To an Unknown God: Preaching Dionysius the Areopagite

March 27, 2011 by Daniel Harrell

Continued from Page 2

Although their philosophical musing did not bring them to the true God, it had brought them near. It's an important reminder in regard to other religions. There is some truth to be found in every one. However scripture asserts salvation to be found only in Christ. Having made Himself known in Jesus, God now intends to be known as He is. There are to be no more permitted excuses for ignorance as there were in the past. Now, Paul preached, "God commands all people everywhere to repent"—to turn from their idols and turn to Him. Salvation is near, but so is judgment, Paul warned. The resurrection of Jesus made this clear. Resurrection meant this life was not all there is; God had more life in store. But resurrection life was only accessible through faith. You had to give up in order to get in to the Kingdom of God.

But again, as soon as Paul brought up the resurrection, most of those gathered just started to laugh. The Epicureans, holding that this life was all that there is, sneered at any notion to the contrary. The Stoics' primacy on reason left no room for faith. Paul, surrounded by party-animals on the one side and empiricists on the other, simply got up and left. Yet not without some following in belief, namely, Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris.

The same sort of thing still happens in our time. Bring up the resurrection and mostly what you'll encounter is a chuckle or a condescending smirk. Maybe just a blank stare. There remain those who hold this life to be all that there is.

There are those who consider it irrational for dead people to rise from the dead. It's impossible. And it is. But as the writings of Dionysius assert, such impossibility is the gateway to faith.

When we crash up against the impossible, we are left with the humble, overwhelming realization that all we can do is either believe God or not. Our efforts at knowing can only take us so far. Faith in Christ is what saves you. But faith always involves surrender. In the end up you have to give up and give yourself to God if you are ever to truly know Him and be united with Him forever.

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About Daniel Harrell

Daniel M. Harrell is Senior Minister of The Colonial Church, Edina, MN and author of How To Be Perfect: One Church's Audacious Experiment in Living the Old Testament Book of Leviticus (FaithWords, 2011). Follow him via Twitter, Facebook, or at his blog and website.

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