Learn From All Men, But Do So Through The Lens Of Scripture

Then Paul stood in the midst

Of the Areopagus and said,

“Men of Athens, I perceive

that in all things you are

very religious; for as I was

passing through and considering

the objects of your worship,

I even found an altar with

This is inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.  

Therefore, the One whom you

Worship without knowing,

Him I proclaim to you:”

Acts 17:22–23

            The Greeks believed as a polytheistic people who realized that they may miss out on all the gods, therefore they worship a god that might possibly exist, a god they could not know. Athens was the center of many disputes and wars were fought among the Athenians, the Spartans, the Persians, and in the midst of all this turmoil the philosophers sought to bring understanding and hope. Not all they said was wrong. I don’t want to be put into a barrel and the lid shut down on me because I say things that are opposed to such philosophers. It is their belief, their philosophies that are opposed to Scripture. Much of the philosophers proposals are speculations and have no foundation in fact. The Bible relates to us what God has revealed to us by means of the circumstances that occurred to His chosen people, the Israelites. Those are facts that can be proven, not some story, as is the Illiad by the Greek poet and author, Homer. It is not some God who cannot be known for He reveals to us Himself in His word. Homer anthropomorphized his gods, and taught a plurality of gods which were held to a certain level as a god, but not all he said was bad, for instance: “In youth and beauty, wisdom is but rare!” Homer ( Italics mine). Wisdom is rare, critical thinking that gives wisdom when used properly is rare. Later in time René Descartes (1596 – 1650 A.D.), stated: If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things. ( Italics mine). Descartes would even say: In order to improve the mind, we ought less to learn, than to contemplate.(Italics mine). St. Augustine, (354-430 A.D.), “A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently.” “Patience is the companion of wisdom.”( Italics mine). This is one goal of these blogs, to aid and convince you to take the time to think upon what is being written and take the patience needed to come to a conclusion, in this case, is what was said by ancient philosophers affecting and influencing people today, and the Church in this present age? How have I been influenced and how, if so, has that influence affected my decisions? I am not afraid to quote from all men, only I pass what is said through the lens of Scripture. Even the Greek poets understood that man is the product of God and we exist due to His pleasure: “…For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring’”(Acts 17:28).

            The wars between Greece and Persia are well documented and both nations influenced each other only the Greeks became the ruler of the Asian, Northern Egypt, Macedonia, Italy, and into parts of Western Europe and forced the Grecian culture upon those whom they conquered. In the middle of all these wars and conquering forces lay Israel and they too were to be influenced by the Greeks. Yet, there were those who held firm for the purity of their worship to Jehovah God; i.e., Pharisees. Alexander the Great was the great conqueror and conquered Persia and Northern Egypt and this is of concern for us inasmuch as the Grecian culture was to become the culture for those lands and that culture would affect many, even some of those men who claimed to be Christian. Jesus Christ was to enter the world with all this fury of fighting between the generals that succeeded Alexander the Great after He died, and in the midst of all this turmoil came a new and more powerful nation; the Romans, Julius Caesar who conquered the Greeks and all their lands and expanded their influence even further into Europe. In the middle of all these conquering wars the philosophers would be having a great influence upon those captured and one such group of philosophers that affected the new conquered worlds was the neo-Platonists. These philosophers will be the subjects of my next blogs for many have asserted that they had a great influence on Christianity. Is this true? We must ask questions and critically think upon the evidence. Furthermore, did the philosophies that came by way of the Greek and Roman philosophers have any influence on our government? Now, and in the past? As I stated before, ‘this is deep water’ but we must take our time and contemplate on the evidence and look for more answers whenever we discover one fact it will lead us to look for more. Descartes stated: Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems.(Italics mine). We can though, make certain of the truths that are found and make any needed changes in order to align our worship to be true worship that God will accept and bless.

Therefore, brethren, be even

            More diligent to make

Your call and election sure,

            For if you do these

Things you will never stumble.

                        2Peter 1:10

Pray, with your Bible open

Richard L. Crumb