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Writer's pictureParable Arrows

Acts 17: Bible Study for Artists




Paul is acting like an artist.


He's using the art of speech and apologetics to he's also using his lack of fear with secular art. Something I've learned about the artists who are tight with the Lord and also really excellent at their craft is they tend to be a little less afraid of secular art. 


Why I think that is personally is because of what I see Paul doing here in his sermon. Paul is looking to the culture and what the artists in their culture are producing, which are idols to unknown gods. And he's not afraid. He's not mad. He's not freaking out and yelling at them. He's just observing and he's saying, "Okay, well, if this is what you're making idols and worshiping to, well, let me offer something to you."


And he uses his skill and his artistry of speech to actually win people to his side. So bridging Bezalel and Oholiab to talking about Paul here: Paul makes a point that we do not worship our own creations. Paul is also proving that secular culture can actually be an avenue God can redeem to bring people back to Him!


If you find yourself being a Christian who enjoys certain secular music that in your heart and spirit and discernment does not cause you to stumble or fall or walk away and live out ungodly things, and you see it as a way to bridge and engage that culture, you can keep on listening.


HOWEVER: Just because Paul is using a specific part of secular culture and secular art to engage non-Christians. He's using every part of it.


Notice this is a scene about idols that are out in an open space. He didn't go to a brothel or something.


There is a lot of discernment that's happening with Paul. The place in secular culture that he's putting himself was a discerned line through his relationship with God. It is not Paul trusting his own gut, he sought God to destinguish between being too far into the secular world and too far removed from it, where he would have been in a Christian bubble. 


That means there is a pocket. Even though Paul is doing this and he's doing it well does not mean that we can just go and watch and read and listen to and engage with anything without checking our intention and checking in with the LORD. But it also means that maybe we shouldn't be so afraid to engage with secular culture in different levels.

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