THE UNKNOWN GOD
According to the narrative of Acts of the Apostles, the Apostle Paul once stayed a few days in Athens while waiting for some fellow travelers. Walking through the city, he observed the great number of idols, including an altar on which it was written: "unto the unknown God" (Acts 17:23). This passage shows that although Creation itself points to "the invisible attributes of God" and therefore "men are inexcusable" (Romans 1:20), the human being does not know him. Likewise, although the LORD revealed himself to the world, by the prophets, and then through Jesus Christ, He has always been, and still is, a great unknown to mankind.
According to the most recent statistics, the world has 7.7 billion people, but only 2.3 billion claim to be Christians. The other 5.4 billion profess other religions. Of these, many may have heard of God and Jesus Christ, but it is possible that the vast majority have never heard of them. The Fall, that is, the episode in which man separates from God, has caused devastating effects on the being of man. He died spiritually, that is, disconnected from his Creator. The large number of religions that exist in the world is evidence of the longing that human beings feel of God, but his own conceptions of Divinity reveal that he does not know him.
In view of this data, this question is possible: "is the Church failing in her mission to proclaim Jesus to the world?". Who knows? However, God, in his sovereignty, has all things under control. In fact, the gospel is not for everyone. The very text of Acts reveals that after Paul spoke of Jesus' resurrection, the Athenians withdrew and only "a few men joined him and believed" (17:34). Although Christ's sacrifice is effective in saving all mankind, only a few will attain this grace. The men are looking for other ways. Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate broad is the road leads to destruction, and many enter through it" (Matthew 7:13). However, God is constituting his people.
But this question of God being an unknown does not concern only those outside the gospel. He is also little known among those who call themselves Christians. Most of those 2.3 billion people are made up of only nominal Christians who have no relationship with God. They were born in a Christian culture, but they don't even believe in God. Even among those who attend the Church, many do not know him, for they are blinded by the layers of religious tradition that stifle the "revealed core" [1]. They are bound to form, to the liturgy and cannot see God beyond them. In other communities, religious activism makes people think that spiritual life consists of attending church events. And what about the cult drenched in sound and visual sensations that keeps what worships God in the sensitive plane of emotions and prevent spiritual amazement?
There is much agitation in the Church, but little knowledge of God. According to Smith (2005, p.96) "in the Old Testament, knowledge means 'communion', intimate familiarity with someone, or something." Vriezen apud Smith (2005, p.96) states that the Old Testament makes the "knowledge of God" the first requirement of life. And "Gerhard von Rad understands that the "knowledge of God" means 'commitment', 'trust', 'obedience to the divine will'.[2] The Church's action should promote the knowledge of God among men, that is, to bring them to encounter and to life with God. To be a Christian is not only to go to church on Sundays, but, first of all, to walk with God.
Because we do not know God, we have no pleasure in the spiritual life, in prayer, in the Word of God. We think spirituality is all about attending a temple, singing hymns, and listening to sermons. Something often boring, but what we do because we understand that it is the right thing to do. We think so because the Church gives us this vision. The Church, in some cases today, has become a convention center, however, Jesus said, "my house will be called a house of prayer..." (Matthew 21:13). The Church, as already said, should promote the knowledge of God in the world. But this is something that occurs in the heart, in the heart of each person. Something that comes from a search for God for reflection in the Word and prayer. Here is the words of Hosea: "Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear...". For this prophet, God speaks: "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings" (6:3,6).
Antônio Maia - M. Div.
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[1] MAIA, Antônio. O Homem em Busca de Si. Reflexões Sobre a Condição Humana na Parábola do Filho Pródigo. amazon.com.br
[2] SMITH, Ralph L. Teologia do Antigo Testamento. São Paulo: Vida Nova, 2005.
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