If ever there was a man zealous for the kingdom of heaven on earth, it was Paul. So to eavesdrop on him “confronting” a city full of idols (Acts 17:16); to observe him “battling” those who reduced God to an inanimate object after their own image and imagination (Acts 17:29); to learn from him what it looks like to “stand against” times of ignorance (Acts 17:30), I think would, at the least, be instructive, and might even be quite helpful. So how does Paul take on these enemies and idolaters shrouded in ignorance? What rhetoric does he employ?

How does he identify their tribe? God’s offspring, that’s how.

“And [God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for

       “‘In Him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

       “‘For we are indeed His offspring.‘

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.

(Acts 17:26-28 ESV)

God’s offspring . . . We are indeed His offspring . . . That’s what’s hit me this morning.

While a sinner might be many things, at their most fundamental, they are God’s offspring. While an idolater might transgress the first and second commandments in various ways, they are first God’s offspring. Though the blasphemer and the workaholic might refuse to honor God as they should; and while the murderer, the sexually immoral, the thief, liar, and coveter might refuse to respect other humans as they should, still they enter this world as God’s offspring.

For

God created man in His own image,
       in the image of God He created him;
       male and female He created them.

(Genesis 1:27 ESV)

In defending the faith there may be a place for escalation of words. But that is not the first place. In contending for the truth there might be a time to shake off the dust from our feet (Mt. 10:14). But that is not the first time. Instead, as Paul did, I think it wise to regard those who are not with us (Mt. 12:30) still as God’s offspring.

If nothing else, it helps set the right tone.

For

The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

(2Timothy 2:24-26 ESV)

Not quarrelsome . . . kind to everyone . . . patiently enduring evil . . . correcting his opponents with gentleness . . .

Easier to do, I think, when we see “the other side” as God’s offspring.

Only by God’s grace. Ultimately for God’s glory.