God reveals himself to us—his revealing is a “revelation”.
General revelation, also known as natural revelation, refers to knowledge about God through natural means, such as the observation of nature, philosophy and reasoning.
In chapters 11 and 12, the authors explain three main means of general revelation: through God’s creation, our conscience, and philosophy and science.
In chapter 13, the authors distinguishes general revelation and natural theology, which is “a system of beliefs about God built entirely by human observation of the natural world and logical reasoning”. While God does reveal himself by his creation (natural world), and through philosophy and science (logical reasoning), the authors caution that natural theology restricts God by the construct of human thinking.
God reveals himself through his creation
General revelation is indicated in Psalm 19:1-4:
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.General revelation is also taught in Roman 1:19-20, by which the authors parse to explain how God reveals himself by his creation.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.Creation reveals God in a limited manner: “for what can be known about God”. Peter Martyr Vermigli explains that “there are many divine mysteries that we cannot reach naturally, such as that God would justify us freely, [and] forgive our sins through Christ crucified”.
Creation reveals God in an open and plain manner: “is plain to them”. There is no “secret code for mathematicians or physicists to discover that proves God’s existence”.
Creation reveals God according to his will: “because God has shown it to them”. God initiates to reveal himself. “God works to cause people to see his glory in order to call them to repentance and worship”.
Creation reveals the invisible God: “for his invisible attributes … have been clearly perceived”. Our perception and understanding of God’s general revelation will require the use of our senses and mind.
Creation reveals God’s divine nature: “his eternal power and divine nature”. God’s creation does not merely demonstrate his existence, but also his attributes.
Creation has revealed God throughout history: “ever since the creation of the world”. From Genesis to the present day, “God continually acts to display his divine attributes”.
All of creation reveals God: “in the things that have been made”. Unlike special revelation through God’s words, appearances or miracles, God’s general revelation is through his creation.
God reveals himself through our conscience
We bear the image of God. We are created in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). “Like God, we are personal and self-conscious … human excellence is evidenced in man’s skill in agriculture, architecture, animal husbandry, music, technology and poetry” (Genesis 4:2, 17, 20-24). “We encounter God’s general revelation not only in pristine wilderness and broad oceans but also in city streets, gardens, factories, libraries, kitchens, offices, and many other aspects of the world shaped by human culture”.
God reveals himself through our conscience. Our moral awareness points to God. Cicero said that “law is highest reason, implanted in nature, which orders those things that ought to be done and prohibits the opposite … we have been born for justice and that right has been established not by opinion but by nature”. We cannot escape our conscience without ceasing to be human. Paul explains in Romans 2:14-15:
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse themGod reveals himself through philosophy and science
As “all knowledge and skill come from the Lord”, the authors explain that philosophy and science can reveal God.
God reveals himself through philosophy. “Theologians from all traditions have generally affirmed and employed principles of thoughtful analysis and logical argument held in common with unbelievers”. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1.6) says that “God has revealed his will not only in the explicit statements of Scripture, but also in what by ‘good and necessary consequence may be deducted from Scripture”.
God reveals himself through science. “A Christian approach to science must begin with recognizing that it is a specialized form of human philosophy. Science does not merely report on empirical patterns but attempts to formulate a view of reality (metaphysics) accordingly to which our minds (epistemology) and direct our lives (ethics)”. Vern Poythress explains that “scientists must believe in scientific laws, regular patterns in the natural world that act as if they have the attributes of omnipresence (in all places), eternity (at all times), immutability (without change), omnipotence (ruling all things), and rationality (expressible in logical, humanly understandable language or symbols). These attributes of scientific laws reflect the attributes of God.
This article is part of a series on systematic theology, based upon the first of four volumes of Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley.
