2. Revelation
Due to the “particular nature of God” and the sinful state of humans, those who believe that we can find God by our own efforts and seeking are doomed to failure (13 & 12); as it is said in the Bible, the “world by wisdom knew not God” (1Cor. 1: 21). Martyn Lloyd Jones believes, “our only hope of knowing God truly is that he should be graciously pleased to reveal Himself to us, and the Christian teaching is that God has done that” (13).
What is revelation? “Revelation is the act by which God communicates to humans beings the truth concerning Himself, His nature, works, will or purpose, and it also includes the unveiling of all this—the drawing back of the veil that conceals this, in order that we may see it” (13). And there are “general revelation” and “special revelation.”
General revelation includes a) Creation and Nature—“Everything that has been made is in itself a revelation of God” (14), b). Providence—“the ordering of things in this world, their maintenance, their sustenance, and the fact that everything keeps on going and continues in life” (14), c). History. General revelation ought to be enough because Paul says, “They are without excuse” (Romans 1.20). However, that has not been enough because of “sin” (14).
Special revelation includes a). theophany, b). “direct speech,” c). “miracles and signs and wonders,” d). “visions and dreams,” e). “inspiration.”
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