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More Functions of General Revelation
This first point I. in the lecture continues right off the Functions of General Revelation from the prior lecture.
- Does General Revelation Provide Saving Knowledge?
- Controversial question: Can general revelation lead to a redemptive knowledge of God, not just knowledge of God as Creator before whom one is guilty?
- View (e.g., Jack Cottrell):
The Bible nowhere teaches that a person can be saved from sin and condemnation through his response to the light of creation alone. General revelation simply does not give us any knowledge of redemption or of the redeemer. … Does this mean [people] are condemned on account of their ignorance? Not at all. This would be very unjust. True, they do not know the Gospel, but they are not condemned for not knowing the Gospel. Why then are they condemned? Because they do know general revelation and have not lived up to it. They do know God, and they do know that they should honor him as God and give him thanks, but they do not do this. This is why they are condemned. Not because of what they are ignorant of, but because of what they know. That they have not heard the Gospel is besides the point. When a person is condemned for his abuse of general revelation, the condemnation is just. General revelation grows solely out of the work of creation. It is a revelation of God as Creator, not God as Redeemer. It speaks to man as creature, not to man as sinner. This is how it was intended to function from the beginning, and this is how it still functions. From the beginning man has been able to respond either positively or negatively to this revelation. By responding positively, man is able to avoid condemnation. By responding negatively man comes under God’s just condemnation. The fact is that mankind uniformly responds negatively and thus all are without excuse…^[Jack Cottrell, What the Bible Says about God the Creator (Joplin, Mo.: College Press, 1983), pp. 341-346.]
- Purpose of general revelation is to provide knowledge of God’s grandeur and power, not redemptive knowledge.
- People are condemned for rejecting the light they do have (general revelation), not for ignorance of the Gospel.
- Nuance/Refinement:
- Cottrell concedes that responding positively to general revelation man is able to avoid condemnation.
- This doesn’t mean salvation by works, but potentially accessing Christ’s salvation without conscious knowledge of Christ.
Rom 2.7 7 to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life,
- This is possible, as shown by Old Testament saints (Abraham, Moses, David) who were saved through Christ’s atonement without knowing him explicitly. Further, it is not simply a “looking forward to the Messiah” as there were not Messianic prophecies for very early Jews prior to the prophets (Abraham).
- Examples of non-Jews in the Old Testament (Job, Melchizedek, Abimelech) suggest it is possible for those outside Israel to be rightly related to God based on the light they had (though potentially involving special revelation too, such as communication or dreams).
- Conclusion: While possible to avoid condemnation via general revelation, tragically, few seem to do so.
Rom 1.32 32 who, although they^[Here "although" is supplied as a component of the participle ("know") which is understood as concessive] know the requirements of God, that those who do such things are worthy of death, not only do they do the same things, but also they approve of those who do them.
Point I. in this lecture serves as the third point to the functions of General Revelation in the previous lecture:
Transclude of 01-Introduction-to-General-Revelation#^020e45
C. To provide access to salvation & prepare people for the Gospel (Praeparatio Evangelicum): While not universally saving, general revelation opens a potential path to avoid condemnation for those without access to the Gospel.
- It helps fulfill the prerequisite of believing God exists (Hebrews 11:6).
Heb 11.6 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him.
- Pondering creation can logically lead towards a Creator, opening the mind and heart to further revelation.
- It makes people more receptive and disposed to believe the Gospel when they hear it.
Discussion
- Q1: Can people today who haven’t heard the Gospel avoid condemnation by responding to general revelation? A: Yes, this possibility exists for those who have no access to the Gospel, finding themselves in a situation qualitatively similar to pre-Christian people, judged based on their response to the light they have.
- Q2: How does God judge those who have only heard a distorted version of Christianity? A: God is just and will judge based on the light the person did have (at least general revelation). Rejecting a distorted view is not rejecting Christ.
- Q3: Is this possibility of salvation via general revelation (like OT saints) still relevant after Christ’s coming and the provision of Special Revelation? Does this sound like Catholic “implicit faith”? A: The question is whether the transition from pre-Christ to post-Christ is instantaneous globally or gradual as the Gospel spreads. The latter seems more likely, placing the unevangelized qualitatively in a situation akin to those before Christ, despite the existence of Special Revelation elsewhere.
- Q4: How does this possibility reconcile with Romans 10 (“faith comes by hearing,” necessity of preaching)? A: While possible, salvation through general revelation is rare. Romans 10 underscores the desperate need for the Gospel because general revelation lacks the clarity and power to bring salvation for the mass of humanity. Evangelism is essential because most will only be saved by hearing the Gospel.
- Q5: If someone responds positively to general revelation, is it your belief that God will supernaturally provide more light (special revelation) to them? A: That is another view on the problem of the unevangelized: if a person seeks God based on general revelation, God will respond by providing further revelation (dreams, missionaries, etc.). This issue will be revisited when discussing Christian particularism. 🕰️
- Q6: Are figures like Cornelius (Acts 10, God-fearer before Peter came) and Lydia (Acts 16, worshiped God before hearing Paul) examples of God working through those responding to general revelation leading to special revelation? A: Yes, these are good examples of God responding to those who were already seeking Him based on the light they had and sending them the Gospel.
These questions make me want to look up and reconcile this with something I remember Heiser talking about with the Acts passage about the times before when they were passed over, but now are culpable? 🌱
- Q7: Does Romans 1’s description of denying the Creator apply to modern atheism and evolutionism? A: Yes, contemporary atheism, especially naturalism which denies a Creator behind the universe and often rejects objective moral standards, mirrors the suppression of truth described in Romans 1. Denying creation implies denying God and therefore everything that follows.
- Q8: Could figures like Melchizedek, or modern seekers, be receiving special revelation even before the Gospel? Was Melchizedek a theophany?
A: Yes, God can provide special revelation outside of written Scripture (dreams, encounters). Regarding Melchizedek being a theophany (pre-incarnate Christ) based on Hebrews 7:3, Dr. Craig notes that the description might mean his lineage/origin isn’t mentioned in the Genesis narrative, rather than literal eternal existence, although the theophany view is held by some.
Now a fourth function for General Revelation:
D. To stabilize human society: The implanted moral law (conscience) provides a basis for mutual agreement on human worth and social functioning. This prevents societal breakdown into chaos (“every man for himself”).^f2e942
Discussion (Social Impact)
- Q9: Does this moral conscience, based on fear of the heavens (an abstract concept in some cultures), divide humanity into those with obedient versus rebellious consciences? Could this be why Jesus divides? A: Yes, the moral law in conscience contributes to a social fabric. in Confucianist (pre-communist Chinese) society, there was the idea of heaven, this vague idea of divinity, but that was done away with. Now adays there are even some non-Christians recognize the need for such a social fabric, and recognizing how Christianity provides the best moral foundation for society, especially after the decline of traditional/secular frameworks.