In our world today we encounter sin on every corner. It is paraded before us. On display in every facet of media. Truly we live in a culture in which it is nearly impossible to not witness some form of sin in our daily activities. Sadly we are so overrun with such things that it no longer affects us. For the most part, Christians today are no longer moved by the things they see in their daily life. No longer does it drive us to speak out about the truth and try to guide the lost in the right direction. Instead, we simply choose to keep walking. Doing our best to simply keep ourselves from seeing the wickedness that surrounds us.
Yet, this wasn’t the case for men such as the Apostle Paul. When he entered Athens, the cultural Mecca of his day, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw. On every corner, he was surrounded by sin. The Bible records that seeing all this had an impactful effect on him. Possibly he was moved because he felt for all those searching for a God but coming up so sort. As he had previously come up short himself by denying Jesus and persecuting the church. Or possibly as a Jew being taught all his life to detest idols he was disgusted by what he saw. In any account being surrounded by false gods shook the Apostle to the core.
Acts 17:16 (ESV)
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
What is amazing though is Paul wasn’t moved in the same way that we often are when something finally stirs us from complacency. He didn’t move forward in indignation, hate, or anger. As the church can have a tendency to do today when all we didn’t get moved by at first finally starts to overwhelm us. Instead, Paul simply got to work doing the only thing he knew to do. Preaching the life-saving and changing message of Jesus Christ. Knowing that the only way to correct the sin he saw all around him was to point them to the only true God.
So he started where he always did and went to the Synagogue in order to first reach the Jews and gentile believers. I am sure he did so to ensure that they had not been wrongly affected by all the idolatry surrounding them. But he also went to those who didn’t know God. The very same people who served the idols on every corner and begin sharing Jesus with them as well.
Acts 17:17–18 (ESV)
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
This led to him being brought before the high council of the city. Which gave him the perfect opportunity to share the gospel with those who were living in sin by worshiping idols daily. In doing so he talked about all that he saw that moved him when he first entered the city. Paul couldn’t remain silent and allow the city to remain in sin. He wanted them to know that God was real and they were not serving Him through idols. But he did so in a most respectful and gracious way. Working to lead them to God through love and compassion.
Acts 17:19–21 (ESV)
19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
Acts 17:22–25 (ESV)
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For 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. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
Acts 17:29–31 (ESV)
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because 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.”
Because Paul was moved and got to work, many placed their faith in Christ. Beyond that, the seed was planted in the hearts of many others. Just waiting for someone else to be moved after him and continue the work he started. It could have been easy for Paul to simply avoid the sin surrounding him. He could have not allowed the idolatry to move him and just allowed it to become commonplace in his life. But he didn’t and because of that souls were saved.
Acts 17:32–34 (ESV)
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
1 Corinthians 3:6–8 (ESV)
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
The Bible clearly defines what sin is and we see much of it on a daily basis. Like Paul, the sin surrounding us should move us to get to work. All the wicked things we hear and see every day should deeply affect us. Causing us to share the truth that we have and pointing those lost in sin to a better way. It should hurt us to see people bound in chains of sin. We should be grieved to know that others are blindly walking towards destruction. With no concept of what is waiting for them or that there is another way.
1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
2 Peter 2:19 (ESV)
19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Seeing lost people living in sin should do more than break our hearts. It should drive us to spark change in their life. By doing the only thing that we can. Sharing the very same life-saving message that someone once delivered to us. Living out the call that Jesus placed on the life of every believer. What we see should move us to work all the more to see the lost saved.
Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
John 3:16 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Mark 2:17 (ESV)
17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Christians should be moved by the sin they witness in the world. We mustn’t become complacent. Or fall into believing that things will never change for the better. Being wittiness to sin should always trouble us and drive us to act. But we must ensure we are moved in the right direction. Seeing sin should not move us to anger, wrath, or abusive speech. Instead, it should move us to compassion because we know that we too were once in their position. Knowing all we do and remembering where we came from we should always be ready to share our faith with those living in sin in a gentle and respectful way.
1 Corinthians 6:11 (ESV)
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Ephesians 2:2 (ESV)
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Being witness to a wicked world should move us to work for change. But change will never come through condemnation and hate. The only way we will have a positive impact in this world is by following the righteous examples we have in scripture. Jesus came to those personifying sin in love and compassion. As we have seen Paul even though deeply troubled by all he saw was not moved to hostility. Instead, he simply shared the truth in love and kindness. Both are examples of a righteous heart that scripture calls us to imitate.
1 Peter 2:21 (ESV)
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
1 Corinthians 11:1–2 (ESV)
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
1 Corinthians 4:16 (ESV)
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
Have you grown complacent to all the wickedness you see taking place around you? Have you chosen to simply walk through this world ignoring the sins that are taking people to hell? Or are you still moved to act because of everything you see in today’s culture? You know as a believer where you should fall. Don’t ignore sinful behavior and allow those you could have reached to pass you by. Instead, take note of what you see and seek the opportunity to speak against it as Paul did. Faith comes by hearing but no one will ever hear if believers go are not moved enough to share the truth that sets people free.
Romans 10:14–15 (ESV)
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Romans 10:17 (ESV)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
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