He Will Judge The World

Acts 17:22-34

1. The Unknown God.
1. The Athenians knew many gods, but Paul introduces them to a God of a different order.
2. They had manageable deities. Genies in bottles. Here is one more powerful than Zeus, beautiful than Aphrodite and wilder than Bacchus.
3. The unknown God:
1. Made the world and everything in it, Is not contained by anything man made (v. 24).
2. He isn't dependant upon anything men provide him, but man is utterly dependant upon Him (v. 25).
3. He is the creator of the entire human race - all from one blood (v.26)
1. all forms of race hatred or racial vainglory are forms of rebellion against God.
2. Such things are to be vigorously opposed because the Word of God opposes them, God has raised up all nations from one man. We are all of one blood.
3. And not only are the races connected through God's creation of Adam, we are united (this time in harmony) in the redemption purchased by the Son of God.
4. He is the sovereign of world history (vv. 26b-28)
1. He has determined the rise and fall of men and empires.
2. He has set their boundaries.
3. For the purpose of drawing men to himself.
5. Such a God cannot be represented by idols (v. 29).
1. What symbol captures this being?
2. All physical representations at last betray and distort His nature and power.
3. So, Paul tells them to knock it off.



2. Times of Ignorance (v.30).
1. Overlooked does not mean excused as per the O.T. condemnations.
2. The idea is that he gave them over to it.
1. Acts 14:15,16
2. Rom 1
3. As a demonstration of man's inability to elevate himself by his own efforts. This revealed our need for Christ.
3. Now God is reclaiming the world for Himself and calling all men everywhere to repent.



3. Judgement Day (V. 31).
1. An appointed day set by God, in which the world will be judged.
1. There is no reason to take this as being anything other than the promise of universal judgment at the end of time. Scripture most certainly speaks of many "day's of the Lord" and many specific judgments have come including BC&AD.
2. It is sometimes argued that this passage refers to a judgment that has already passed based on two things:
1. The words translated "He will" sometimes suggest an immediate action, but not always. The significance of the words are readiness, willingness, determination.
2. Second, the word "world" is sometimes used to describe something other than the entire world, for example (see below).
1. Kosmos describes the earth (Eph. 1:4).
2. Kosmos describes the earth (John 13:1; Eph. 1:4).
3. Kosmos describes the world-system (John 12:31).
4. Kosmos describes the entire human race (Rom. 3:19)
5. Kosmos describes the entire human race minus believers (John 15:18).
6. Kosmos describes Gentiles as opposed to Jews (Rom. 11:12).
7. Kosmos describes a redeemed humanity (John 1:29; 3:16-17; 6:33; 12:47; 2 Cor. 5:19).
3. The context of the word here is found in verse 24 which refers to the entire world and all its inhabitants.
3. Furthermore, Paul places no time constraints upon this event and he is addressing pagan gentiles far away from Jerusalem. He appeals to them to turn to God, not because a judgment is soon to come upon Jerusalem, but because a day has been appointed that all men everywhere will be judged
2. Judged By The Man, Jesus Christ (v.31) - The fitness of his judgment is made evident in three ways:
1. First, He is already the Father's agent in creation & redemption. So as man's maker and redeemer it is fit that he should also be its judge.
2. Secondly, it is also fitting that He should make known His power in such a way that none can deny it. (many judgments, still many scoffers and atheists).
3. Third, it is fitting that an end should be made of all unrighteousness and injustice by the world's maker and redeemer.
3. Assurance by Resurrection (vv. 31-32).
1. How do we know Jesus is God's man? He raised him up.
2. Declared to be the son of God with power by the res. from dead.
3. Scoffing (v. 32).
1. Greeks believed in the immortality of the soul.
2. They denied the resurrection of the body.



4. Applications:
1. The timing & nature of the coming of Christ in judgment is an important and complex doctrine. However, one matter that needs to be of the gravest concern is not merely when and how we will be brought before the judgment seat of Christ, but in what condition we will find ourselves when the Son of man looks into our hearts.
1. one of the matters of importance will be our doctrinal positions on numerous issues to greater and lesser degrees. This includes, but is not limited to:
1. Our belief in the power and nature of God.
2. Our belief in Jesus as God come in the flesh.
3. The literal death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
4. Our hope in the resurrection of the dead.
5. Our hope of eternal life with the Lord.
2. Most references to Judgment focus on our manner of life.
1. Gal 5:19-21
1. Live like this and be condemned.
2. Note: contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy.
3. Heresies - sectarianism, schism, gathering around a doctrine in such a manner as to divide.
2. Jesus explicitly warns us about our words being brought into Judgment Matt 12:33-37 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

L.K. -0- 01-08-06