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www.rossvillechurch.com
781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 307411
Stone
Creek
June 6, 2012
2
Paul was forced to flee
from Berea to Athens by
the Thessalonican Jews.
A hateful bunch
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Athens was a city wholly given over to idolatry.
He sent for Silas and Timothy, and then began
his ministry in Athens.
Acts 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue
with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in
the market daily with them that met with him.
4
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and
of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some
said, What will this babbler say? other some, He
seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus, and the
resurrection.
This was new to the philosophers in Athens.
They loved a new religion to discuss.
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The Epicureans, who followed Epicurus (341-270
B.C.), said the chief end of man was pleasure
and happiness. This pleasure, they believed, is
attained by avoiding excesses and (avoiding) the
fear of death, by seeking tranquility and freedom
from pain, and by loving mankind. They believed
that if gods exist they do not become involved in
human events.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
Though the Epicureans may no longer be here,
Their beliefs are alive and well.
6
BKC The Stoics, on the other
hand, were followers of Zeno
(ca. 320-ca. 250 B.C.) and got
their name from the painted
portico or stoa, where he
traditionally taught in Athens.
Pantheistic in their view
(belief that God is everything;
that God and the material
world is one and the same), --
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-- they (Stoics) felt a great “Purpose” was directing
history. Man’s responsibility was to fit himself and
align himself with this Purpose through tragedy
and triumph. Quite obviously this outlook, while it
produced certain noble qualities, also resulted in
inordinate pride and self-sufficiency.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
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19 And they took him (not forcibly), and brought
him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what
this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
Areopagus, literally, “Hill of Ares,” was the
meeting place of the Council of the Areopagus, the
supreme body for judicial and legislative matters in
Athens. In the Apostolic Age its power had been
reduced to oversight over religion and education.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
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20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our
ears: we would know therefore what these things
mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which
were there spent their time in nothing else, but
either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
So these people were not
antagonistic to Paul
or his religion.
It was a curiosity.
10
Christianity is not a religion to be curious about,
and to discuss intellectually.
It is a relationship with God Almighty through
faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
It is not enough to give intellectual consent
to the Truth.
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Ephesians 2 8 For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them.
We don't do good works to get saved;
We do good works because we are saved.
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2 Corinthians 5 17 Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
When we are born into the family of God,
He creates us anew.
Where before, we could do no good works,
because of the weakness of our flesh,
-- Even if we did something good, it was for the
wrong reason, something we got out of it --
Now we are able through the Holy Spirit to do
God's Will and walk a new walk.