Don Stewart :: How Has the God of Scripture Revealed Himself to Humanity?

How Has the God of Scripture Revealed Himself to Humanity?

Does the God of the Bible Exist? – Question 27

The Bible says that the living God has revealed Himself to humanity in four different ways. They include: nature, our conscience, Jesus Christ, and the Bible. We will briefly explain each of them as follows.

1. Nature Has Revealed God

The universe with its vastness and complexity gives testimony to God and His glory. The Bible says the following.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have set in place—what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? (Psalm 8:3, 4 NLT)

The earth testifies of the glory of God.

In the writings of the prophet Isaiah we are told that the seraphim, winged creatures in God’s service, praised the Lord as follows.

They called out to one another, “The Lord who leads armies has absolute sovereign authority! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!” (Isaiah 6:3 NET)

They also recognize that the entire earth gives evidence to the glory of God.

The Bible also says that the testimony from nature to God’s existence leaves humanity without any excuses. We read the following in the Book of Romans.

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 NET)

The witness of nature is to every one in every place. His power is there for all to see.

Therefore the Bible says that God has revealed Himself through nature. The witness of creation serves as a continuous testimony to God’s existence. Everything that exists in our physical world testifies to the existence of God.

2. Our Conscience Tells Us That God Exists

God has also revealed Himself through the human conscience. Each of us has an inner sense or awareness that tells us that there is a God who exists. Indeed, all societies have a certain moral code built into them in which stealing, lying, murder, and such are universally condemned. Humanity’s sense of right and wrong testifies to God’s existence. The Apostle Paul wrote of this in his letter to the Romans. He said,

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them... (Romans 2:14, 15 NASB)

The conscience, or inner sense, tells us there are such things as right and wrong, good and evil. It also tells us that someone put this sense in our hearts: God. Everyone is aware of God’s existence through nature and the human conscience.

3. Jesus Christ Has Revealed God

God has also revealed Himself to the world through the Person of Jesus Christ. The Book of Hebrews begins by stating the following.

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. (Hebrews 1:1, 2 NLT)

While God had revealed Himself in various ways and to various people during the Old Testament period, His ultimate revelation of Himself to the human race was through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Himself testified that He had come to earth to reveal the will of God the Father. We read about this in Matthew’s gospel. He said,

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27 NET)

Jesus came to let us know what God is like.

In the Gospel of John we are told that Jesus came to our earth to make God the Father known to us. John wrote,

No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. (John 1:18 NET)

Because of Jesus Christ, we can know what God is like.

The Bible also says that one cannot know God the Father except through God the Son. This truth is stated elsewhere in Scripture.

No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:23 NIV)

Scripture is clear. God the Father can only be known through God the Son. There is no other way in which He can be known.

4. The Scriptures Testify of God’s Existence

God also has revealed Himself through the written Word, the Scriptures. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to humankind. The Scripture says of itself,

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16 NRSV)

The Bible is humanity’s only source for our knowledge of God and His plan for us. It records sufficient information so that we can know who God is and what He expects from us. In the Bible we have everything which we need in our quest for knowledge about God.

Thus, God has given the human race ample opportunity to know about Him by means of nature, the human conscience, Jesus Christ, and through the Bible. We have no excuse whatsoever for rejecting God.

Summary – Question 27
How Has the God of Scripture Revealed Himself to Humanity?

The God of the Bible has revealed Himself to the human race in four major ways. They are nature, the human conscience, the Person of Jesus Christ, and finally in the Bible. Each of these methods testifies to His existence. Humanity has no excuse whatsoever for rejecting Him.

Nature shows us that a majestic Creator has intelligently formed the universe and put it together in an intricate way. Everywhere we find nature testifying to God’s existence and greatness.

Our human conscience lets us know that there are such things as right and wrong, good and evil. This inner sense testifies to a God who has put this in the human heart. He has left His mark on our conscience.

While these first two lines of evidence testify that some God does exist, it is only through the revelation of God Himself that we know who this God is. Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth to let us know what God is like. Indeed, if one wants to know truths about the God who exists, then one only needs to look at Jesus Christ. The Bible says that He has explained God.

Finally, there is God’s written Word, the Bible. It contains the records of God’s dealings with humanity. It provides sufficient information about God so that we know who He is, how we relate to Him, as well as what He expects from us.

Consequently, God has provided to the human race with sufficient evidence to believe in Him as well as to be able to know how we should act toward Him. We, therefore, do not have any excuse.