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Help on Question regarding Acts 17:30 and Salvation

November 26th, 2014

Hi everyone. I was wondering if someone could help me with this question by pointing me in the right direction:

Does Acts 17:30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent” perhaps hint at the possibility that people before God made himself known were at least saved because they knew know different? And were left in their own ignorance?

Thanks in advance for the help!

  • Dale Agner Hello, Courtney,
    Don Richardson, in the book, ETERNITY IN THEIR HEARTS, develops this theme
    that you discuss…those that have not heard, as is discussed in Romans
    1:20 and respond to Him via 1:20, (and chapters 1&2 of Romans)…may
    possibly come r
    To a saving knowledge. In the book, Richardson refers to an Inca,
    pre-european community. Lee Strobel also has a chapter in the CASE FOR
    FAITH, as I believe Mark Driscoll also has a chapter in DOCTRINE: What
    Every Christian Should Believe. A similar intimation is made.

    Not all agree with those I mentioned above. William Carey, the father of modern missions, did not exactly concur with those above.

    Hope these references may be of assistance!

    -dale agner
    November 26 at 12:13pm · Like
  • Sarah Van Baale The first thing that pops into my head is the Bible passage Romans 1:18-20: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

    I think it is always a concern for those who love the Lord that those who haven’t heard the Good News are condemned without cause. But Romans 1:20 pretty much puts that to rest. Ignorance is not an excuse because God has made Himself known.

    (So, I probably should have read Dale’s post above before I wrote mine. It seems we’re referencing the same passage.)
    November 26 at 12:57pm · Edited · Like · 1
  • Sarah Van Baale Also, I went and looked up this verse in context and then ran through a few different versions. Paul is speaking specifically to the Greeks who had all these different statues of gods and even one to the “unknown god’ in case they missed one. I found the Amplified version helpful in understanding this verse better. You can’t just grab it out of the middle of Paul’s speech and make it seem like it is something different than it is:

    28 For in Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your [own] poets have said, For we are also His offspring.
    29 Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to suppose that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, [of the nature of] a
    representation by human art and imagination, or anything constructed or invented.
    30 Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent ([d]to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins),
    31 Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously (justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead.
    32 Now when they had heard [that there had been] a resurrection from the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear you again about this matter.
    November 26 at 12:35pm · Edited · Like · 2
  • Lincoln Bostick Hi Courtney, I don’t know if they were saved because their sins have to be forgiven to be saved right? When you read the whole chapter of Acts 17 you see that Paul had gone to to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews who Paul wanted to …See More
    November 26 at 12:43pm · Like
  • Joe Maxey I agree with Sarah- She’s spot on.
    November 26 at 1:52pm · Like
  • Courtney Kincel Silberman Thank you everyone for taking the time to help me. Happy Thanksgiving!
    Yesterday at 5:25am · Like · 2

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