Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV) – “23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
John 17:1–3 (ESV) – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
1 John 5:20 (ESV) – “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
“Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” – John Calvin
How has God has chosen to reveal Himself? He has chosen to reveal Himself in two distinct ways.
The first is referred to as General Revelation. All humankind possesses an inborn knowledge of God’s existence (Rom. 1:18-19). This innate comprehension of God’s existence God’s is because God reveals Himself through His creation (Ps. 8; 19:1-6; Rom. 1:20-23). While General Revelation is sufficient to condemn the sinner before God, it is unable to deliver a sinner from the holy wrath of God.
The second way God has chosen to reveal Himself is called Special Revelation. The personal knowledge of God occurs in salvation (Matt. 11:27). Special Revelation refers to God’s direct self-communication in verbal messages and miraculous facts (Psalm 1; 119).
“There is nothing more foundational to knowing God than the His self-revelation to His creatures. Though He is incomprehensible, the true and living God reveals aspects of Himself in both creation and in Scripture. Theologians refer to these two ways of God’s self-revelation as general or natural revelation and special or supernatural revelation. In creation, God reveals aspects of His being, attributes, and power. In Scripture, He gives further revelation of His being, names, attributes, works, and will for the salvation of His people,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“All special revelation centers on the person and saving work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is Himself the full revelation of God to mankind. He is the eternal Logos who, in the fullness of time, entered the world He created to redeem a people for Himself. The Holy Spirit is both the divine agent of God’s special revelation as well as the One who illumines the hearts of believers to give them a saving understanding of that revelation.”
The Bible declares there is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:1-4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:1-4), an infinite, all knowing Spirit (John 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)—each equally deserving worship and obedience.
God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8 9; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3-14). He is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9). As the only absolute and omnipotent Ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:33-36).
His fatherhood involves both designation within the Trinity and His relationship with redeemed mankind (John 17:1-5; Matthew 6:5-9). As Creator, He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is the spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). In His sovereignty, He is neither the author nor approver of sin (Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38, 47), nor does He restrain the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Peter 1:17).
He has graciously chosen from eternity past those to whom He would have as His own (Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:8-9). He saves from sin all who the Holy Spirit enables come to Him through Jesus Christ alone (John 3:1-8; 6:35-66; 14:1-6; Acts 4:12). He adopts as his own all those who come to Him and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5-9).
The ultimate revelation of God is in the person of Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-3). A salvific knowledge of God is by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone (John 1:1-18; I Cor. 1:18-25; 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:1-4) as revealed in Scripture alone (Psalm 19:7-11; Rom. 10:14-17). Have a blessed Lord’s Day.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 