"From one man He made all nations." All mankind is descended from one man, Adam. Man was made to fill the earth (Gen 1:28). Moreover, God set the times and boundaries in history. God is the Lord of history. Now this does not mean that it doesn't matter what man decides, it does. It does mean that God has a plan, and it is being fulfilled. We have a terrible tendency to think that any hint of predestination means that we do not really have free will, or that everything is predetermined. This is fatalism and is not Biblical. The Bible teaches that we have free will and that it matters what we do, and also that the Lord has a plan and a purpose.
Indeed in the next verse the plan and purpose is set out, it is that men would reach out to God and find Him. Note also that it says "perhaps reach out", see the element of uncertainty. God is actually close to everyone. We do not worship a distant God. The problem is that man has turned away from God.
God has set a day when He will judge the world through Jesus Christ. The resurrection was the proof that Jesus is Lord. Our response to this should be to repent and turn to Him, to acknowledge Him as Lord.
The resurrection was the sticking point. Some thought it nonsense (as they still do today), others believed.
No comments:
Post a Comment