General Revelation and Natural Theology: Foundations with R.C. Sproul

Summary

This lecture delves into the concept of revelation in Christianity, emphasizing that faith is based on divine revelation, not speculative philosophy. The speaker explores the difference between general and special revelation, highlighting how God reveals Himself through nature to all people. General revelation is accessible to everyone and provides a general understanding of God's power and deity, while special revelation offers specific knowledge, such as the gospel. The distinction between natural revelation and natural theology is also discussed, with the latter examining how humans interpret and understand God's revelation through nature.

Takeaways

• 😀 Christianity is a revealed faith, based on truth that comes directly from God, not speculative philosophy.
• 😀 Revelation is the process by which God makes Himself known, removing the veil that hides Him from human perception.
• 😀 There are two main types of revelation: **general revelation** and **special revelation**. General revelation is available to all, while special revelation is more detailed and specific, found in Scripture.
• 😀 God is the ultimate source of all truth, and all human knowledge ultimately depends on His divine revelation, much like light is necessary for sight.
• 😀 St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas emphasized that without God's revelation, human beings would not have the capacity to know anything.
• 😀 General revelation is accessible to everyone, revealing God's eternal power and deity through nature, conscience, and moral awareness.
• 😀 General revelation provides a general knowledge of God but does not give detailed theological truths, such as the atonement or resurrection, which are only found in special revelation.
• 😀 Natural revelation (synonym for general revelation) refers to how God reveals Himself through nature, while **natural theology** refers to the human response to this revelation.
• 😀 The Bible asserts that everyone has access to general revelation, but due to human sinfulness, this revelation is often suppressed or ignored.
• 😀 In Romans 1, Paul says that God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen in creation, leaving humanity without excuse for rejecting God.
• 😀 The distinction between **intellectual** knowledge and **personal** knowledge is important: while general revelation gives intellectual knowledge of God's power, intimate spiritual knowledge requires special revelation and the Holy Spirit.

Q & A

What is the foundational assertion of the Christian faith according to the transcript?

The foundational assertion is that the truth embraced by Christians comes from God Himself through revelation, not from human speculation or philosophy.

How does the transcript define 'revelation'?

Revelation is defined as a making plain, unfolding, or clarifying of what is hidden, specifically the disclosure of God to humanity.

What is the distinction between general revelation and special revelation?

General revelation is God's self-revelation to all people through nature and conscience, revealing His power and deity. Special revelation is more specific, detailed knowledge provided through scripture, such as God’s plan of salvation and Christ’s atonement.

Why is general revelation also called 'natural revelation'?

General revelation is called natural revelation because it is the revelation God gives through nature, making His attributes visible in the created world.

What analogy does St. Augustine use to explain the necessity of divine revelation?

St. Augustine compares human perception to vision: just as the eyes need light to see physical objects, human understanding requires divine revelation to perceive truth.

How does the transcript differentiate between natural revelation and natural theology?

Natural revelation refers to the act of God revealing Himself through nature, while natural theology refers to the human knowledge or understanding derived from that revelation.

What is the scriptural basis for general revelation mentioned in the transcript?

Romans 1:18-20 is cited, showing that God's invisible attributes, eternal power, and deity are clearly seen through creation, leaving humanity without excuse for unbelief.

How does the transcript explain the apparent contradiction between Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians regarding knowledge of God?

The contradiction is resolved by understanding that the verb 'to know' has different meanings: Romans 1 refers to cognitive knowledge of God through nature, while 1 Corinthians refers to deeper, intimate spiritual knowledge, which humans cannot have apart from the Holy Spirit.

According to the transcript, why can't general revelation provide detailed knowledge of salvation?

General revelation reveals God's eternal power and deity but does not provide specific knowledge about Christ, the atonement, or the resurrection, which are revealed only through scripture as special revelation.

What role does conscience play in general revelation?

Conscience is an inward aspect of general revelation, as God plants a sense of right and wrong in every human being, allowing knowledge of Him even if a person cannot perceive the physical universe.

How does the transcript address skepticism about learning truth empirically versus through revelation?

It argues that even empirical knowledge depends on God’s revelation, as humans can only understand nature because God has made knowledge itself possible, analogous to how vision requires light.