Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

Lesson 7 Necessity

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

The difference betweennatural

andspecial

revelation

revelation

The term, The term, natural revelation natural revelation refers to God’s providential refers to God’s providential act of self-disclosure in the act of self-disclosure in the natural world. natural world.

Psalm 19:1-2 Psalm 19:1-2 The heavens are The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.to night reveals knowledge.

Romans 1:19-20 …that which is Romans 1:19-20 …that which is known about God is evident within known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been understood through what has been made….made….

Acts 14:16-17 Acts 14:16-17 He did not leave He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons….heaven and fruitful seasons….

The term, special revelation refers to

God’s providential

act of self- disclosure through special, even miraculous, means.

Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple….

Romans 10:14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

Acts 14:15 Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God….

Natural revelation is not sufficient in itself to bring anyone to salvation.

Apart from God’s special act of self-disclosure in the Bible, it would be impossible to know the details of his will or come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

A Working Definition

The Potential of Natural Revelation

-The Physical World-Logic-Morality

As we look at the world around usAs we look at the world around us

our natural conclusion is to assume that it has been made by Someone.

As we consider the way our minds work, we ought to conclude that there is some kind of superior Rationality at work in the universe.

As we consider the way our minds work, we ought to conclude that there is some kind of superior Rationality at work in the universe.

The fact that we have consciences that dictate right and wrong points to a moral code outside of ourselves.

The Limitations of Natural Revelation

Jeremiah 17:9-10 Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart The heart is more deceitful than all else is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? can understand it?

Romans 10:17Romans 10:17 So faith comes So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.the word of Christ.

The Result of Natural Revelation

Romans 1:18-19 Romans 1:18-19 For the wrath of For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is which is known about God is evident within them; for God made evident within them; for God made it evident to them.it evident to them.

The purpose of special revelation is to . . .

. . . instruct humanity more carefully about God.

Leviticus 11:44 For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.

Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.

Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those … who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood….

1 John 4:8 …God is love

Exodus 20:5-6 I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Malachi 3:6 For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The purpose of special revelation is to . . .

. . . empower humanity to please God through his Son.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Peter 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification.

Ephesians 1:4 He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

Only the Scriptures can lead us into the absolutely necessary truths about God’s forgiveness of us in Jesus Christ.

The Necessity of Scripture