Loyal Heart Ministries

I do not see clearly anymore. An optometrist confirmed that my eyes are not as strong as a few years ago. Thankfully, a pair of prescription glasses assists me in reading. I love these glasses. The words on the screen or page are larger and clearer than without them. This experience is a good analogy to keep in mind when thinking about general and specific revelation. To make the most of both types of revelation some important questions need to be answered. What is the difference between the authority of the Bible and the authority of general revelation? Is the knowledge we have from general revelation as important as God’s revelation in Scripture? How should be think about these for the purposes of evangelism and discipleship?

First, we should put together some basic differences between general and special revelation. General revelation includes everything that God has revealed about Himself through natural creation, including the creation of human beings. As is true of special revelation, general revelation is given to all rational beings (namely human beings). Another name for general revelation is natural revelation because it involves the revelation of God through natural, not supernatural, means. From natural revelation springs what we may call natural theology. Natural theology is the study of what can be known on the grounds of general revelation without involving God’s special revelation of Himself through Christ and the Scriptures.¹ Of course, this does not mean that everything we know through general revelation is known apart from the Bible. Even though natural theology centers on what is naturally or generally known about God, the sufficient word of God presides over it all.

Two portions of Scripture that speak of general revelation are Psalm 19 and Romans 1. Psalm 19 speaks of general revelation in this way, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; it rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.”² David the psalmist shows in Psalm 19 that the skies, the day, the night, and even the sun glorify God in the course of their natural existences. There is much we can know about God, man, and life through the revelation of God in nature.

Another passage of Scripture is Romans 1. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.”³ In this New Testament reference to general revelation, Paul explains that from the moment of creation God’s invisible attributes were visible. In fact, these attributes of God (i.e. His power and nature) are clearly evident to all people. We know that Paul has in mind the physical creation because in verse 23 he notes that people chose to follow the darkness of sin into worshipping the creation rather than the Creator. So God has generally revealed Himself through what He has made.

But the specific question we are answering here has to do with the authority of general revelation. Since certain aspects of God are known through creation, does general revelation wield authority over people? Are human beings accountable to general revelation even though it is limited in comparison to what God has specifically revealed about Himself? Yes. Human beings are accountable to God on the basis of what is generally known about Him, as well as what is specifically known. Return for a moment to Romans 1. Notice the thrust of the passage. It is not simply about what the material world may or may not reveal about God. Instead, the thrust of the passage is the judgment of God on those who fail to worship Him in spite of what they generally know about God. Because people suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, failed to honor God and give Him thanks, and exchanged the glory of God for the glory of His creation, God revealed His wrath. In wrath, God gave all people over to the enslavement of their lusts.⁴ Why would God punish people for their rejection of general revelation if it held no authority over their lives? All people are accountable to God on the basis of general revelation.

All of this is good and true. But we must not overlook the question begged by all this talk of authority and revelation. If God’s glorious attributes are clearly seen through what has been made, why does anyone suppress the truth or exchange it for a lie? Sin has corrupted not only our wills, but our vision as well. By grace, God provides a solution to the problem of our wills through the regenerating work of His Spirit. By God’s sovereign decree, the dead hearts of sinful men are made alive so that we are able to believe. This is not all. God does not merely shake us awake from our slumber in sin. He has ordained His word as the means of waking us. He has also ordained His word as a means of sanctifying us. God can do whatever He pleases and He has pleased to give us the special revelation of His word for conversion and sanctification alike.

In His word, we have a detailed and sufficient revelation of truth about Himself, His world, and His plans for us. Though the revelation of God in creation serves an important purpose, God’s special revelation of Himself in Scripture it better. The book of Hebrews opens with the declaration, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”⁵ Beyond creation, God prominently spoke to us through His Son and through the prophets. By God’s doing, we have these words preserved in the old and new testaments. This is the reason we do not refer to the Scriptures as general revelation.

The Scriptures are special (or specific) when compared to general revelation. The Bible contains more detail and is altogether better than natural revelation. Truly, the Scriptures are sufficient. As such, by nature of their sufficiency, they carry ultimate authority. This means that the word of God is the ordained resource for understanding and interpreting all other revelation. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”⁶ The word of God has authority over general revelation and authority over all people. While we are accountable to what is known in creation, we are even more accountable to what is known in God’s word. Indeed, He has revealed even more of Himself for us to believe.

Scripture is better because we need it more than general revelation. By grace, a person may look at the creation and know somethings about God. He may see the truth of God’s eternal power and divine nature. But by God’s design, general revelation will never provide enough for that person to know God. General revelation may teach us certain things about God. Furthermore, by the special revelation in the Bible we may actually come to know God. His plan for redemption and sanctification through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is merely foreshadowed in the heavens or on the sun or in the changing of the seasons. The clear message of redemption and sanctification is written only in the Scriptures.

As seen in Romans 1, men may look at creation, suppress the truth, and interpret it wrongly. Some may say the sun is god, the stars are gods, etc. Because it only provides a dim reflection of truth, general revelation is open to this kind of wrong interpretation. The word of God, on the other hand, is not open. As a specific revelation of God, the Scriptures are in no way a matter of personal interpretation.⁷

Because of sin, our vision is corrupted. We cannot rightly understand God’s general revelation. I needed glasses to make heads or tails of the optometrist’s eye chart. Similarly, we need the Scriptures to rightly see, not only the reflection of God in creation, but also see Him face to face. What little we would know without Scripture! How could we know God? This higher authority of Scripture is reason for us to appreciate what may be known of God in nature. We ought to direct all people to see the shadows of His glory in what has been made. Even more so, we ought to love God’s word as His a special revelation of Himself. Cherishing His word, not a mere shadow, but as a sufficient and ultimate revelation of Himself.

contributed by mynameisrush.com

1. Russell Moore. Section 1: The Doctrine of Revelation. A Theology for the Church by Danny Akin. [↩]
2. Psalm 19:1-6 [↩]
3. Romans 1:18-23 [↩]
4. Romans 1:24 [↩]
5. Hebrews 1:1-2 [↩]
6. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [↩]
7. 2 Peter 1:20 [↩]