Acts 17:16–34
“We Are the Offspring of God”
While waiting for his missionary companions to join him in Athens, the Apostle Paul was deeply concerned that the people of Athens were idolatrous and didn’t understand the true nature of God. To help the Athenians understand and draw closer to God, Paul taught the gospel of Jesus Christ in the synagogues and marketplaces. Philosophers then invited Paul to explain “this new doctrine” (Acts 17:19) at a place called Mars’ Hill. Paul taught the philosophers the true nature of God and testified of their divine relationship to Him. This lesson can help you feel the importance of your identity as a child of God.
Trusting in the students. Trust your students’ ability to fulfill their role as they learn, teach, and apply gospel doctrine and principles.
Student preparation: Invite the students to make a list of words or phrases that best describe them and to reflect on which words or phrases are most important to them.
Possible Learning Activities
I am a child of God
Consider singing “I Am a Child of God” (Hymns, no. 301) with students before beginning the lesson.
Listen to the hymn “I Am a Child of God” (Hymns, no. 301) on the Gospel Library app or on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Or watch the video “Child of God” (2:54), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. As you listen or sing along, ponder the significance of the message of this hymn.
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What words or phrases from this hymn do you find to be significant? Why?
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Seventy invited us to ponder the message of “I Am a Child of God”:
This beloved hymn is one of the most often sung in this Church. But the critical question is, do we really know it? Do we know it in our mind and in our heart and in our soul? Is our heavenly parentage our first and most profound identity?
(Donald L. Hallstrom, “I Am a Child of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 26)
Consider writing on the board the following questions, which are taken from Elder Hallstrom’s statement. Give students time to ponder the questions. Invite willing students to share how they have come to know that they are children of God. Be cautious not to embarrass students who may still be questioning their belief in and relationship with God.
The following questions are adapted from Elder Hallstrom’s statement and can be answered with a “yes” or “no” response. As you answer these questions, explain why you answered each question the way you did.
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Do you really know that you are a child of God?
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Do you know it in your mind, heart, and soul?
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Do you see yourself as a child of God before you identify yourself as anything else?
Throughout this lesson, consider your responses to the previous questions and what your responses indicate about your feelings toward Heavenly Father. Seek inspiration from your Heavenly Father, through the Holy Ghost, to help you better understand your divine identity as a child of God and feel the deep love He has for you.
Paul preaches in Athens
The Apostle Paul preached in Athens during his second missionary journey. The people in Athens had many different opinions, philosophies, and beliefs. Paul saw that the people were “wholly given to idolatry” (Acts 17:16), meaning they worshipped things other than God. So Paul preached daily about Jesus Christ and His Resurrection. Paul was then brought to Mars’ Hill, where he was invited to preach in front of a group of philosophers (see Acts 17:17–21).
Read Acts 17:22–23, looking for how Paul introduced his message. You could also watch the video “We Are the Offspring of God” (4:26) from time code 0:00 to 1:54, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
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What could the inscription on the altar that Paul referred to suggest about the Athenians’ belief about God?
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How does this inscription compare to what the scriptures teach about God?
The ancient Athenians believed in many false gods and built statues and temples to honor them. The altar built “to the unknown god” (Acts 17:23) may have been the Athenians’ attempt to appease an unknowable god or any god who was not known by name.
Consider showing students the picture (included later in the lesson) of a seminary class on Mars’ Hill. The ruins in the background are an example of temples built to honor Greek gods.
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What are some common misunderstandings that you have noticed in the world today about God and our relationship with Him?
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If you had the opportunity to teach someone who did not know much about Heavenly Father, what would you want them to know about Him?
Provide students adequate time to complete the following activity individually, in pairs, or in small groups. While students are studying, consider listing verse numbers 24–31 on the board. Invite students to come to the board and write next to each verse number one or more truths they discovered in each verse. Students could be invited to share which truths are most meaningful to them and why.
Read Acts 17:24–31 and make a list of truths taught by the Apostle Paul about the true nature of God and your relationship with Him. Consider naming your list “The True and Living God and My Relationship with Him.” Note that there is a Joseph Smith Translation for verse 27 (see Acts 17:27, footnote b). After making your list, answer the following question:
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What is the truth from your list that is most meaningful to you, and why?
We are the offspring of God
One of the truths you may have identified from Paul’s teachings is that “we are the offspring of God” (verse 29).
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How is being a child of God different from being just one of His creations?
President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the significance of the truth that “we are the offspring of God.”
The foundational fact of heavenly parentage is not just my truth or your truth. It is eternal truth. It is written in big, bold, capital letters. Understanding this truth—really understanding it and embracing it—is life changing. It gives you an extraordinary identity that no one can ever take away from you. But more than that, it should give you an enormous feeling of value and a sense of your infinite worth. Finally, it provides you a divine, noble, and worthy purpose in life.
(M. Russell Ballard, “Children of Heavenly Father” [Brigham Young University devotional, Mar. 3, 2020], 2, speeches.byu.edu)
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What difference can it make in your life and in the decisions you make to know that you are literally “the offspring of God”?
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What experiences have you had that have helped you better understand your divine identity as a child of God?
To see an example of how understanding her divine identity impacted one woman, watch the video “Am I a Child of God?” (10:24), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 3:24 to 5:23.
After students have been given time to ponder and answer the following questions, invite willing students to share their responses with the class. Consider bearing testimony of the truths that were taught.
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What did you learn or feel today about your divine identity that you want to remember?
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What actions do you feel impressed to take based on what you have learned?
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What could you do to find answers to questions you still have about your relationship with God?
Commentary and Background Information
How can the Book of Mormon strengthen my relationship with God?
President Russell M. Nelson declared:
Something powerful happens when a child of God seeks to know more about Him and His Beloved Son. Nowhere are those truths taught more clearly and powerfully than in the Book of Mormon.
(Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 61)
Why is it so important to understand my true identity as a child of God?
Elder Brian K. Taylor of the Seventy taught the following:
Moses learned of his divine heritage talking with the Lord face-to-face. Following that experience, “Satan came tempting” with subtle yet vicious intent to distort Moses’s identity, “saying: Moses, son of man, worship me. And … Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God” [Moses 1:12–13; emphasis added].
This great war over divine identity rages fiercely as Satan’s proliferating arsenal aims to destroy our belief in and knowledge of our relationship with God. Thankfully, we have been blessed with clear vision and understanding of our true identity from the beginning. …
Coming to know our Father changes everything, especially our hearts, as His gentle Spirit confirms our true identity and great worth in His sight. God walks with us along the covenant path as we seek Him through prayerful pleadings, scriptural searchings, and obedient strivings.
(Brian K. Taylor, “Am I a Child of God?,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 12, 14)
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency testified of our true identity as daughters and sons of God in the video “Our True Identity” (3:38), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Supplemental Learning Activities
Seek the Lord
Consider hiding something in the classroom that students would enjoy finding, like a piece of candy. Invite students to search for the hidden surprise until it is found. Discuss the effort students put into finding the object and why effort is needed to obtain something worthwhile. Encourage students to analyze Acts 17:27, including the Joseph Smith Translation found in footnote b. Point out that Paul testified to the Athenians that God is close to His children and desires all to seek after Him. Help students to identify a principle like the following: If we are willing to seek God, we will find that He is not far from us. Consider asking the following questions.
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In what ways can we seek to know and come closer to God?
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When have you felt Heavenly Father near you?
Show the video “Earthly Father, Heavenly Father” (3:59), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, to help students understand and feel that God is always near them.
Following Jesus Christ’s example of worshipping the Father
As the Apostle Paul taught about the true nature of God, he also counseled the Athenians against improperly worshipping Heavenly Father (see Acts 17:23–30). Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to worship God. Consider reminding students of how the Savior always acknowledged and praised Heavenly Father and even submitted His will to the Father’s will. Divide the following scripture passages among the students and invite them to identify what they learn from Jesus Christ about worshipping Heavenly Father. Invite students to share what they discover and then to discuss different ways we can worship and witness of Heavenly Father in our daily lives.
The power of knowing we are children of God
To help illustrate the power that can come into our lives when we understand our divine identity as children of God, consider watching “Running toward the Light” (17:34), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. If class time is short, consider watching from time code 7:03 to 15:19.