Saving Knowledge – The Presidential Prayer Team

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. – Acts 17:30

The Greeks of Athens loved to discuss different philosophies and did so daily. They invited Paul to speak with them to explain the “strange things” he was presenting in the town square, so he stood before them on Mars Hill. It was said that Athens had more gods than men, so Paul’s initial approach was to address their altar “To the unknown god” (Acts 17:23).

First, he said they needed to recognize that God exists, then recognize who He is, and finally recognize what He said. The apostle explained that the true God was Creator of all things. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The Greeks accepted that, but what Paul said next was offensive to some of them. God commands all people to repent, for He has fixed a day in the future when the Man appointed to do so would come in righteousness to judge. God had raised Him from the dead to give assurance of His coming (vv. 30-31).

Saving knowledge comes in God’s special revelation. While Paul did not call Jesus by name in his message, there is no salvation apart from Christ (Acts 4:12), and some who heard him came to believe. Once Jesus came to Earth and the gospel has been preached, all people must repent, and turn to Him.

Missionaries are sent around the world to preach the Gospel. Yet the mission field is wide open here in the United States. Stand tall, believer, and share the message of salvation through Christ Jesus with others. Then pray that your hearers will respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and accept this saving knowledge.

Today’s Verse: Acts 17:30

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Acts 17:22-27, 30-34

²²So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. ²³For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, ²⁵nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. ²⁶And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, ²⁷that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

³⁰The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

³²Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” ³³So Paul went out from their midst. ³⁴But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.