By Pastor Dave Farmer
Before we start this final article on general revelation, I thought we should briefly review what we have covered. Revelation is a special word used in this study to describe the work of God. It is the activity of God whereby He communicates truth to man about His Presence, His Person, and His Plan.
There are two kinds of revelation, general and special. In general revelation, God reveals Himself to us through His WORKS. In special revelation, God reveals Himself to us through His WORD. The Bible is a special revelation from God. We are studying general revelation first not only because it logically precedes special revelation, but because the two go together.
One of the most magnificent WORKS of God is the creation of the universe. The message of creation is that God is awesome in power and wisdom. Whenever I ponder God's creative activities, my mind leads me to a hymn. I can hear George Beverly Shea singing, "How Great Thou Art."
O Lord My God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hands have made.
I see the stars; I hear the mighty thunder.
Thy Power throughout the universe displayed.
How great Thou art!
Now our final topic is on the purpose and limitation of general revelation.
THE PURPOSE OF GENERAL REVELATION
The purpose is to bring us to an awareness of God. General Revelation is part of the redemptive process. It provides a little light but is not THE LIGHT. It says God is the Creator; it does not say He is Savior. As Dr. Thiessen says:
It has for its object the supplying of the natural need of man and the persuasion of the soul to seek after the true God. To incite man to search for a fuller revelation of God and his plan of salvation and that it constitutes a general call of God to man to turn to Him. (Thiessen, page 32,33) 1
The Scriptures tell us that "Man is created in the image and likeness of God" (Genesis 1: 26, 27) Without going into an analysis of this crucial and important statement, let's confine ourselves to several brief remarks. First, man's basic relationship is upward not downward. God created human nature with the capacity to respond to Him, and our separation from Him causes a inward need, as Paul put it:
And He made from one (Adam and Eve) every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope (an inner craving or desire inherent in our being) for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:27)
The picture Paul paints is one where we are in a dark room reaching out with our hands, feeling our way along the wall, looking for the light switch. We know there is a light switch somewhere in the room. Where is it? The witnesses of general revelation are at work drawing us to the Light.
The light which God graciously provides requires a response. We are to move toward Him. Yet, you and I well know that not everyone seeks after the true and living God. If God is there, why are there atheists? It is not because He cannot be found; it is because they choose not to look for Him. Paul talks about those who have rejected this light. In Romans 1:18,19:
For the anger of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and the unrighteousness of men WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH ... Because what is known about the God is revealed inside of them for the God has revealed it unto them.
They stand guilty before God because they knew the truth about the existence of God, but they suppressed it. The culture Paul is writing about is an atheistic culture. They said in their hearts, "There is no God." Their denial of the existence of God was not derived from the fact they could not find God, as if they looked but couldn't find him. No! No! Their rejection of the truth followed after they faced the truth of His existence. So the purpose of general revelation is to provide us with sufficient light about God to make us responsible. Accountability is taught. Man at the point of God consciousness becomes accountable to God for what he does with that knowledge. If we reject the truth, we are without excuse before God. There are only three possible exceptions:
Ignorance
This could only be an excuse if the witness about God is not clear. Then man cannot be held responsible.
Unattainable
If the witness about God is unattainable, then man cannot be held accountable. If there are areas unreached by the witness, pockets of darkness without light, then man has an excuse.
Unimpressive
If the witness is not sufficient in its power to roll back the shadows of darkness, if it cannot lift the veil of blindness, if it is too weak to provide light, then man has an excuse. The Bible says there is knowledge! It is clear, obtainable, and impressive. There can be no excuse. "Some suppress the truth and grovel at the foot of an idol. Others suppress the truth and worship at the shrine of an idea. Yet, all come to the truth. " 2
THE LIMITATIONS OF GENERAL REVELATION
Is the knowledge that general revelation provides sufficient to save? If I believe that God exists, is this sufficient for me to enter heaven? The knowledge we gain from general revelation is not unto salvation because it does not reveal Christ. For instance, creation does not reveal to me "that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
There is nothing wrong with general revelation. It speaks eloquently about that which it speaks, but it does not present the Gospel. It neither gives nor suggests Christ is the only Savior. Rather, it signals to all men everywhere that" God exists and this truth is to awaken that natural desire within us to know Him. Man knows within himself that he is more than the dust that surrounds him. Primitive man, Cultured man, Modem man, Eastern man, Western man, all have a testimony that says, "Man is more than what our theories explain." (Schaeffer, Vol 4, page 268) 3 We believe that there is nothing wrong with the witness of creation or the other great witnesses of general revelation. The problem lies within man. It is not a mental problem. It is a moral problem.
ENDNOTES
1 Thiessen, Henry C. Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology. 9th Ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968.
2 Phillips, John. Exploring Romans. Chicago: Moody Monthly, 1969
3 Schaeffer, Francis A. The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer. 2nd Ed. Vol.2 Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1991.