Confronting Idolatry and Sharing Truth

By Dean Collins

One of my favorite passages in Acts is chapter 17, verse 16 through 34. Every time I read this passage, something new pops out at me. I suspect that like many of the ancient Greeks of Athens, we are always curious to explore new ideas. Learning broadens our minds and perspectives. But like everything else, even the pursuit of ideas can become an idol. I was reminded by Solomon just this morning that even the pursuit of wisdom can be folly (Ecclesiastes 2:13-17).

The apostle Paul knew the Old Testament and the law. He knew what the scriptures taught about the worship of idols. When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was transformed by the power of the gospel. Paul summed up what happens when we come to faith in Jesus:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I suspect that had Paul walked into Athens before his conversion, he would have noted the many idols the Athenians worshiped. But when Paul came to Athens, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and had even greater insight into the hollowness that comes from the worship of anything other than God himself. Luke tells us that when Paul came to Athens, his spirit was provoked as he saw the city full of idols. Paul realized that the city was filled with people seeking salvation in all the wrong places. I suspect if Paul walked into the town or city where you and I live, he would have seen the same or worse.

Paul chose to engage in dialogue, first with the Jews in the synagogue, and later with the gentiles who were seeking God without realizing it. There may be a lesson for us here as well. As followers of Christ, we can pray that God gives us the wisdom we need to identify the various ways we might drift toward idolatry. Our struggle with idol worship will likely come from our drift to reliance on things like politics, money, and comfort. To avoid the unhealthy pursuit of things and systems of the world, we must determine to daily be led by the Spirit and not the flesh. For example, how often do choose to give allegiance to those who talk and act completely opposite of how the Holy Spirit teaches us to live? 

When we choose to follow the behavior or advice of those who clearly walk in the flesh over the wisdom we gain from scripture and God’s Spirit, we have drifted into a form of idol worship. Yet in our enthusiasm over celebrities in sports and entertainment, along with our enamored relationship with politicians, life coaches, financial advisors, meditation experts and more, we well may be closer to idolatry than we would like to believe. Paul saw this when he engaged both with the Jews who worshiped the law and the philosophers who worshipped knowledge and ideology.

Once we are sure we are rid of our idols, then we can focus on how to have meaningful conversations with people who are outside of Christ. Paul chose to reveal that the God they thought was unknown was actually known. From there, Paul went on to share the good news of Jesus. 

Those who heard Paul fell into different groups. Some mocked him for his belief in the resurrection, and they rejected the gospel. Some accepted Paul’s message and became followers of Christ. And some wanted to hear more on another day. What is clear in this passage and elsewhere in scripture is that we are not responsible for the outcomes of how others respond to the gospel. What we are responsible for is how we live the life of Christ visibly and share the gospel with others in our conversations. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings conviction of sin that leads to transformed lives. And those who hear the gospel are responsible for their decision of whether they will accept or reject all that God offers.

Father, we ask forgiveness for the many times and ways we have looked to anyone or anything else as the source of our salvation. We love you and surrender our lives to you as Savior and Lord. Renew our minds, that we might think clearly and love others deeply with your love. You are our strength and our salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 Your Time with God’s Word
Acts 17:16-34; Galatians 5:16-22, 24-26; Romans 1:20-25 ESV

Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash
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