown God." So, the apostle Paul preached to them about the God they didn't know. He tells them that He is the creator of all things and sovereign ruler over all He has created. He proclaims God is self-sufficient and cannot be worshipped by or through idols. Paul also tells them God is the source of life who will judge all mankind. Paul also makes clear that God who is not known by them is not unknowable, and everyone needs to seek after God, know the one true living God.

The only way that can happen is by repenting (Acts 17 v 30), which God says is a universal, immediate duty which goes hand in hand with faith in Christ Jesus. You may have false gods of various people, money, material things, success and pleasure but the one true living God will remain unknown to you unless you repent and believe on Christ.