How should Acts 14:16 influence our evangelism approach to unreached people? Setting the Scene in Lystra Paul and Barnabas heal a lame man, the crowd erupts in pagan sacrifice, and Paul answers with a brief sermon. Nestled in that sermon is Acts 14:16: “In past generations He let all nations go their own ways.” This single line quietly reshapes how we speak to people who have never heard the gospel. Key Truth in Acts 14:16 • God is absolutely sovereign; nothing in history escapes His rule. • Yet, for a season, He permitted nations to “go their own ways,” walking in ignorance and idolatry. • This permission was temporary, not approval. It highlights His patience (cf. 2 Peter 3:9) while still holding every person morally accountable (Romans 1:19-21). • Even during that season, God “did not leave Himself without witness” (Acts 14:17)—rain, crops, joy, conscience—all pointing back to Him. Implications for Our View of the Unreached • They are not forgotten; God has been patiently preparing the soil of their hearts through creation’s witness and daily kindnesses. • They remain accountable to respond once they hear (Romans 2:14-16). • Their past ignorance should stir our compassion, not condemnation. • God’s patience does not negate the urgency; after overlooking ignorance, He “now commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30-31). Practical Shifts in Evangelism Strategy • Begin where they are, acknowledging the traces of truth already embedded in their experience of creation and conscience. • Use observable blessings—sunrise, harvest, health—as bridges to the living, generous Creator (Acts 14:17). • Speak plainly: God once allowed autonomy, but the era of unawareness is over; Christ has come. • Avoid moral superiority; remember God’s kindness led us, too, to repentance (Romans 2:4). • Maintain urgency: patience does not equal indifference. The call to repent is now. Connecting Points for Conversation • Creation: “Who sends the rain and fills your barns?” • Conscience: “Why do we all sense right and wrong even when cultures differ?” • Common grace joys: “Families, music, celebration—where do these good gifts originate?” • Shared longings: “Every heart aches for purpose—could that be a clue implanted by a Designer?” Guardrails to Keep the Message Pure • Do not baptize local deities into the gospel; dismantle idols (Acts 14:15, 1 Thessalonians 1:9). • Proclaim Christ crucified and risen as the exclusive way to God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). • Emphasize repentance and faith, not mere admiration of Jesus. • Ground every claim in Scripture, trusting its inherent power (Hebrews 4:12). Encouraging Confidence in the Gospel Harvest • The same God who patiently prepared unreached peoples is now sending us to them (Matthew 28:19-20). • His prior witness in creation softens hearts; His Spirit opens eyes when the Word is declared (2 Corinthians 4:6). • Therefore we speak boldly yet gently, convinced that the fields—long allowed to “go their own ways”—are ready for the good news of Jesus Christ. |
    |