Paul brought to the Areopagus [Mars Hill] to explain his “new” and “strange” doctrine.

Acts 17:19-21

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” Acts 17:19-20

The Areopagus was known as “Mars Hill”.

The Areopagus was a hill similar to Capitol Hill of the United States of America. This is a hill where sets the United States Congress, Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress. That is similar to the Areopagus where met the highest government council and later a judicial court. Mars Hill [the Areopagus] was basically governed by the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, as described in the previous post on Acts 17:18. That is where Paul was brought to explain his “new” and “strange” doctrine [the Gospel of Jesus Christ].

Why did the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers think that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was a “new” and “strange” doctrine”? Because their focus was on the physiological or carnal functioning of human beings. The idea of the human spirit needing fellowship with the Spirit of God was a “new”, “strange”, and superstitious way of seeing people. For them, it was odd that Jesus Christ could bring a person into fellowship with the Spirit of God by the forgiveness of sin. That is how today’s governing authorities view their global culture, as a mass of cells and tissues that exists through meeting the needs of carnal physiological functions. That is why people and nations welcome the beast that has power over physiology to give them what to speak, do, think, and feel. Their carnal physiological needs can be met in every way [or denied].

The Holy Spirit speaks these words to us about how carnal people cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are strange to them, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

Those who govern and live by the beast giving them what to speak and do has put the spirit out of mind. In fact, that beast corrupts the spirit and conscience, while oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit, in order to assume control over a person’s thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors [and every aspect of physiology]. That beast gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people, so the Spirit of God is a strange idea to them. They oppose the idea of a Living Creator, scoff at the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ and oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit. People are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

People of today’s atheistic culture do not know the reality of the Holy Spirit living within them by faith in Jesus Christ. They live for earthly happiness and pleasure instead of desiring the fruit of the Holy Spirit [Galatians 5:16-26]. People are looked at as being social-economic beings in need of social approval and finances, instead of spiritual beings in need of God. They walk by the flesh instead of the Spirit. In fact, God is far from being retained in their knowledge, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting…” Romans 1:8 They have adopted the reasoning of human beings to develop their values and virtues, “…who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen…” Romans 1:25

To today’s atheistic culture, human beings are nothing more than soulless animals and they say there is no Living Creator. “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things…” Romans 1:22-23

Jesus says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 We must be born-again from a materialistic, carnal, physiological being to a spiritual being living for God through Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3, 5-6

“Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3 “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Click here for a post on Ezekiel 8.

“For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” Acts 17:21

That certainly describes the world we live in today, everyone coming up with their own thing, except for anything involving the presence of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and the Living Creator. The beast that gives people what to feel and think are grooming people to be anything and everything except receptive to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One thing that I’ve learned from following blogs and social media posts, the majority of people are willing to listen to the latest news, as long as it has nothing to do with the God of Jesus Christ. Whatever your thing is, whatever your personal god is, they are very attentive and supportive with many “likes”, “follows”, and “comments.” They encourage self-expression of personal gods by asking, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?” When it comes to those who live for Jesus Christ, they are quick to scrutinize and shut Him out, as they say, “You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears…” 

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1