The Missing Dimension

Athens was once the jewel of the ancient world. Its majestic temples, its Acropolis and Parthenon, its arenas and stadia, where the Olympic Games were born, was the envy of every civilisation on earth. Almost two millenniums ago the Apostle Paul paid a visit to this amazing city. But Paul came not as a tourist but as a missionary evangelist. Being a learned man, he no doubt, had studied its long history. Certainly, he was well acquainted with the writings of their poets. Of course, Paul was seeing Athens in its glory and power. His eyes would behold its splendor and beauty. His ears would hear the sound of many foreign voices in this cosmopolitan city. But in the midst of all this, one thing fascinated him. He was amazed at how religious and superstitious these Athenians were. On every street corner, on every public square, they had on display every god imaginable, cast in bronze or carved in stone. Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hermes, Zeus, Eros and Pan. Paul seeing this Pantheon of Gods, declared them to very religious.

Paul the evangelist, the missionary, the preacher, wanted desperately to reach these people with the Gospel.  He wanted to make a connection with them, find a way to communicate Christ to them. It didn’t take him long to find it. The Athenians, desiring not to offend some God, yet unknown to them, had erected an empty plinth with the inscription, ‘To the Unknown God’ Paul seizing his opportunity said, in Acts 17:23 “Therefore the one whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim unto you.” 

So, what do you say to the religious or superstitious person, who doesn’t as yet know the true and living God? What do you say to those who believe in a ‘greater power’ but don’t yet know the God of the Bible? Or to the philosopher or thinker or seeker of truth, who hasn’t yet encountered the God of Heaven? Like those whom Paul says, “are groping for God” (Vs.27)

The world of showbiz is very often so false, so egocentric, and so fragile. Stars can be a miserable lot. Madonna, living as the Material Girl, has found it doesn’t really satisfy. So, she has turned to Kabballah, an old Jewish religion, to find some kind of spiritual dimension in her material world. How many so-called stars have you seen searching for a so called ‘spiritual dimension’? Be it Kabbalah, Scientology, Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, Yoga, or they will seek out some Maharishi to get ‘centered.’ Paul told the Athenians that they were groping for God. There is a God shaped vacuum in every man’s life that has to be filled. If not with God, then something else will take His place. ‘The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics’ runs into 13 large volumes. 

What is the reason for all this searching for a spiritual dimension? Solomon gives the answer. Eccl. 3:11 “God has put eternity in our hearts…” Rom.11:36 “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to whom be glory forever amen.”

God is the source of man’s life.

God is the sustainer of man’s life.

God is the search of man’s life.

11Cor.4:3-4 “But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this world has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” 

- Pastor David Goudy