“For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’” (Acts 17:28, NKJV)
In this radiant verse from Acts, the Apostle Paul, speaking on the Areopagus in Athens, unveils a profound Truth about humanity’s existence within the presence of God. These words, delivered to a diverse audience, echo as a declaration of divine reality, a beacon of wisdom, and a timeless call for all—believers, skeptics, and seekers across cultures—to recognize the Creator who sustains every moment. For the children of Truth, the tekna Truth, this verse is both a foundation and an invitation to live fully in the One who holds us, resonating even with insights from distant philosophies, such as those of ancient Chinese thinkers.
Historical Context
Acts 17 captures Paul’s missionary journey to Athens around 50-51 AD, a city alive with intellectual and religious debate. The Areopagus, a hilltop court and philosophical center, hosted Athenians who worshipped idols and wrestled with ideas from Stoicism to Epicureanism. Paul, addressing this pluralistic crowd, quoted Greek poets—likely Epimenides and Aratus—to connect their partial truths to the gospel. By citing their own words (“For we are also His offspring”), he showed that even pagan thought could glimpse the reality of the one true God. This strategic bridge was not a compromise but a bold claim: the God of Israel was the universal sustainer, not confined to temples or Greek philosophy but encompassing all existence. In a culture of competing worldviews, Paul’s message challenged Athens to see God as the foundation of life itself—a challenge that extends to every era and culture, including those shaped by philosophies far beyond Greece.
The Truth and Reality of God’s Word
Acts 17:28 proclaims that God is the source and sustainer of all existence. The phrase “in Him we live and move and have our being” reveals a Truth as fundamental as breath: every heartbeat, every step, every thought depends on God’s presence. This reality holds every person—kings, scholars, laborers, and skeptics—regardless of their beliefs. As Scripture affirms:
- Colossians 1:16-17 (NKJV): “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
This mirrors Acts 17:28, showing Christ as the sustainer of all. No life exists apart from Him, whether recognized or denied. - Hebrews 1:3 (NKJV): “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
God’s word upholds every moment, making rejection of Him a paradox—denying the One who enables the denial. - John 1:3-4 (NKJV): “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
Life flows from God, tying to “in Him we live,” giving every soul inherent purpose.
This Truth is universal, transcending culture and creed. Paul’s use of Greek poets shows that even those outside biblical revelation can sense it, like echoes of a greater song. Intriguingly, Chinese philosophers like Laozi and Confucius, centuries before Paul, also grappled with ideas that resonate faintly with this reality. Laozi’s concept of the Tao—the way or source of all things—hints at an underlying order sustaining existence, though impersonal compared to the biblical “Him.” In the Tao Te Ching, Laozi writes, “The Tao is the source of all things, the treasure of the good, and the refuge of the not-good.” While not equating to God, this points to a unifying principle, a shadow of Acts 17:28’s claim that all live within a greater reality. Similarly, Confucius emphasized Tian (Heaven) as a moral and cosmic order, suggesting human life aligns with a higher purpose, not unlike Paul’s assertion of divine dependence. These philosophies, while distinct, reflect a universal human intuition that existence rests on something beyond ourselves—a Truth Paul declares fully in God.
Yet, the “Him” of Acts 17:28 is personal, not abstract. Unlike the Tao’s impersonal flow or Tian’s moral framework, God knows and loves His creation, giving life intention. The verse’s claim that we are “His offspring” (rooted in Genesis 1:26-27) affirms our unique worth, a reality that holds whether we bow to God or turn away.
The Wisdom of God’s Word
Acts 17:28 also shines with wisdom, guiding us to live with humility and purpose. Recognizing our dependence on God shatters pride—no one is self-made. As Scripture teaches:
- Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV): “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Wisdom begins with seeing God as our source, aligning with Acts 17:28’s call to abide in Him.
This wisdom transforms our perspective. If we “live and move” in God, every action matters, urging us to live intentionally. It also fosters unity:
- Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV): “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
As God’s offspring, all humanity shares His image, calling us to love others as fellow creations.
Chinese philosophy offers parallels here, too. Confucius taught that human relationships thrive through ren (benevolence), a wisdom that echoes Acts 17:28’s call to see others as connected in God’s reality. He said, “To practice ren is to love all men.” While rooted in ethics rather than theology, this aligns with the verse’s wisdom of unity. Laozi, advocating simplicity and harmony with the Tao, urged humility: “The sage does not hoard… He lives for others.” Such ideas touch the edges of Acts 17:28’s wisdom—living humbly within a greater reality—but lack the personal God who gives it eternal weight.
True freedom, Acts 17:28 suggests, lies in embracing our place in God, not resisting it:
- Romans 11:36 (NKJV): “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
Life’s purpose is God’s glory, a wisdom that grounds us in a fragmented world.
A Call to Be Tekna Truth
Acts 17:28 is a summons to awaken. It urges you to ponder its depth: your every breath, every choice, every moment rests in God. This Truth is closer than your shadow, more real than the ground beneath you. Contemplate the humility it demands, the purpose it reveals, the love it inspires. You are not adrift in chaos but held in divine hands, whether you see it or not.
Look at those around you—friends, strangers, even those who reject God or seek truth in other ways, like the philosophers of ancient China. They, too, live in Him, their existence a silent hymn to the Creator. Let this stir compassion, urging you to share the wisdom of a life rooted in God, gently guiding them to the Truth they unknowingly inhabit.
For the tekna Truth—the children of Truth—this verse is your calling. Embrace your place as God’s offspring, living boldly in His presence. Let His wisdom shape your heart, His Truth guide your steps, and His reality fuel your love. Like Paul before the Athenians, bridge the world’s partial truths—whether Greek poetry or Chinese philosophy—to the full light of God’s Word. In a world of fleeting shadows, be radiant bearers of Truth, reflecting the God in whom we all exist. Step into this identity, tekna Truth, and let your life proclaim the eternal embrace of the One who holds us forever.