Introduction
Throughout recorded human history mankind has sought to understand how they came to live on the Earth. Humanity has lifted their heads towards the heavens and contemplated who or what has made the stars. Men and women have, for thousands of years, conveyed their deepest longings through various artistic creations and the generations have flourished through the acceptance of an objective morality. All of this is due to the general revelation of God, to and through his creation. In this paper, we will look at what general revelation is, the various sources of general revelation and make a defense of this doctrine. Through this effort, we will see that general revelation not only reveals God to the unbeliever that he may recognize his creator but also has a significant role in the life of the Christian. It is through general revelation that the Christian continually sees God and gives him praise.
What is General Revelation
Dr. R.C. Sproul defines general revelation as “God’s revelation of Himself principally through nature and through history, through the ministry of His providence to His people, and through His works of creation.”1 God’s general revelation then includes, but is not limited to, the testimony of Himself in nature, the revealing of Himself in the heart of man, and his providential hand throughout history. The apostle Paul speaks of the general revelation of God in Romans 1:19–20, where he writes, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world.”
Herman Bavinck, in The Wonderful Works of God, explains the impact of general revelation on the believer saying, “In the light of the knowledge of God, which he owes to Christ, he lets his eyes linger on nature and on history, on heaven and on earth, then he discovers traces everywhere of the same God whom he has learned to know and to worship in Christ as his Father” (21).2 From those references we see that general revelation carries with it a two-fold purpose. First, it leaves mankind without excuse for our rebellion against God. “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom 1:21[English Standard Version]). Second, it reveals to man the reality of our Creator and his truth, beauty, and goodness.
Immediate General Revelation
General revelation is divided into two main categories each with their own sources. The first of those categories is immediate general revelation.3 This is the revelation God gives directly to the heart of man and it is due to immediate revelation that man has a conscience and is aware of the boundaries of his conscience. Through this revelation God gives man the ability to know what is right and to know when he fails to do that which is right. Immediate revelation also gives man “the sense of Deity” as John Calvin called it which constantly reminds man “that there is a God, and that he is their Maker, [that man] may be condemned by their own conscience when they neither worship him nor consecrate their lives to his service” (22).4
The Revelation of God in The Heart of Man
The main source of immediate general revelation is the revelation of God in the heart of man. Man gets angry when he perceives something to be an injustice and he is filled with joy when his children treat others well. Man feels guilt when he treats others in a way he would not want to be treated and is grateful when another puts his needs above their own. While there is disagreement on precisely what right and wrong is, mankind does not question the reality that right and wrong do exist.
Similarly, man may disagree on the source of this universal knowledge, but none will argue that this knowledge is there. Man’s knowledge of a universal morality, an acceptance of right and wrong, and a desire for justice all come from the revelation of God in the heart of man. Francis Schaeffer, in He is There and He is Not Silent, argues that any concept of right and wrong and morality that does not have the creator God as its source will ultimately end with, “To be right is just as meaningless as to be wrong. Morals as morals disappear and what we are left with is just metaphysics. We are just the little against the big, and nothing that has meaning in right and wrong” (23).5 The revelation of God into the heart of man consists then of man’s comprehension of good, that there is an objective moral law that we should be conforming to, that man is guilty when he disobeys this law and feels joy when he obeys it, and that God as the source is the only logical conclusion.
Another interesting aspect of God’s immediate general revelation has been brought forth by Louis Markos in his work titled Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology Through Christian Eyes. In this book, speaking on the great paintings of Michelangelo, Raphael, and Signorelli, Markos says,
As evidenced by these works of art, and the many others not mentioned here, the great myths that both spark our imagination and instill in us a desire to seek out virtue and avoid vice play a central role in uniting Athens and Jerusalem. And that is because Christ is the nexus point of history, the confluence at which the dual streams that flow from Athens and Jerusalem meet and become one. The Delphic oracle, who played a key role in the history and literature of Greece, and the Cumaean Sibyl, who guided the legendary Aeneas through the underworld and whose prophecies were zealously heeded by the historical Augustus, may not have known the God of the Bible by name, but they caught intimations of his presence, his character, and his plans for Greece, Rome, and the world. That is to say, though they lacked the special revelation vouchsafed to the writers of the Old Testament, their access, and openness, to general revelation enabled them to be conduits of true things that pointed the way toward the Truth. Those true things could not, apart from Christ, save them or their fellow Greeks and Romans, but God used those true things to help so prepare the hearts and minds of the Greco Roman pagans that they might better recognize the Truth of Christ when is appeared and was proclaimed to them.6
Louis Markos
What Markos is arguing is that the Greek and Roman myths, with their striking similarities to many of the biblical themes, are further evidence of the revelation of God in the heart of man. Man has sought to express outwardly, in various stories, that yearning for salvation from God that he has placed in all mankind. While the mythological stories do not compare with salvific revelation it does suggest, as Markos states, “the ancients, as people created in the image of God with an innate desire for their creator, expressed that desire in a way that points, however faintly, to the One who was, and is, the true desire of all nations.”7
A final point with regards to the revelation of God in the heart of man is made by Bavinck when he argues that there are no atheistic tribes or peoples. That is to say that all people groups, nations, or tribes practice some form of religion. On this point Bavinck says,
This phenomenon is of great importance, for the absolute universality of this religious sense puts us before a choice of one of two positions: either that on this point mankind generally is suffering from a stupid superstition, or else that this knowledge and service of God, which in distorted forms makes its appearance among all peoples, is based on God’s existence.8
Herman Bavinck
From this we see that God has revealed himself in the heart of man such that all peoples, regardless of whether they have been introduced to the true God or a god of any one of the major religions, know that there is a transcendence higher than our own and in our religious practices we display our desire to connect with and reconcile with the God who has revealed himself in our hearts.9
Mediate General Revelation
The second category of general revelation is mediate general revelation. This category of revelation explains the ways in which God reveals himself and his attributes through his creation and providence. This differs from the previous category of revelation, immediate revelation, in that in these sources God uses various media to communicate as opposed to communicating directly to the heart of man.
This category of revelation can best be understood in the way a painter communicates with canvas and paints or a musician communicates with an instrument. It is through this type of revelation that God shows his mercy by “sending rain on the just and the unjust” (Matt 5:45 [ESV]) and shows his beauty in the wonderful work of his hands. Calvin, in his Institutes, describes mediate revelation beautifully saying,
“Wherever you turn your eyes, there is no portion of the world, however minute, that does not exhibit at least some sparks of beauty; while it is impossible to contemplate the vast and beautiful fabric as it extends around, without being overwhelmed by the immense weight of glory.”10
John Calvin
In this form of general revelation, God reveals Himself such that the more man observes creation through his own eyes and studies creation through the various sciences, the more man confirms the God who is there. 11
The Revelation of God in Creation
At its most basic level, “every work testifies to its maker” (22).12 This is clearly seen even in the creations of mankind. When one looks upon The Starry Night, he sees not only an obvious work of a creator, but if he knows anything about the artist he also sees Van Gogh. Every creator creates with a specific style such that his work, without signing it, bears his signature.13 In the same way, a musician writes, composes, and plays music in a style that is recognizably their own such that a piece by them may be identified even if one has never heard it before. The creation of God, the heavens, the earth, and everything in it, is a masterpiece that testifies to him as the maker. The beauty and splendor of nature shows not only the obvious work of a creator but if we know anything about the artist, we also see God. God has through nature, and in his own unique and recognizable style, revealed himself to be the maker of all things.
Scripture also supports the position that God reveals himself through the creation that he has made. Romans 1:20 says, “20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made”. This provides us with the understanding that the perception of God, his revelation, is perceived clearly in the things that have been made. Also, Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”.
Whether man has eyes to see the revelation of God in his creation or whether he chooses to appreciate this revelation is not to be argued here but what we must see is the undeniable fact that God has shown himself and his divine attributes in the things that he has made to such an extent that the one who denies him is without excuse. Any discourse on the revelation of God in creation would be incomplete without the consideration of God’s highest creation, man made in his image.
We have already established that God reveals himself directly in the heart of man but man himself also serves as a mediate source of God’s revelation. Calvin refers to man as “the loftiest proof of divine wisdom” and calling man “a rare specimen of divine power, wisdom, and goodness and containing within himself wonders sufficient to occupy our minds if we are willing so to employ them”.14 Man is a near infinitely complex system of cells and structures all communicating and working together at light speed.15 Not to mention our various personalities, dispositions and emotions as well as our minds that can think, reason, store and recall memories, and perform all sorts of subconscious tasks. No human could ever hope to create for themselves or fully explain such an incredible thing as man, nor could any stardust ever chance to evolve into such a unique and intricate creature. Human beings, as mediate sources of the revelation of God, bear the signature of a divine creator and reflect his glory.
The Revelation of God in Providence
The revelation of God through his providence can most simply be described as the revealing of Himself in his care and compassion for all mankind through the governing and sustaining of all things. “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5:45 [ESV]). This verse in Matthew demonstrates that God not only governs the weather and the movement of the heavenly bodies but that he also shows his grace to all mankind through those things. Despite the promised judgement against all who do not believe in Christ, God still expresses his grace and compassion for all mankind. God shows himself to be a provider by causing the crops to grow, he shows his grace by preventing drought through rain, and he shows his mercy by withholding his immediate wrath and blessing the Earthly lives of man.
Furthermore, Peter Kreeft, in “The Philosophy of Tolkien” says,
“Like an author God designs, knows, arranges, and provides for everything in His universe. He orders and coordinates all His creatures. No sparrow or hair falls without His providence”.16
Peter Kreeft
God reveals himself in the way that he has perfectly ordered all the events and workings of his creation such that when we view events through hindsight, we can surely see the hand of God at work. This point is further elaborated by Kreeft saying,
You can see the hand of providence more clearly if you become more familiar with it, like the face of a stranger who becomes a friend. It is a gestalt, a pattern connecting many particular things and events, not a marked-out particular thing or event. It cannot be assembled or constructed by analysis, step by step. It becomes much clearer to us after the event than before; for our hindsight is keener than our foresight.17
Peter Kreeft
Through this we can see how God has revealed and is revealing himself through the provisions and patterns of our lives, like breadcrumbs left on the ground, that lead back to him.
Conclusion
God has revealed and is continuing to reveal himself to mankind through the testimony of Himself in the heart of man, the testimony of Himself in nature, and through his providential care and working for all mankind. We have seen how in the heart of man God has revealed his morality and given man “a sense of deity”.
We have also seen how this revelation has caused a yearning within the heart of man to long for and reach for his creator and how this knowledge has manifested itself in various stories throughout all human history that illustrate man’s desire to be reconciled to God for salvation.
We have seen how God has revealed himself through the things that he has made showing that “the heavens declare his handiwork” and that humans, created by God in his image, especially reveal the glory of God.
Finally, we have seen how God has revealed himself through his providence in his provisions to all mankind and through the ordering of all that he has made. He does all this according to his own will for the purpose of showing mankind that he is there, that he is their creator, and to leave mankind without excuse for rebelling against him and his final revelation, Jesus Christ.
1 R.C. Sproul, “What Is General Revelation?” Tabletalk. January 27, 2020. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/what-is-general-revelation-2020-01/.
2 Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God, (Glenside, PA: Westminster Seminary Press, 2019), 21.
3 Keith Mathison, “The Reformed Doctrine of General Revelation: What It Is and What It Isn’t.” Ligonier Ministries. May 15, 2013. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://www.ligonier.org/posts/reformed doctrine-general-revelation-what-it-and-what-it-isnt
4 John Calvin, The Institutes of The Christian Religion, (Las Vegas, NV: Pantianos Classics, 2022), 22.
5 Francis A. Schaeffer, He is There and He is Not Silent, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1972), 23.
6 Louis Markos, The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology Through Christian Eyes, (Camphill, PA: Classical Academic Press, 2020), xiv-xv.
7 Ibid, xii
8 Bavinck, Works of God, 25.
9 Various studies and surveys have been done by both Christian and non-Christian organizations to support or to refute the claim that all peoples practice some form of religion. While it’s unlikely that we have surveyed every people group in the world, we can confidently say that all known groups do practice some form of religion. Attempts have been made by secular groups to explain this phenomenon with social or societal arguments claiming that religious practice “spares us from existential angst” and “supports social organization” and one such attempt is referenced here. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/12/believe. Whether one claims that religious practice is a product of evolutionary adaptation or the result of the revelation of God in the heart of man, we can be certain that the word of God proves true that “what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them” (Romans 1: 19).
10 Calvin, Institutes, 25.
11 The God Who is There is an apologetic work by philosopher and theologian Francis A. Schaeffer.
12 Bavinck, Works of God, 22.
13 A similar analogy was used by John Piper in his work titled A Peculiar Glory.
14 Calvin, Institutes, 25.
15 Fabio Grizzi, and Maurizio Chiriva-Internati. “The Complexity of Anatomical Systems.” Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling 2, no. 1: 26. 2005. Accessed May 23,2022. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4682-2-26.
16 Peter Kreeft. The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview behind the Lord of the Rings. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2005, 56.
17 Kreeft, The Philosophy of Tolkien, 58
Bibliography
Bavinck, Herman. The Wonderful Works of God. Glenside, PA: Westminster Seminary Press, 2019
Bavinck, John Bolt, and John Vriend. Reformed Dogmatics / 2, God and Creation / Herman Bavinck; John Bolt, General Ed.; John Vriend, Transl. [from the Dutch]. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, Cop., 2004
Calvin, John. The Institutes of The Christian Religion. Translated by Thomas Norton. Las Vegas: Pantianos Classics, 2022
Grizzi, Fabio, and Maurizio Chiriva-Internati. “The Complexity of Anatomical Systems.” Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling 2, no. 1: 26. 2005. Accessed May 23,2022. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4682-2-26.
Kreeft, Peter. The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview behind the Lord of the Rings. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2005.
Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2001
Markos, Louis. The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes. Camp Hill, Pa: Classical Academic Press, 2020
Mathison, Keith. “The Reformed Doctrine of General Revelation: What It Is and What It Isn’t.” Ligonier Ministries. May 15, 2013. Accessed May 11, 2022.
https://www.ligonier.org/posts/reformed-doctrine-general-revelation-what-it-and what-it-isnt
Piper, John. A Peculiar Glory: How the Christian Scriptures Reveal Their Complete Truthfulness. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016
Schaeffer, Francis A. He is There and He is Not Silent. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1972
______. The God Who is There. Westmont, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1968
Sproul, R.C. “What Is General Revelation?” Tabletalk. January 27, 2020. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/what-is-general-revelation-2020- 01/.
The Wicket Gate 
Leave a comment