Summary: Some folks it seems think that as long as their sincere in what they believe, that one religion is as good as another, but as we’ll read today that is not the case.

ACTS 17: 10-34 WHAT WE BELIEVE, DOES IT MATTER?

Some folks it seems think that as long as their sincere in what they believe, that one religion is as good as another, but as we’ll read today that is not the case. Here in Acts 17: we find that Paul had been preaching ‘Jesus” in Thessalonica and it up set the religious Jews in so much that some of the brethren had to escort Paul out of the city after dark for Paul’s safety, and so he went to Athens, and there as Paul was observing the many Idols that was supposedly to represent many different gods, Paul notices an inscription that read “to the unknown God”, just in case they might have missed one, and Paul saw this as an opportunity to tell these people about Jesus.

Listen as I read today’s text found in Acts 17: 10-34 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

13But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 14And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

== 16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18Then 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”.

And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20For 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.)

22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, [the court of the Areopagites] and said, “Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, {For we are also his offspring}. 29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, “We will hear thee again of this matter”. 33So Paul departed from among them. 34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 -- we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 5For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

.1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.**

People that have never heard the true WORD of GOD cannot be saved, let us keep in mind that there was a time when every body had heard the WORD as it was handed down from Adam to Eve and to their children, but as sin abounded and increased on the scene men drifted away from the truth of Gods Word, and therefore today there’s all kind of man made notions and religions as we see here in our text. (acts 17:)

Rom.10:17-18 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

So people the world over have different ideas on how to get to heaven, but you and I know that there is only one way, there’s only one True God, and if people want to go to heaven they must come the way God has declared.

It’s not Mohammed or Buddha or any other man made god. I’m sure that there are a lot of sincere people through out the world that believe what they’ve been taught to be the true faith, and many of them are good people, morally speaking, but these precious souls are sincerely wrong.

Many of these people might do for you and I what a true believer wouldn’t do, some would help us any way that they could, but that will not get them to heaven.

There’s only One True God.

Romans 3: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Ephesians 4:5-6 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all-

1 Timothy 2:3-6 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Ephesians 4:6-7 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

So does it matter what people believe? Our eternal destiny depends on what we believe.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12-13 --for I know whom I have believed,** and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 13Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Let me give you this little illustration and story; -- there were six blind men who were brought to an elephant, and they were to feel the elephant and give their opinion as to what the elephant must look like.

So the 1st man touch the elephant’s side and said, "It’s much like a wall," And then the second man stroked the elephant’s tusk, and said,” It’s very much like a spear”. And the third man touching the elephant’s squirming trunk said) "It’s very much like a snake."

"Nonsense!" the fourth man shouted. Stretching his arms about one of the elephants legs, and he said, “its much like a tree to me”.

And then the fifth man, touching the elephant’s ear, said, "even the blindest man can see that this animal is very much like a fan."

And the sixth, grabbing the elephants tail, assured his friends that "the elephant is much like a rope."

So this little story is much like people from different religions today saying, “that they have been in touch with God”.

But the gods they describe are as different as these blind men’s thoughts about the elephant, and because of what other people thoughts are about God has led many to conclude - just like the blind men of the little story – that everybody’s right, they just have hold of different parts of the same God. And since everybody is "right" then his or her different faiths must all lead to the same place - Heaven.

Much like in our text in ACTS 17: The city of Athens was a very religious city. Within the city there were over 30,000 idols. One man said, it was easier to find an idol in Athens than to find a man.

And yet (while highly religious) these people were confused about which god to worship… and so they worshipped them all. AND in fact, just in case they missed a god – they erected an altar to an “Unknown God.”

Lets remember that Athens was a center of learning in its day. It was here that the idea of Democracy took root. Many of the world’s great early philosophers and thinkers lived here: “Plato and Socrates” among others.

Here in Athens they had one of the greatest universities of the ancient world. It was a center of philosophy, literature, science and art.

Athens was a city dedicated to truth… dedicated to wisdom. And yet in the midst of all this pursuit of “truth” and “wisdom” - there was confusion. Because (when it came to God) they didn’t know WHAT TRUTH to proclaim.

It was much the same as what Pilot said to Jesus in John 18:37-38 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

Pilot had heard of so many religions that he was truly confused as to what the TRUTH was and which religion was true. The people there in Athens had been exposed to so many religions that they didn’t know which god to except and so they believed all were somehow equal.

There are people that have been like that ever since. They seem to be unable (or unwilling) to discover the truth about God and so they just allow religion to be a matter of personal taste rather than objective reality. Kind of like our tastes in clothes or the color of our houses. There’s no right and no wrong to it. It’s just a matter of your personal tastes. If you like Hinduism as opposed to Buddhism it’s just ones choice and really not so important, or so they conclude. And if there is a God… well He’ll understand. Everybody was just trying to reach Him in different ways. It shouldn’t make any difference – as long you’re sincere.

But allow me to say, that if we as Christians just sit idly by without exposing untruth, then what are we doing wasting time coming to the radio mike week after week and pretending that one religion is as good as another. There is only one True God and faith; all others are religions that lead to hell and that is the truth. Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The religious people of the world are stumbling around in a religion that’ll end in hell.

Jesus said in John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Peter declared: Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. There was a song at one time with the words: It won’t be old Buddah that’s sitting on the throne

And it won’t be old Mohammed that’s calling us home

And it won’t be Hari Krisna that plays that trumpet tune

Cause we’re goin’ to the Son – not Rev. Moon

Paul’s message the Athenians was; God’s calling for us to repent, because there WILL BE a day of judgment. There are folks that say’s that no one has the right to tell someone else that what they believe is wrong… it’s just not the polite thing to do.

But what Paul is declaring is – it’s not the right thing to do in NOT telling people they are wrong. Judgment is coming.

If people don’t recognize that what they believe is wrong, the consequences is deadly.

We can’t be open-minded & tolerant when it comes to God.

Its much like a factory setting that says the piston rings in a certain automobile have to fit the cylinder walls within one thousandth’s of an inch – and so that’s the way it has to be. Even between two mechanics there cannot be any variation if the "motor is to run smoothly."

And God has made His mind known to us about how to get to heaven and there’s no short cuts or various ways, there’s only one WAY, and that’s through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.