“In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” – Acts 14:16-17
In preaching to the people of Lystra, Paul and Barnabas contrasted God’s prior way of working to the present age. Before the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God permitted every nation to do whatever they liked. Nonetheless, He revealed enough about Himself through His Creation to give all peoples an awareness of His existence and His fundamental goodness, kindness, and orderliness.
But note carefully what they said, “In past generations…” Things were different after the cross. They remain so today. God doesn’t want all nations walking their own ways. He wants all nations to be walking in His way, through faith in Jesus Christ Who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Many today ask how God could leave so many people around the world completely unaware of Jesus, if He truly is the way. The answer is that God made a provision for all of them. It’s called the church. We’ve been commanded to “make disciples of all nations”. We’ve had 2000 years to do our job. In some periods of history, the church has done her job faithfully. During many long periods of history, she didn’t.
After 20 centuries, we need to recognize that the billions of people and thousands of people groups who haven’t heard of the only name through which salvation comes is not a failure of God but a failure of the church! We must confess our failure, repent of it, and act decisively on the Great Commission, because we are God’s designated witness!