What The Bible Teaches
Unit 1
Who is God?

Lesson 3
Does God Make Himself Known?

Last week we studied the logical arguments for God’s existence and then discussed why men do not “find” God’s existence in these arguments.  Further, we discovered that those who might seek God from one of the logical arguments still will not uncover the God of Scripture.  More is needed to truly find and know God.  In one sense this “more” is faith, for as Paul writes, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God [Christ].” (Romans 10:17).  But, what is this word of God?

God has a personal side.  We don’t often think of Him in this fashion.  Remember, however, that God the Father “so loved the world . . .”  The Trinity, which we will study in more detail next week, demonstrates that God continually communicates with Himself as One Person of the Trinity talks to the other. 

Getting Attention

Is there a standard of truth in the world today?  Should there be one?  Why should thoughtful people ask the question, Does God make Himself known?  Why be concerned about the reliability of information you receive?  Especially in the realm of religion?

Knowing and Understanding the Bible

Man is made in the image of God.  This suggests, among other things, that mankind communicates amongst themselves (boy, do we!) and mankind has the ability to communicate with God, although, this is better stated as saying that God communicates with mankind. 

If God chose, He would not have to reveal Himself to men.  In fact, this is the basis of the false teaching known as Deism.  As we will see from today’s lesson’s God has chosen to communicate with mankind.  The personal relationships among men and women somehow picture the existence of personality in God.  God made us to have a personal, loving relationship with Him.  To maintain such a relationship, it is necessary that God communicates with us.

There are two methods of communication which God has used.  We call these General and Special.

General Revelation

General Revelation is sometimes called “natural” revelation.  While this is a true description, in today’s world, the description of “natural” has come to mean something different than what most biblical scholars meant in the past.  Today a “natural” revelation means that one believes nature rules, pointing to the belief of evolution.  Thus, it is best to always use General Revelation as the description for God’s communication with the entire world.

God’s General Revelation may be found in Creation, Mankind, and the Conscience.

Creation

Psalm 19 (NKJV)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

No other Old Testament passage speaks to God’s Revelation better than Psalm 19.  This segment immediately speaks of Creation.  One needs to only look to the sky to see the glory and power of God.

2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.

The power and glory of God are present both during the sun light of day and the moon light of night.  This points to a constant display of God’s declarations and revelations.  No matter when man looks to Creation, he should see God.

3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.

Verse 3 clearly states that God is present every where, at all times.  The voice of Creation speaks to all people in all places.  Just as Paul writes in Romans that there is no partiality with God (Rom 2:9), so, too, Creation itself states this important fact.  All men have the capacity and means of seeing God.  As Paul wrote in Romans 1:20, mankind is without excuse.

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. 6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

These verses emphasize the same thoughts.  God has distributed His General Revelation to the ends of Creation.  The message of God’s power, glory, and majesty stretch to the very limits of earth.  If the Psalmist were writing today, he could speak of the vastness of the universe and the wonders found in the stars.

We have already considered the parallel passages in Romans where Paul echoes these same thoughts.  All cultures at all times have received this General Revelation from God and have the knowledge that God’s wrath is at work in the world (Rom 1:18-20).  Mankind, as we have seen, has chosen to suppress the truth of Creation’s knowledge (Rom 1:21-32).  Mankind is without excuse before God. 

Acts 14:17 (NKJV)
17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

Mankind

Genesis 1:26-28 (NKJV)
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

This is one of the most comforting passages in all of Scripture.  Man is created in the image of God.  This concept carries a huge amount of meaning.  Men and women reflect and reveal something about God.  The way men and women are formed and interact reveals things about God.  If we accept that we are made in the image of God, then we will discover much about God within our own relationships and actions.

Men and women are personal beings made in the image of God (Gen 1:27)

Mankind is rational

Colossians 3:10 (NKJV)
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Mankind is moral

Ephesians 4:24 (NKJV)
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

The human race reflects God’s sovereignty and rule as mankind exercises dominion over Creation (Gen 1:26, 28).  Mankind is fallen in sin, but the image of God has not disappeared.  It is tarnished, but this image is still present.  Men and women are part of God’s Creation and reveal much about God in the same fashion as the stars in the heavens.  A close review of the Scriptures will reveal many other traits that reflect God’s image. 

Can you suggest a few?

Conscience

This is another aspect of mankind that has been tarnished by sin.  Movies such as Pinocchio have made us believe that our conscience provides a direct communication to good or bad.  We have a cricket, or an angel, or a devil, or someone sitting on our shoulders helping us direct our paths. 

This is a completely incorrect view of the conscience.

The Greek word we translate as conscience means “awareness.”  It is derived from a word which means to “understand, perceive, or comprehend.”  The biblical definition of conscience points to the rational capacity of a person to evaluate their own behavior.  This is the ability to think through the moral correctness and implications of their actions.  This requires rational actions.  This is part of being made in the image of God.

This process requires a basis for decision making.  Sin can damage this capacity and cause it to be less accurate.  The more sinful thoughts one places into one’s memory banks, the less accurate becomes one’s conscience to guide a person along biblical decisions. 

Romans 2:15 (NKJV)
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

1 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV)
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

2 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV)
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

1 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV)
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

1 Corinthians 8:7 (NKJV)
7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Because you do not walk close enough to God, your conscience will not act as a direct pathway to God’s Will for your life.  Conscience is not Special Revelation.  Conscience exists in all people.

Implications

“So what” you might ask.  What does General Revelation mean for me?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV)
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts,

God has placed a part of Himself within every person ever born.  Man is made in the image of God.  Thus, mankind has parts of God within him.  God has placed eternity in the heart of man.  This “God spark” somehow points all men to Creation, to General Revelation, saying to them “God exists and you should be seeking Him.”  Mankind is without an excuse for desiring to seek God.

However, General Revelation cannot reveal all there is to know about God.  There is not enough information within General Revelation to allow mankind to form a personal relationship with God.  For this, we need Special Revelation.

Special Revelation

God makes Himself know throughout history in a variety of ways.  He had a special relationship with Adam and Eve.  He spoke directly to men such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David.  He spoke through signs and miracles to Pharaoh and the nation of Israel.  He spoke to the prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New Testament.  In particular this Special Revelation has taken on two important forms.

Scripture

God has given us the Bible. 

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJV)
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

It is important to understand that God did not provide all of this written information at one time.  It took 40 authors over 1600 years to write the messages of Scripture.  The Bible has not been accessible to all men at all times, just as today it is still not accessible to all people.  Yet, our task, to the extent we can each individually accomplish it, is to spread the Gospel message of the Bible. 

Psalm 19 speaks of the importance of God’s Word.

God’s Word is perfect and flawless.  Thus, God’s Word converts the soul and makes the wise simple. -- 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

God’s Word is it right, bringing joy to the heart and understanding to one’s eyes -- 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

God’s Word is the pathway to God.  “Fear” as used in Scripture means reverence, awe, and respect.  It is sometimes used as a syonym for God’s Law.  Thus, Solomon writes that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10).  God’s Word is designed to bring this fear into the heart of a person so that they will desire to seek God and become wise.  God’s Word is clean, true and righteous, more precious than gold. -- 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Obedience to God’s Word is great reward and His Word will cleanse us of our faults and errors.  God’s Word is the pathway to blamelessness.-- 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ

The second Special Revelation is Jesus.

John 1:1 (NKJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 (NKJV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Consider how personal the Bible paints the appearance of Jesus on earth.  God’s purpose for becoming human is to show men a picture of God, to show men how a sinless person acts, and to provide the perfect sacrifice to appease the wrath of God, providing the pathway of salvation and the defeat of Satan, death, and sin.  This event shows how personal God views His Creation.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

No other religion or religious teaching has a god who has performed such a personal action.  Jesus is the express image of God (Heb 1:3).  Those who have seen Jesus have seen the Father (John 14:9).  The God of the Bible, the Christian God, has shown Himself to care enough about His Creation, that He became a part of it in order to reveal Himself to mankind.

Conclusion

Consider the real implications of Special Revelation.  God has revealed Himself in the pages of the Bible so that men of all ages will understand Him.  God has shown Himself in the flesh, a personal move undertaken by no other religious belief.  All other “gods” are too impersonal and uncaring about their creation to appear in the form of mankind.  Only Jesus cares enough about you to undertake the true steps necessary to save you from your sins.  And consider further . . .

Luke 24:27 (NKJV)
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

John 5:39 (NKJV)
39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

There is a sense in which all special revelation is the same.  The story of the Bible is the story of Jesus.  Special revelation is unique because it alone gives us the divine plan of salvation.

2 Timothy 3:15 (NKJV)
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV)
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

Applying and Practicing the Word of God

Has God made Himself known to you personally?

What should you do about this?

Others cannot know God personally unless they hear the Gospel message.

Romans 10:14-17 (NKJV)
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Psalmist concludes Psalm 19 with a plea for acceptance.  This is what we are all seeking.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.