ANCIENT WORDS: REVELATION

•         God exists (Gen. 1:1; Prov. 1:7; Eph. 1:17).

           □         Argument from creation. The existence of matter points to a Creator (cause).

           □         Argument from design. The complexity of the universe demonstrates order or an Intelligent Designer.

           □         Argument from moral law. In every culture, people possess a consciousness of right behavior–a universal consciousness of sin and guilt.

           □         Argument from reason. Man longs for meaning or purpose and intuitively knows of God’s existence as a perfect Being.

•         God reveals Himself (His initiative). God discloses His nature and attributes–holy, jealous, spirit, and love (Ex. 20:4-6).

           □         General revelation.

                      ♦         Creation (Rom. 1:20). Through creation, God supplied visible evidence of His existence and power (Ps. 19:1-3; Acts 14:17).

                      ♦         Conscience. Mankind possesses a “moral impulse” or “internal sense of deity” called conscience (Jn. 8:9; Rom. 2:15).

           □         Historical revelation (Ex. 3:14). God revealed Himself progressively in events, places, and to individuals for the purpose of redemption.

           □         Biblical revelation (2 Tim. 3:16). God revealed Himself through the inspiration of Scripture.

           □         Special revelation. God revealed Himself supremely in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. God will reveal Christ to those respond in faith to the revelation received (Mt. 2:1-12; Lk. 2:29-30; Acts 8:26-35, 10:1-48).

•         Man seeks God (Job 23:3). God created worshipers. Man senses an accountability to a Divine Judge.

           □         God-shaped vacuum (Ps. 42:1)

           □         God-like image (Gen. 1:26)

           □         God-consciousness (Ps. 139:7). God gave man the capacity or faculty to respond in faith to His revelation. Man’s yearnings will not be satisfied until he meets the God-Man, Christ Jesus.