Grace Institute: Systematic Theology: Bibliology: Revelation

Bibliology Grace Institute for Biblical Leadership Winter 2006

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II. The Revelation of God

By definition, God is beyond human understanding (Isaiah 55:8-9). However, to the extent that God has revealed things about himself, we can indeed describe the nature of God affirmatively. Therefore all we can know about Him is what He has revealed to us. Therefore the natural starting place in our study of theology is to define and understand God's revelation to us. There are two primary categories of God's revelation: general revelation and special revelation.

A. General Revelation

General Revelation is what God has revealed about himself generally to al humanity. It is found in three primary areas:

• Nature. God reveals his character through creation.
• History. God is involved in human history. He has preserved Israel. He has entered history himself as human in the person of Jesus.
• Human constitution. All humanity has an understanding of morality and an understanding of the supernatural.

However, to what extent has God revealed himself generally? Is God's general revelation and humanity's pursuit of logic are sufficient to reach a saving faith outside of specific revelation from the church or scripture?

In Psalm 19 the Psalmist explains that the heavens and the expanse tell of God's glory and God's creativity. In Romans 1:19-20, Paul explains that the truth has been made evident within them and it has been revealed in creation to the point where they have no excuse (1:19b, 20b). Through this natural revelation, God's power and nature have been revealed. His invisible attributes, his eternal power, his divine nature have all been evident to the Gentiles (1:20).

These two passages indicate that God has indeed shown himself through his creation. While Romans 1 seems to indicate that even a fallen humanity can see God in creation, and as such they are without excuse. However Romans also states that humanity rejects this general revelation and instead worships the creation rather than the creator. It is therefore unclear from scripture whether or not a saving faith is possible outside of specific revelation. In fact, Romans 10 seems to indicate that without specific revelation, one can not be saved (“how will they believe if they have not heard.”)

What we can state affirmatively is that the truth about God is actually present within creation and that even a fallen humanity to recognize God in creation.

B. Special Revelation

1. The Word of God

However, God does not limit his self-revelation to nature. He has also provided special revelation. God has revealed himself through the Word of God. The term word in the Greek is logos , and it carries with it an expansive idea of not just language, but rationality and reason. God's self-revelation, His Word was with God at the beginning and was indeed God from the very beginning (John 1:1).

a. Characteristics of the Word of God

The special revelation through God's word has unique characteristics [1]:

• Special Revelation is Personal . God's revelation is not a set of theological truths, but a personal God presenting himself to persons.
• Special Revelation is Athropic . God's revelation comes in forms that are part of the ordinary, everyday human experience. Humans do not need to learn the language of God, for God has revealed himself in the language of humans.
• Special Revelation is Analogical . God's revelation uses language which is qualitatively the same as the underlying truth, but is limited by finite human understanding. God's revelation uses analogies, symbols and metaphors in order for us to understand his nature.

b. Manifestations of the Word of God

God has revealed his Word in three ways:

• God reveals himself by History. It is not that God is revealed in history or through history, but that historical events actually are His revelation (John 14:9).
• God reveals himself through divine speech. God has communicated directly with prophets and apostles through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
• God reveals himself through the incarnation. Jesus Christ's birth, life, words, death and resurrection are the most complete revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-2)

At a point in time and space, the Word was revealed in flesh and dwelt among us. As a result, humanity was able to see the glory, the grace and the truth of God himself (John 1:14). The ultimate revelation of God is found in the person of Jesus.

2. The Scriptures as the Word of God

According to the 20 th century theologian, Karl Barth, Jesus Christ was not only the fullness of God's Word; the Jesus is himself the only reliable source of God's Word. Barth believed that the scriptures were only valuable in so far as much as they told us about Jesus. That is, the bible itself was not God's Word, but it only pointed us to and told us about God's Word, namely Christ.

However, while indeed Jesus is the ultimate Word of God, if the scriptures are flawed, then our understanding of God's Word is also flawed. Furthermore, the Jesus himself seems to have a high view of scripture. In Matthew 5:17-19, he states that He has come as a fulfillment of the scriptures, and that the scriptures will endure. In fact, Jesus uses the term “word of God” synonymously with the Scriptures throughout the Bible (John 10:35).

Jesus expounds on scripture. He defends scripture. He uses scripture to prove His teaching. Clearly, Jesus believed the bible to also be God's Word. According to the Word of God in flesh, the Word of God also is found in the scriptures. This begins our basis for the study of the bible, or Bibliology.

Footnotes

1. Millard J. Erickson. Christian Theology . (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Books, 2002), 177ff.

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