Acts 17:27

"that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us"That they should seek God" This is the reason why God created mankind (Ecclesiastes 2:13). "What is the greatest good? It is not pleasure (as the Epicureans taught) nor apathy (as the Stoics taught), but it was to be found in seeking God!" (Reese p. 630). "They"-Individuals in every nation. Hence all have always been accountable to God. This verse also suggests that people in every nation have the ability to start such. search (Romans 1:20). "If haply they might feel after Him and find Him" "If perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him" (NASV). "They might feel their way to Him" (TCNT). "Feel" To verify by contact, to search for. "The verb 'grope for' pictures one groping in the dark (Jeremiah 2:23)" (Reese p. 631). "All things which God has given to man should encourage man to seek to know his Creator" (Boles p. 281). "Though He is not far from each one of us" "Epicurus had taught that the gods, in their eternal tranquility were too far off from man to trouble themselves about his needs" (Reese p. 631). Paul notes that one does not have to spend their entire lifetime groping for God. God can be found! God is actually very near! God is "near" in the sense that: (a) We receive His blessings on. daily basis (Matthew 5:45). (b) We are created in His image (Genesis 1:26). (c) The evidence of His existence is seen daily (Romans 1:20; Psalms 19:1). (d) The preaching of His truth has been sent to all nations (Mark 16:15). Carefully note that Paul is saying that all nations have equal access to finding God. Since the whole creation is God's creation, and since every nation descends from Adam, and seeing that God has been involved in the past and future of all nations, then God can be found by the native in Africa, those of the South Sea Islands, etc..