[Biblemat] How is Unity Possible? - Number 5

[GLClair at aol.com]

HOW IS UNITY POSSIBLE? – Number 5 
Hebrews  4:2, “For indeed we have had good tidings preached  unto us, even as 
also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because  it was not 
united by faith with them that heard.”  ASV 
The above passage  of Scripture suggest that hearing the truth is essential 
to salvation and unity  but that there is more to the subject than hearing the 
instruction from God. The  truth is to be assimilated into our heart [i.e. 
seat of our intellect – our  conscious mind] so that we will know how, what, 
when, and where of the will of  God. If we will proceed with the first knowledge 
to seek God and his way we will  surely be saved from our sins after we have 
complied with commands from God  regarding our salvation from sin [cf. John 
8:32; 17:17; Acts 2:38, etc].  You see, the concept of salvation from sin is the 
basis for future growth and  learning of God’s greatness and desire for our 
good [cf. Paul’s instruction to  the philosophers in Athens --- Acts  17:16-34, “
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was  provoked within 
him as he beheld the city full of  idols. 
17 So he reasoned in the  synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in 
the marketplace every day  with them that met him. 
18 And certain also of the  Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. 
And some said, What would this  babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a 
setter forth of strange gods: because he  preached Jesus and the resurrection. 
19 And they took hold of  him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, 
May we know what this new  teaching is, which is spoken by thee? 
20 For thou bringest  certain strange things to our ears: we would know 
therefore what these things  mean. 
21(Now all the Athenians  and the strangers sojourning there spent their time 
in nothing else, but either  to tell or to hear some new thing.) 
22 And Paul  stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, 
in all things, I  perceive that ye are very religious. 
23 For as I  passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found 
also an altar  with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye 
worship in  ignorance, this I set forth unto you. 
24 The God that made the  world and all things therein, he, being Lord of 
heaven and earth, dwelleth not  in temples made with hands; 
25 neither is he served by  men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing 
he himself giveth to all life,  and breath, and all things; 
26 and he made of one  every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the 
earth, having determined  (their) appointed seasons, and the bounds of their  
habitation; 
27 that they should seek  God, if haply they might feel after him and find 
him, though he is not far from  each one of us: 
28 for in him  we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your 
own poets have  said, For we are also his offspring. 
29 Being then  the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead 
is like unto gold,  or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of  man. 
30 The times  of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth 
men that they  should all everywhere repent: 
31 inasmuch as  he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in 
righteousness by the  man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given 
assurance unto all men, in that  he hath raised him from the dead. 
32 Now when they heard of  the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but 
others said, We will hear thee  concerning this yet again. 
33 Thus Paul went out from  among them. 
34 But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also  was 
Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with  them.” ASV 

_glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com)  
considermagazine.com



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