(Act)‬ ‭17‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭CJB‬‬ “In the past, God overlooked such ignorance; but now he is commanding all people everywhere to turn to him from their sins. For he has set a Day when he will judge the inhabited world, and do it justly, by means of a man whom he has designated. And he has given public proof of it by resurrecting this man from the dead.”

How should we be sharing the gospel with unbelievers who know little about the Bible and don’t accept its authority?

That’s increasingly the world in which Christian men live—and it’s remarkably similar to the situation Paul faced in Athens.

Paul was speaking to Greeks surrounded by idols and competing philosophies. They didn’t begin with a biblical understanding of God, sin, or salvation.

So where did Paul begin?

Creation.

Sharing the Gospel With Unbelievers Begins With Their Creator

Paul declared that there is ‘one is one true God who made the world and everything in it’ (Acts 17:24).

That’s foundational.

God created us. He gives us life and breath. We therefore belong to Him and are accountable to Him.

Paul even tells these pagans that God isn’t far from them. Creation itself testifies that there is a Creator, something Paul explains more fully in Romans 1.

Then Paul moves from creation to repentance.

God “is commanding all people everywhere to turn to him from their sins.”

Notice the universality.

All people. Everywhere.

Repentance isn’t merely cleaning up our behavior. It is turning from sin and our rebellion against God to God Himself, resulting in a life submitted to Him.

Why must everyone repent?

Because the Creator is also Judge.

Creation → Repentance → Judgment → Jesus → Resurrection

Paul tells them that God “has set a Day when he will judge the inhabited world.”

That’s an essential part of Paul’s gospel presentation.

There is a Creator.

We are accountable to Him.

We have sinned against Him.

He commands us to repent. Then obey Him.

And a day of judgment is coming.

But then Paul brings everything to Jesus.

God will judge the world justly through the Man He has appointed.

How could these pagans know Paul’s claim about Jesus was true?

The resurrection.

God “has given public proof of it by resurrecting this man from the dead.”

That’s Paul’s evidence.

Jesus isn’t merely another religious teacher asking to be considered alongside the philosophers of Athens.

He rose from the dead.

The resurrection publicly vindicates Jesus and guarantees that God’s appointed Day of judgment is coming.

The Gospel Still Speaks to a Pagan World

Our culture may not bow before statues of Zeus or Athena, but many people around us know little about the God of Scripture.

Acts 17 gives us a remarkably simple framework for talking with them:

Creation. Repentance. Judgment. Jesus. Resurrection.

We don’t necessarily need to begin by winning an argument over every social issue.

Start deeper.

“Do you believe everything we see came from somewhere?”

Then talk about the Creator.

If God made us, He has authority over us.

If He has authority, we are accountable for our rebellion against Him.

If we’re accountable, we need repentance and reconciliation.

And that brings us to Jesus—the crucified and risen One through whom God offers salvation and through whom He will ultimately judge the world.

That’s the gospel Paul preached to pagans.

And it’s still the gospel a pagan world desperately needs.

Run Today’s Play

Think of one person you know who doesn’t understand Christianity.

Don’t assume he understands biblical language.

Start where Paul started.

Creator. Repentance. Judgment. Jesus. Resurrection.

And don’t stop with proving that God exists.

Get to Jesus.

The Creator who commands all people to repent has provided the Savior we need—and raised Him from the dead.

That’s news worth sharing.