Sermon Tone Analysis

! 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.