Extreme Compassion

Extreme Compassion

Acts 17:15-34

In his book, The New Absolutes, William Watkins cited several studies and then concluded, "Roughly three out of four Americans claimed they embraced relativism and opposed absolutism." (p. 26)

Is our culture correct? Is it correct to say there are no absolute truths? In my opinion, the statement itself is a contradiction. Isn't it a statement that purports an absolute truth while denying its existence? To be truly politically correct, shouldn't the proponents of relativism say, "From my perspective and understanding there doesn't seem to be any objective truth, but from your perspective and understanding there could be?" (From Fresh Illustrations

http://www.freshministry.org/illustrations.html )

At first glance, relativism appears to be compassionate. It never tells anyone they are wrong, except, of course, for those who believe in absolute truth. Believe what you want, say what you want, do what you want-it doesn't matter, the relativist say, your right to believe, say and do is as great as anyone else's right, express yourself.

Is it compassionate to know truth and allow others to perish without it? Some things really do make a difference. It matters whether you breathe water or oxygen. It matters! If you breathe water you will drown, it is an absolute truth. Is it compassionate to avoid hurting someone's feelings at the risk of allowing them to drown?

The Apostle Paul confronted a relativistic culture in Acts 17, this morning we'll read the text and discover his response:

"Now those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.[16] Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols. [17] So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. [18] And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"-- because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. [19] And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? [20] "For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; we want to know therefore what these things mean." [21] (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) [22] And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. [23] "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. [24] "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; [25] neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; [26] and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, [27] that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; [28] for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.' [29] "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. [30] "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, [31] because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

[32] Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this." [33] So Paul went out of their midst. [34] But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them." (Acts 17:15-34 NASB)

In verse 16, Paul was upset by what he was seeing-intelligent, educated people seduced by the lie of relativism. A city filled with idols, each person paying homage to multiple gods. They were so afraid they might offend a set of beliefs that they erected an idol to "the unknown god" to be totally inclusive.