M
Marybeloved
Guest
Gerhard, I have read the entire text, I do know the context, you’re just trying to change what st. Paul says, which is clearly; The One whom you worship without knowing, him I proclaim to you. You’re making a long discussion about the fact that the pagans did not know the truth about God-I wonder which Christian is even remotely confused about that fact. That God is too big for temples or pagan alters, that he made everything and the pagans did not know a whole lot about him or Christ- I don’t know anyone here who has made the remotest attempt to say that these pagans knew the truths about GodMary, it is pretty simple, really. You reference the following text by St. Paul to say that even pagans worship the true God, and, on that basis, Muslims worship Him too:* “I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you”* (Acts 17:23).
I acknowledge that verse. I do not call St. Paul a liar because he wrote it, as you have suggested. And I don’t disbelieve that text as you have suggested. However, what I do believe is that the full text should be read, and this, regrettably, you have failed to see:* “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands*, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” (vv. 24-25). St. Paul is saying:* ‘If you want to truly worship the God that made heaven and earth, well, He does not live in temples nor is he worshiped in the way you guys go about it. No, He is not worshiped that way.’*
The text goes on:* “Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.** Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained***. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (vv. 29-31)
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St. Paul is repeating himself for the sake of emphasis. He is saying,* ‘if you want to truly worship the Divine Nature (God) then you must first repent and believe in the One whom He has raised from the dead (Jesus)’. Therefore, God “overlooked ignorance” about Christ * before He came"but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world”.
The Islam religion followed Christ’s coming, death and resurrection. As such, the Mesaiah has been revealed to the world. Muslims know about Jesus and they know He is preached as the Son of the living God. Yet, they do not believe that people find righteousness by faith -*** “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness***, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10) (and we know that* “faith without works is dead”*). Instead, they believe that righteousness is obtained by having good morals.
Since they do not worship the Son, they do not worship the Father either because** the Son and the Father are one** (John 10:30).
Mary, if you choose not to read the rest of the passage in Act 17 and wish to get stuck on the part that says* “whom you worship”* to prove somehow that Muslims worship God without recognizing Jesus as the Christ, then you are entitled to do so. As you have said, you have made up your mind about what certain Scriptures mean and you won’t change it. No point in debating the issue then.
All the best.
Gerhard
It seems to me, you’re the one who’s made up your mind, regardless of what the apostle or scripture says: *Non- Christians must worship a different god, so regardless of what Paul’s lips actually said, and Luke actually recorded as scripture! Regardless, they cannot contradict my own assumptions- I’ll just ignore Paul’s actual words and assume he means what agrees with my theory. *:shrug:None of the verses you’ve quoted show anything more than ignorance of unbelievers of the truth- You want to make them say that they all worship a different god- They just don’t say that:shrug:
All the best!