DAILY TEXT, Today's Sunday August 7, 2022, Some men joined him and became believers (Acts 17:34).

DAILY TEXT, Today's Sunday, August 7, 2022

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022

Sunday, August 7, 2022

Some men joined him and became believers (Acts 17:34).

It is true that the Athenians worshiped false gods, led immoral lives, and believed in pagan philosophies. But the apostle Paul did not consider them a hopeless case nor did he let their insults discourage him. He himself became a Christian even though he had been “a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent” (1 Tim. 1:13). Just as Jesus saw Paul as a future disciple, so Paul saw the people of Athens. And he was not wrong (Acts 9: 13-15). In the first century, people from all walks of life became disciples of Jesus. When Paul wrote to the Christians living in the Greek city of Corinth, he said that some of them had been criminals and had led very immoral lives. And then he added: “But they have been washed” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Would we have thought that those people could change and become disciples? w20.04 12 paras. 15, 16

a) What can help us to know what the people of the territory believe? b) What could we answer if someone tells us that they have their own religion?

Like Paul, let us be observant. Let us be attentive to details that indicate what the people of our territory believe. Are there any decorations in your house or in your vehicle? Does their name, their way of dressing and grooming or even their vocabulary tell us what religion they are from? Or they may have even told us directly that they have their own religion. When that happens to a certain special pioneer, she says, “I don't visit him to force my beliefs on him. I just want to talk to you about…”

What beliefs can we have in common with a religious person?

What topics could we talk about with a religious person? Let's try to find common ground. Perhaps she worships one God, she acknowledges that Jesus is the Savior of mankind, or she believes that the evil we see today will soon end. Let's use the beliefs we have in common to present the message of the Bible in an attractive way.

What should we try to do, and why?

Keep in mind that the person may not believe everything his religion teaches. So once we know what religion she belongs to, let's try to find out what she believes. A special pioneer from Australia named David says: “Today, many mix their religion with philosophical ideas.” A sister from Albania named Donalta says: "Sometimes we talk to people who say they have their religion, but then they admit they don't believe in God." And a missionary from Argentina explains that some who claim to believe in the trinity do not really believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God. And he adds: “Knowing this makes it much easier for you to find common ground with the person.” So let's try to find out what people really believe. Then, like Paul, we will become “all things to all kinds of people” (1 Cor. 9:19-23).

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