Service On The Altar To The Unknown God: Whom You Worship But Know Not.

Service On The Altar To The Unknown God: Whom You Worship But Know Not.

Through the lens of scripture we can see how present day christendom has become infiltrated by heathenism & heathenistic practices in service & devotions to different altars, temples & places of worship.

In the book of Acts for instance, we see how a thought & teaching prevalent in present day christendom, is heathenistic; the teaching and presentation of God as one who needs something from our hands to be worshipped or to be offered something that he may in exchange, bless us, is not only furnished by ignorance of who God is but is also an ungodly/heathenistic belief & practice.

What transpired in Acts 17 perfectly exposes this error which has become rife in present day christendom.

There we see Paul in Athens, a heathen city given to devotions to several temples, shrines and altars. Their devotions were their delusions.

Scripture said as he passed by and beheld their devotions, shrines & altars, he also saw one remarkable altar which highlights their ignorance..."an altar with the inscription to the unknown God". 

"Whom you worship but know not" says the apostle(vs.23).

Sadly, what he said to these heathen people here, he also said to the church/assembly in Corinth..."Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."(1st Corinthians 15:34). 

Indeed a shame and a great tragedy if professing believers & worshippers of God are found as ignorant and bereft of the knowledge of God as the heathen or gentiles who do not know God(1st Thessalonians 4:5).

Sadly the situation in the heathen city of Athens of old, is what we find in christendom today.

Present day christendom is fraught with devotions to different altars, temples, men and places of worship, and in the midst of all that, it has the remarkable altar with the inscription to the unknown God, which highlights the gross ignorance and lack of knowledge of God on the part of many worshippers and professing believers.

The words: "Whom you worship but know not" says a lot about present day christendom where there are multitudes in our churches, places of worship & on our prayer altars who worship, serve and pray to a God they know not.

These multitudes can go on for years rendering service, worship, prayers & offerings to a God they know not because many of the ministers care little or nothing about the people coming to the knowledge of God & growing in the apprehension & faith of Christ.

The worship of the unknown God is vain/empty worship so the apostle in Athens began to preach to reveal/make known to the people, the truth of who God is, and this is a message people in present day christendom must give heed to, if there is to be any recovery from declension & delusion. 👇🏽

"The God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; Neither is he worshipped with men's hands, as though he needs any thing, seeing he gives to all, life and breath, and all things." Acts 17:24-25.

Things To Note: (1.) God does not dwell in temples made with hands, neither is he worshipped with men's hands or anything the hands of men can give/offer to him as though he needs something. 

(2.) He freely gives to all, life, breath and all things so he doesn't need to be given anything to bless in exchange or in the spirit of transaction.

In Romans 11:34-36 the apostle also says something similar 👇🏽

"For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

To those who want to keep practising transaction with God, we ask in the words of scripture, who has first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again?

Even in the old testament, king David, a man after God's heart, understood this truth. 

He knew that all things come from God such that we are even unworthy to be counted as giving or offering anything to him, for whatever we give is His in the first place. 👇🏽

"who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee."  1st Chronicles 29:12-14.

Comments

Anonymous said…
What is your understanding of that scripture in Acts 17?
8 December 2024 at 08:59
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