“So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they
might grope for Him and find Him…” (The Apostle Paul in Acts 17:27a)
There is in this world and perhaps I should say in the realm
of creation a witness to the creator God. And this witness is a large one. God is. Moses was told the name of this
One as ‘I am that I am’ (Ex. 3:14). That God is, is so apparent to all men at
every level of society (whether in the jungles of South America, or in the laboratories
of Europe studying DNA) this world screams that He is. The witness is so
complete and clear, yet only men (all humanity) seek to suppress the witness. (Rom.
1:18-32)
And we have all kinds of reasons to discount His very
existence – chiefly our sin. No other creature even fancies otherwise. But of
this witness there is one thing which is lacking. That God is and is the creator of heaven and earth and all that is in it
– is all that it can say.
It is enough. Enough that is to bring to men and women a
knowledge of their creator – and seeing this -
we all know intuitively that we, being part of this creation, are
responsible to our creator for all that we do or do not do in this world.
And this is the rub.
We don’t like this. We want to be our own masters. To
acknowledge that God is – it is too
great a matter for us. Once we see that we owe our allegiance to another – and
especially one so great as to create all heaven and earth as well as every
living creature – we find ourselves doomed. We have already failed.
Worse – this knowledge is only enough to condemn us. There is
no hope delivered in such a message – only an impending doom that we have to
answer to Him for our use and abuse and all our actions as a part of this world
he created.
In theology we call this natural revelation. The created
realm testifies to the existence of a Creator and the very complexity, beauty, and
wonder of the world testifies to His Omniscience, glory, and holiness. The very
immensity of the world, both in its expanse (as we look to the furthest most
galaxy) and its complexity (as we consider the smallest components of matter –
electrons, neutrons, quarks, as well as DNA) speak to His omnipotence and His
omniscience.
So we can know that not only is He, but He is all-powerful,
all-knowledgeable, and all glory – and He will be to us all
calamity – because we are not as we were created, but have left our
first assignment to get a name for ourselves.
Natural revelation is good…
Natural revelation is good…
…but it alone can never save a man.
Our hope must be found only within the very One we have
offended, for there is no other who is greater who might provide to us a way
out.
Paul tells us in Acts 17:27 that men should seek the Lord. Natural
revelation tells us enough – that we know we should. But who is this God Who is? And how can men discover Him?
Exactly as Paul does here in the Areopagus. He preaches to
them Christ and the resurrection of the dead. In Romans we see the reason – How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? And how shall
they hear without a preacher? (Rom. 10:14-15)
There are none who seek after God – not one[1]
but there are many who seek a way out of their dilemma – their responsibility
toward the creator. Paul’s statement in Acts 17:27 speaks not to the idea that men are natural seekers (and that we as
churchmen should be sensitive to draw them). Rather the guilt which drives men
to find relief is only relieved through the preaching of Christ and Him
crucified – now risen and seated at the right hand of the One of Whom we have
offended.
May we seek to proclaim Him faithfully – for the glory of God
alone!
Amen.
