29 May 2019 - the whole truth

Areopagus Hill

Today's Readings

(Audio)

God has overlooked the times of ignorance,
but now he demands that all people everywhere repent

In his mercy God overlooked times past where ignorance kept people from following him and walking in his ways. There was always evidence to point toward him, "so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us." But this evidence was never sufficient to fully grasp who God was or how we ought to live. Even in our own lives we may not have had a sufficient understanding of our faith to draw from us the full response God desired.

but now he demands that all people everywhere repent
because he has established a day on which he will 'judge the world
with justice' through a man he has appointed,
and he has provided confirmation for all
by raising him from the dead.

Now that we know Jesus and the power of his resurrection (see Philippians 3:10) we can and must give God our whole hearts. We see the trail of hints he scattered in our past lives. We see the unknown altars at which we worshipped. And we are grateful. He gave us the truth as we could handle it. But now, through the Holy Spirit, he offers us all truth.

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.

We can bear it now! The Spirit declares things that are coming. Now is the time for all people everywhere to repent because the day of judgment is coming. Jesus has been raised and we too will be raised in our human bodies to stand before the throne of God.

When they heard about resurrection of the dead,
some began to scoff, but others said,
"We should like to hear you on this some other time."

We are among those who can hear and accept this truth, precisely because God has been with us all along, gradually making us ready to receive the resurrection power of Jesus through his Spirit, and to be guided by that Spirit into truth in all fullness. How then ought we respond? We respond by not shying away from even aspects of the revelation which challenge us. We do not hesitate to proclaim the truth when we are called to do so.

Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.