“For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.” Acts 17:23

In the verse above Paul was visiting Athens and found the people to be very religious, but they didn’t know God. They worshiped all kinds of gods, and to make sure their bases were covered, they even had constructed an altar “to an unknown God.” Paul takes this as an opportunity to introduce them to the one true and living God.

Paul tells them God wants them to know him, for knowing God is the key to eternal life. That’s what Jesus prayed shortly before he was crucified for our sins: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

It’s incredible to think that God Almighty—the maker of heaven and earth wants us to know him. He is not hidden from us but reveals himself in many ways. He reveals his existence through his creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2)

God reveals his love, compassion, mercy, and plan of redemption through his Word. And he reveals himself to us actively through his Holy Spirit who indwells every believer: ““What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

As the popular bumper sticker says: “No God, No Peace; Know God, Know Peace”