LESSON 8 – THE BIBLE AS DIVINE REVELATION
Bible – God’s Revelation
John 17:3-5
Romans 1:18-23
John 16:8-11
Acts 17:22-33
John 3:16-18
John 5:30-46
John 12:44-48
Heathenism
Fundamentalism
Revelation
INTRODUCTION
God's purpose is that man should know Him and therefore respond to God in honour and worship motivated by love.
In the written word we have the living word revealed. It all centres on knowing God which in turn is based on Revelation. This principle flows on from and ties in with Lesson 5.
John 17 is the real Lord's Prayer and gets you into the heart of God for you. v 3‑5 Here we see that before He goes to the cross the Lord Jesus Christ is thinking of us and wishes to us to know Him, and the Father, and His love.
CONTEMPLATING GOD
The Scripture attests to two facts, the incomprehensibility of God and the known ability of God. These must be balanced. We can never fully understand God but there are many things we can know. When we look at the character of God we realise that there are many things that we can know about the Lord. But there are some things that can only be known in the future. God is not a big man as the Mormons believe, God is God.
Contemplating the vastness of the universe at night we get an outline of just how great God is. This will give one the idea of the incomprehensibility of God. There will be some things that you will not know this side of eternity. We are creatures who are talking about the Creator. We however can say that what is needed to be known about God has been revealed. In addition everything in the Bible can be known.
1 Corinthians 2:14‑16
Characteristics of the Knowledge of God
[a] The Source of the knowledge of God is God himself. Human experiences and even religious experiences are not reliable in the accurate presentation of God. The Bible is what is sure of God's viewpoint and information about God. Any experience must be tested against the Bible. Romans 1:18‑32 reminds us that man is fallen and that man's view of life is warped by the fallen state. However anyone who has lived on the earth has sufficient evidence from nature of the existence of God. Even with this evidence however most men will reject or distort the truth because they do not want to know Him. Fallen man will create his own god which he can manipulate. What Paul is talking about is general revelation which is available to all.
[b] Its Content - A full knowledge of God is both factual and personal. To know facts about a person without knowing the person is limiting; to know a person without knowing facts about that one is shallow. God has revealed many facts about Himself, all of which are important in making our personal relationship with Him close, intelligent, and useful. Had He only revealed facts without making it possible to know Him personally, such factual knowledge would have little, certainly not eternal, usefulness. Just as with human relationships, a Divine-human relationship cannot begin without knowledge of some minimal truths about the Person; then the personal relationship generates the desire to know more facts which in turn deepens the relationship, and so on.
[c] Its Progressiveness - The knowledge of God and His works was revealed progressively throughout history. The most obvious proof is to compare incomplete Jewish theology with the fuller revelation of Christian theology in respect, for example, to such
doctrines as the Trinity, Christology, the Holy Spirit, Resurrection, and eschatology. To trace that progressiveness is the task of biblical theology.
[d] lts Purposes - God does not reveal Himself that people might know Him but get into a relationship with Him only.
I. To lead people to the possession of eternal life (John 17:3;1 Tim. 2:4).
2. To foster Christian growth (2 Peter 3:18) with doctrinal knowledge (John 7:17; Rom. 6:9, 16; Eph. 1:18), and with a discerning lifestyle (Phil. 1:9-10; 2 Peter 1:5).
3. To warn of judgment to come (Hosea 4:6; Heb. 10:26-27).
4. To generate true worship of God (Rom. 11:33-36).
Four factors that are prerequisites to the knowledge of God:
[a] God initiated the process. Where was the creator? God came to man in the garden.
[b] God gave language in order that he might be able to communicate with fellow man and also with God. This is an area which causes a lot of trouble with the thinking evolutionist.
[c] Man was created in the image of God with free will, a mind that can think. Man is able to think in a rational way. But within himself mankind is subject to total depravity. This means that you are unable to save yourself. However man is still fashioned in the likeness of God and is not totally depraved in that sense. We still have a mind, a will and a conscience even though it is a violated one. But God says in his written word: ‘Draw close to God and he will draw close to you’ James 4:8
[d] God gave the Holy Spirit to convict the unbeliever and convert the repentant. John 16:8‑11
Three General Areas of Revelation
There are three general areas of revelation ‑ Creation, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible.
However we have the necessity of the ministry of the Holy Spirit to understand these things. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
In addition men may wish to reject it. Romans 1:18-32 Thus general revelation is also specific revelation.
Acts 17:22‑31 ‑ is a tremendous sermon. Paul has talked about general revelation in creation, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible as well as a couple of Greek poets. To show the Greeks that even their poets recognized general revelation. What is Paul relying on to produce their salvation? The work of the Holy Spirit alone can achieve this result. He is relying on specific revelation as the first Christian in Athens can only be produced by response to the Spirit’s moving within convicting of the truth. Paul noted that they had a shrine to an unknown God. He said that he was going to show them the real God through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of those in the audience heard, received personal conviction, believed and were saved. There was a mixing of general and specific revelation and as a result there were those who believed.
You have to meet the pagan where they are with general revelation and not where you are. You move from general to specific revelation, from where they are to where the Cross and Empty Tomb is. This challenges the unbeliever. The evangelist may not fully understand the means of witnessing. If however you do know what to do you will know how to do it right; that is to follow the apostolic pattern.
Methods of Understanding the Existence of God
These are various methods of understanding that God exists.
[a] Cosmological argument that God created. This fact is countered by the evolutionist's concept of matter being eternal.
[b] Organizational ‑ the universe speaks of design therefore there must be a master designer.
[c] Anthropological ‑ which looks at the concept of life after death and that man is not just an animal which does not exist after death
[d] The ontological approach propounded by St Anselm in the ninth century and presented further by Descartes, Kant and Hegel. This states that because we conceive of a Supreme Holy Being such a being exists.
General revelation does not prove anything to anyone who does not want to know. It is however the basis of just condemnation of the unbeliever. In the end all will recognize God and He will get all the glory.
Contents of General Revelation
[a] His Glory Psalm 19:1
[b] His power to work in creating the universe Psalm 19:1
[c] His supremacy Romans 1:20
[d] His divine nature Romans 1:20
[e] His providential control of nature Acts 14:17
[f] His goodness Matthew 5:45
[g] His intelligence Acts 17:29
[h] His living existence Acts 17:28
Three results of General revelation.
[a] God's grace is displayed
[b] It gives weight to the case that God exists
[c] To justly condemn rejecters.
God has given a complete revelation to man, as far as is required by man. The rejection of this revelation is an act of man's sinful nature for which man is responsible. Man is therefore justly judged.
Other examples of general revelation John 3:16‑18, 5:30 ff. You have the evidence of many things but you reject it because you do not want the truth. This is why you are responsible for your rejection. John 12:44‑48. When the unbeliever rejects the gospel it should be made clear that if the rejection continues the end of it is hell. God is knowable but not totally comprehensible. However everything we need to know is in writing. What we have in writing we should be able to understand.
SPECIAL REVELATION
Throughout the history of man, God has given special revelation. Many instances are recorded in the Word of God of His speaking directly to man as He did in the Garden of Eden or to the prophets of the Old Testament or the apostles in the New Testament.
Some of this special revelation was recorded in the Bible and forms the only authoritative and inspired record that we have of such special revelation. Upon completion of the sixty-six books in the Bible, special revelation in the ordinary sense seems to have ceased. If you wish to compare biblical truth to other things that claim revelation, look at passages from the Koran (6th century), and from the pseudapigrapha (2nd and 3rd centuries), and you will feel the difference.
DOCTRINES
HEATHENISM AND GOD CONSCIOUSNESS
1. Three systems of human understanding:
a) Empiricism - understanding through experimentation and observation.
b) Rationalism - understanding through logic and reason
c) Faith - believes an established fact as the basis of reality.
2. Faith is the only means of understanding which does not rely on our own abilities - there is no earned merit in faith. Therefore, everybody, even a young child, is able to believe.
3. Faith is compatible with God and grace - God provides, we trust Him and accept. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
4. God Consciousness: The existence of God:
a) Religious
i) God must exist because man universally believes in his existence.
ii) In this case the human mind establishes faith as the criteria for reality.
iii) Men do seek after God. (Psalm 42:1-2, Acts 17:27)
b) Moral
i) Man possesses a conscience with the urge to choose right over wrong.
ii) Human recognition of virtue and truth. The ultimate virtue - God.
c) Rational
i) The human mind possesses the idea of a Perfect and Absolute Being, therefore such a being must exist.
ii) In this case, the mind uses rationalism for reality.
d) Design
i) Structure of the universe demands a designer (Romans 1:19,20)
ii) In this case empiricism is the criteria for reality.
e) Cause and Effect
i) The law of cause and effect demands the existence of God.
ii) This is process of rationalism plus logic.
5. The reaction to God consciousness:
a) When man becomes conscious of God he then exercises his freewill.
b) Acceptance - desire to know God and have fellowship with God.
c) Rebellion - no interest in fellowship with God. SNOWFLAKE
d) Once a person reaches God consciousness and has no desire for fellowship with God, God has no further obligation to that individual.
e) In the case of acceptance, God is responsible to provide gospel information on which to be saved. (Jeremiah 29:13, John 7:17, Acts 17:27, Luke 11:9)
6. Heathenism: What about the people who have apparently never heard the Gospel?
a) Application of Divine Character
i) Since God is perfect justice it is impossible for Him to be unfair to any member of the human race.
ii) God promises that every generation will be evangelised. (Isaiah 51:8b)
b) Application of Unlimited Atonement
i) Christ died for all members of the human race. (2 Corinthians 5:14,15,19, 1 Timothy 2:6. 4:10, Titus 2:11, Hebrews 2:9, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 2:2)
ii) Therefore obviously God desires salvation for everyone. (2 Peter 3:9)
c) Application of Divine Sovereignty
d) It is God's will that all members of the human race be saved. (2 Peter 3:9)
i) If people are not saved, it is because of their own rejection of Christ as Saviour, not because of God.
e) Application of the Principle of God Consciousness
i) Human free will is tested in the two areas in which a decision must be made.
At the point of God consciousness - Do I want a relationship with God?
At the point of gospel hearing - Do I want to be saved?
ii) If anyone desires relationship with God, God will reveal Himself to them (Jeremiah 29:13, John 7:17, John 4:9, 10, Acts 17:27).
Man has the ability to arrive at God consciousness through observing creation. (Romans 1:20, 21)
When a person reaches the point of God consciousness, he becomes accountable to God. This age varies with cultures, languages and circumstances.
7. From the above it is obvious that any person can come to a saving knowledge of God.
FUNDAMENTALISM
1. Fundamentalism requires belief in:-
a) The deity of Christ and the virgin birth
b) The miracles of Christ
c) The cross of Christ on which He paid for the sins of the world as God's efficacious substitutionary sacrifice
d) The bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
e) The certainty of the yet to come Second Coming of the Lord for His church and to judge
f) The inerrancy of the Bible as the Word of God.
2. False teachers and liberal theologians will distort all or some of these doctrines.
REVELATION
God's purpose is that man should know Him and therefore respond to God in honour and worship motivated by love. In the written word we have the living word revealed. It all centres on knowing God, which is in turn based on Revelation.
1. The source of the knowledge of God is God himself. Human experiences and even religious experiences are not reliable in the accurate presentation of God. The Bible is what is sure of God's viewpoint and information about God. Any experience must be tested against the Bible. Romans 1:18‑32 reminds us that man is fallen and that man's view of life is warped by the fallen state. However anyone who has lived on the earth has sufficient evidence from nature of the existence of God. Even with this evidence however most men will reject or distort the truth because they do not want to know Him.
Fallen men will create his own god, which he can manipulate. What Paul is talking about is general revelation, which is available to all.
2. There is however specific revelation, which is the personal confrontation of man through the prophets, teachers and pre eminently through the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who accept general revelation will receive specific revelation.
3. It is progressive, that through the history of man God has revealed more and more about Himself.
4.God does not reveal Himself that people might know Him but for them to get into a relationship with Him.
5. Four factors that are prerequisites to the knowledge of God:
[a] God initiated the process. Where was the creator? God came to man in the garden.
[b] God gave language in order that he might be able to communicate with fellow man and also with God. This is an area which causes a lot of trouble with the thinking evolutionist.
[c] Man was created in the image of God with free will, a mind that can think. Man is able to think in a rational way, even though man is subject to total carnality.
This means that you are unable to save yourself. However man is still fashioned in the likeness of God and has a spiritual need, we still have a reasoning mind, a will and a conscience even though it is a violated one.
[d] God gave the Holy Spirit to convict the unbeliever and convert the repentant. John 16:8‑11
6. Paul in Acts 17:22‑31 gave a message about general revelation in creation, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible as well as a couple of Greek poets, to show the Greeks that even their poets recognised general revelation. What Paul is relying on to effect their salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is relying on specific revelation as the first Christian in Athens.
You have an unknown God. Paul said. He was going to show the real God through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of those in the audience believed and were saved. There was a mixing of general and specific revelation as there were those who believed. You have to meet the pagan where they are with general revelation.. You move from general to specific revelation, from where they are to where the Cross is. This challenges the unbeliever. General revelation does not prove anything to anyone who does not want to know. It is however the basis of just condemnation of the unbeliever. In the end all will recognise God and He will get all the glory.
7. General Revelation
[a] His Glory Psalm 19:1
[b] His power to work in creating the universe Psalm 19:1
[c] His supremacy Romans 1:20[d] His divine nature Romans 1:20
[e] His providential control of nature Acts 14:17
[f] His goodness Matthew 5:45
[g] His intelligence Acts 17:29
[h] His living existence Acts 17:28
8. Results of General revelation.
[a] God's grace is displayed
[b] To give weight to the case that God exists
[c] To justly condemn rejecters.
Bible – God’s Revelation
John 17:3-5
Romans 1:18-23
John 16:8-11
Acts 17:22-33
John 3:16-18
John 5:30-46
John 12:44-48
Heathenism
Fundamentalism
Revelation
INTRODUCTION
God's purpose is that man should know Him and therefore respond to God in honour and worship motivated by love.
In the written word we have the living word revealed. It all centres on knowing God which in turn is based on Revelation. This principle flows on from and ties in with Lesson 5.
John 17 is the real Lord's Prayer and gets you into the heart of God for you. v 3‑5 Here we see that before He goes to the cross the Lord Jesus Christ is thinking of us and wishes to us to know Him, and the Father, and His love.
CONTEMPLATING GOD
The Scripture attests to two facts, the incomprehensibility of God and the known ability of God. These must be balanced. We can never fully understand God but there are many things we can know. When we look at the character of God we realise that there are many things that we can know about the Lord. But there are some things that can only be known in the future. God is not a big man as the Mormons believe, God is God.
Contemplating the vastness of the universe at night we get an outline of just how great God is. This will give one the idea of the incomprehensibility of God. There will be some things that you will not know this side of eternity. We are creatures who are talking about the Creator. We however can say that what is needed to be known about God has been revealed. In addition everything in the Bible can be known.
1 Corinthians 2:14‑16
Characteristics of the Knowledge of God
[a] The Source of the knowledge of God is God himself. Human experiences and even religious experiences are not reliable in the accurate presentation of God. The Bible is what is sure of God's viewpoint and information about God. Any experience must be tested against the Bible. Romans 1:18‑32 reminds us that man is fallen and that man's view of life is warped by the fallen state. However anyone who has lived on the earth has sufficient evidence from nature of the existence of God. Even with this evidence however most men will reject or distort the truth because they do not want to know Him. Fallen man will create his own god which he can manipulate. What Paul is talking about is general revelation which is available to all.
[b] Its Content - A full knowledge of God is both factual and personal. To know facts about a person without knowing the person is limiting; to know a person without knowing facts about that one is shallow. God has revealed many facts about Himself, all of which are important in making our personal relationship with Him close, intelligent, and useful. Had He only revealed facts without making it possible to know Him personally, such factual knowledge would have little, certainly not eternal, usefulness. Just as with human relationships, a Divine-human relationship cannot begin without knowledge of some minimal truths about the Person; then the personal relationship generates the desire to know more facts which in turn deepens the relationship, and so on.
[c] Its Progressiveness - The knowledge of God and His works was revealed progressively throughout history. The most obvious proof is to compare incomplete Jewish theology with the fuller revelation of Christian theology in respect, for example, to such
doctrines as the Trinity, Christology, the Holy Spirit, Resurrection, and eschatology. To trace that progressiveness is the task of biblical theology.
[d] lts Purposes - God does not reveal Himself that people might know Him but get into a relationship with Him only.
I. To lead people to the possession of eternal life (John 17:3;1 Tim. 2:4).
2. To foster Christian growth (2 Peter 3:18) with doctrinal knowledge (John 7:17; Rom. 6:9, 16; Eph. 1:18), and with a discerning lifestyle (Phil. 1:9-10; 2 Peter 1:5).
3. To warn of judgment to come (Hosea 4:6; Heb. 10:26-27).
4. To generate true worship of God (Rom. 11:33-36).
Four factors that are prerequisites to the knowledge of God:
[a] God initiated the process. Where was the creator? God came to man in the garden.
[b] God gave language in order that he might be able to communicate with fellow man and also with God. This is an area which causes a lot of trouble with the thinking evolutionist.
[c] Man was created in the image of God with free will, a mind that can think. Man is able to think in a rational way. But within himself mankind is subject to total depravity. This means that you are unable to save yourself. However man is still fashioned in the likeness of God and is not totally depraved in that sense. We still have a mind, a will and a conscience even though it is a violated one. But God says in his written word: ‘Draw close to God and he will draw close to you’ James 4:8
[d] God gave the Holy Spirit to convict the unbeliever and convert the repentant. John 16:8‑11
Three General Areas of Revelation
There are three general areas of revelation ‑ Creation, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible.
However we have the necessity of the ministry of the Holy Spirit to understand these things. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
In addition men may wish to reject it. Romans 1:18-32 Thus general revelation is also specific revelation.
Acts 17:22‑31 ‑ is a tremendous sermon. Paul has talked about general revelation in creation, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible as well as a couple of Greek poets. To show the Greeks that even their poets recognized general revelation. What is Paul relying on to produce their salvation? The work of the Holy Spirit alone can achieve this result. He is relying on specific revelation as the first Christian in Athens can only be produced by response to the Spirit’s moving within convicting of the truth. Paul noted that they had a shrine to an unknown God. He said that he was going to show them the real God through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of those in the audience heard, received personal conviction, believed and were saved. There was a mixing of general and specific revelation and as a result there were those who believed.
You have to meet the pagan where they are with general revelation and not where you are. You move from general to specific revelation, from where they are to where the Cross and Empty Tomb is. This challenges the unbeliever. The evangelist may not fully understand the means of witnessing. If however you do know what to do you will know how to do it right; that is to follow the apostolic pattern.
Methods of Understanding the Existence of God
These are various methods of understanding that God exists.
[a] Cosmological argument that God created. This fact is countered by the evolutionist's concept of matter being eternal.
[b] Organizational ‑ the universe speaks of design therefore there must be a master designer.
[c] Anthropological ‑ which looks at the concept of life after death and that man is not just an animal which does not exist after death
[d] The ontological approach propounded by St Anselm in the ninth century and presented further by Descartes, Kant and Hegel. This states that because we conceive of a Supreme Holy Being such a being exists.
General revelation does not prove anything to anyone who does not want to know. It is however the basis of just condemnation of the unbeliever. In the end all will recognize God and He will get all the glory.
Contents of General Revelation
[a] His Glory Psalm 19:1
[b] His power to work in creating the universe Psalm 19:1
[c] His supremacy Romans 1:20
[d] His divine nature Romans 1:20
[e] His providential control of nature Acts 14:17
[f] His goodness Matthew 5:45
[g] His intelligence Acts 17:29
[h] His living existence Acts 17:28
Three results of General revelation.
[a] God's grace is displayed
[b] It gives weight to the case that God exists
[c] To justly condemn rejecters.
God has given a complete revelation to man, as far as is required by man. The rejection of this revelation is an act of man's sinful nature for which man is responsible. Man is therefore justly judged.
Other examples of general revelation John 3:16‑18, 5:30 ff. You have the evidence of many things but you reject it because you do not want the truth. This is why you are responsible for your rejection. John 12:44‑48. When the unbeliever rejects the gospel it should be made clear that if the rejection continues the end of it is hell. God is knowable but not totally comprehensible. However everything we need to know is in writing. What we have in writing we should be able to understand.
SPECIAL REVELATION
Throughout the history of man, God has given special revelation. Many instances are recorded in the Word of God of His speaking directly to man as He did in the Garden of Eden or to the prophets of the Old Testament or the apostles in the New Testament.
Some of this special revelation was recorded in the Bible and forms the only authoritative and inspired record that we have of such special revelation. Upon completion of the sixty-six books in the Bible, special revelation in the ordinary sense seems to have ceased. If you wish to compare biblical truth to other things that claim revelation, look at passages from the Koran (6th century), and from the pseudapigrapha (2nd and 3rd centuries), and you will feel the difference.
DOCTRINES
HEATHENISM AND GOD CONSCIOUSNESS
1. Three systems of human understanding:
a) Empiricism - understanding through experimentation and observation.
b) Rationalism - understanding through logic and reason
c) Faith - believes an established fact as the basis of reality.
2. Faith is the only means of understanding which does not rely on our own abilities - there is no earned merit in faith. Therefore, everybody, even a young child, is able to believe.
3. Faith is compatible with God and grace - God provides, we trust Him and accept. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
4. God Consciousness: The existence of God:
a) Religious
i) God must exist because man universally believes in his existence.
ii) In this case the human mind establishes faith as the criteria for reality.
iii) Men do seek after God. (Psalm 42:1-2, Acts 17:27)
b) Moral
i) Man possesses a conscience with the urge to choose right over wrong.
ii) Human recognition of virtue and truth. The ultimate virtue - God.
c) Rational
i) The human mind possesses the idea of a Perfect and Absolute Being, therefore such a being must exist.
ii) In this case, the mind uses rationalism for reality.
d) Design
i) Structure of the universe demands a designer (Romans 1:19,20)
ii) In this case empiricism is the criteria for reality.
e) Cause and Effect
i) The law of cause and effect demands the existence of God.
ii) This is process of rationalism plus logic.
5. The reaction to God consciousness:
a) When man becomes conscious of God he then exercises his freewill.
b) Acceptance - desire to know God and have fellowship with God.
c) Rebellion - no interest in fellowship with God. SNOWFLAKE
d) Once a person reaches God consciousness and has no desire for fellowship with God, God has no further obligation to that individual.
e) In the case of acceptance, God is responsible to provide gospel information on which to be saved. (Jeremiah 29:13, John 7:17, Acts 17:27, Luke 11:9)
6. Heathenism: What about the people who have apparently never heard the Gospel?
a) Application of Divine Character
i) Since God is perfect justice it is impossible for Him to be unfair to any member of the human race.
ii) God promises that every generation will be evangelised. (Isaiah 51:8b)
b) Application of Unlimited Atonement
i) Christ died for all members of the human race. (2 Corinthians 5:14,15,19, 1 Timothy 2:6. 4:10, Titus 2:11, Hebrews 2:9, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 2:2)
ii) Therefore obviously God desires salvation for everyone. (2 Peter 3:9)
c) Application of Divine Sovereignty
d) It is God's will that all members of the human race be saved. (2 Peter 3:9)
i) If people are not saved, it is because of their own rejection of Christ as Saviour, not because of God.
e) Application of the Principle of God Consciousness
i) Human free will is tested in the two areas in which a decision must be made.
At the point of God consciousness - Do I want a relationship with God?
At the point of gospel hearing - Do I want to be saved?
ii) If anyone desires relationship with God, God will reveal Himself to them (Jeremiah 29:13, John 7:17, John 4:9, 10, Acts 17:27).
Man has the ability to arrive at God consciousness through observing creation. (Romans 1:20, 21)
When a person reaches the point of God consciousness, he becomes accountable to God. This age varies with cultures, languages and circumstances.
7. From the above it is obvious that any person can come to a saving knowledge of God.
FUNDAMENTALISM
1. Fundamentalism requires belief in:-
a) The deity of Christ and the virgin birth
b) The miracles of Christ
c) The cross of Christ on which He paid for the sins of the world as God's efficacious substitutionary sacrifice
d) The bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
e) The certainty of the yet to come Second Coming of the Lord for His church and to judge
f) The inerrancy of the Bible as the Word of God.
2. False teachers and liberal theologians will distort all or some of these doctrines.
REVELATION
God's purpose is that man should know Him and therefore respond to God in honour and worship motivated by love. In the written word we have the living word revealed. It all centres on knowing God, which is in turn based on Revelation.
1. The source of the knowledge of God is God himself. Human experiences and even religious experiences are not reliable in the accurate presentation of God. The Bible is what is sure of God's viewpoint and information about God. Any experience must be tested against the Bible. Romans 1:18‑32 reminds us that man is fallen and that man's view of life is warped by the fallen state. However anyone who has lived on the earth has sufficient evidence from nature of the existence of God. Even with this evidence however most men will reject or distort the truth because they do not want to know Him.
Fallen men will create his own god, which he can manipulate. What Paul is talking about is general revelation, which is available to all.
2. There is however specific revelation, which is the personal confrontation of man through the prophets, teachers and pre eminently through the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who accept general revelation will receive specific revelation.
3. It is progressive, that through the history of man God has revealed more and more about Himself.
4.God does not reveal Himself that people might know Him but for them to get into a relationship with Him.
5. Four factors that are prerequisites to the knowledge of God:
[a] God initiated the process. Where was the creator? God came to man in the garden.
[b] God gave language in order that he might be able to communicate with fellow man and also with God. This is an area which causes a lot of trouble with the thinking evolutionist.
[c] Man was created in the image of God with free will, a mind that can think. Man is able to think in a rational way, even though man is subject to total carnality.
This means that you are unable to save yourself. However man is still fashioned in the likeness of God and has a spiritual need, we still have a reasoning mind, a will and a conscience even though it is a violated one.
[d] God gave the Holy Spirit to convict the unbeliever and convert the repentant. John 16:8‑11
6. Paul in Acts 17:22‑31 gave a message about general revelation in creation, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible as well as a couple of Greek poets, to show the Greeks that even their poets recognised general revelation. What Paul is relying on to effect their salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is relying on specific revelation as the first Christian in Athens.
You have an unknown God. Paul said. He was going to show the real God through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of those in the audience believed and were saved. There was a mixing of general and specific revelation as there were those who believed. You have to meet the pagan where they are with general revelation.. You move from general to specific revelation, from where they are to where the Cross is. This challenges the unbeliever. General revelation does not prove anything to anyone who does not want to know. It is however the basis of just condemnation of the unbeliever. In the end all will recognise God and He will get all the glory.
7. General Revelation
[a] His Glory Psalm 19:1
[b] His power to work in creating the universe Psalm 19:1
[c] His supremacy Romans 1:20[d] His divine nature Romans 1:20
[e] His providential control of nature Acts 14:17
[f] His goodness Matthew 5:45
[g] His intelligence Acts 17:29
[h] His living existence Acts 17:28
8. Results of General revelation.
[a] God's grace is displayed
[b] To give weight to the case that God exists
[c] To justly condemn rejecters.
