Is all truth and knowledge contained in the Bible? (No.)
Can man know about God apart from the Bible? (Yes.)
What exactly can man know apart from the Bible (i.e. Special Revelation)?
Sir Francis Bacon is the “father” of the scientific method and was a devout believer in the Bible. He wrote,
So from these verses I take away three things that man can know without even reading the Bible.
Gen. Rev. is sufficient to tell us:
1. That God or some type of Supreme Being or Creator exists.
2. That moral categories of good and evil exist; (i.e. a moral law).
3. That mankind has a moral deficiency with respect to that law and is condemned by that God.
So, if we think about our sinfulness as a lethal disease that we all need a remedy for, then Gen. Rev. is sufficient to lead man to the correct diagnosis of that disease, but unable to know the correct remedy. That remedy is the atoning work of Jesus Christ. And that remedy is only available through repentance and faith in Him. And we can not have faith in someone whom we have no knowledge of, i.e. through the scriptures and preaching of the gospel (Spec. Rev.) Romans 3:21 expresses than the righteousness of God has been manifested (in Christ) and Romans 10:13-17 makes it clear that it is only available to us by hearing the gospel contained in scripture.
So, Spec. Rev. (the Bible) is necessary (but not sufficient, meaning: not all who simply hear the gospel are saved, that’s where the H.S. comes in) for salvation. However, General Revelation (God’s created order), although it can’t save and has been corrupted by sin, is revelation from God just the same and as such, retains the residue of its Maker and thus is effective when we use it to:
1. Point men to our need of a Savior who is revealed in the Bible.
2. Bring glory to God when we recognize how He has organized our world (including logic, physics, chemistry, biology, the mind, emotions, language, music, colors, food…!)
God gets glory when we enjoy these things, and see Him as the author of every good gift (James 1:17).
My main point: sometimes I think we (Reformed Christians) understand “sola scriptura” to mean there is no other source of knowledge or revelation from God outside the Bible, which can lead to a tacit anti-intellectualism and the (grievous, in my estimation) error of not using Gen. Rev. to its fullest potential.
(If you want to wrestle some more, compare Rom 3:11 “no one understands or seeks after God” and Acts 17:26-27 “God has organized providence so that man might seek Him and maybe find Him”!)
Can man know about God apart from the Bible? (Yes.)
What exactly can man know apart from the Bible (i.e. Special Revelation)?
Sir Francis Bacon is the “father” of the scientific method and was a devout believer in the Bible. He wrote,
"There are two books laid before us to study, to prevent our falling into error; first, the volume of the Scriptures, which reveal the will of God; then the volume of the Creatures, which express His power."This idea was not novel to Bacon but highlighted in the Belgic Confession which was penned sometime during Bacon’s early childhood (~1560’s). Psalm 19 speaks of both; “the heavens declaring the glory of God” and also “the law and testimony of the Lord converting the soul and making wise the simple”. In Romans 1, Paul explains that God has revealed His existence universally through what He has made (v.20). God has assured that such communication is plain to everyone (v.19), being seen clearly and understood from the creation (v.21). This external general revelation in nature has the purpose of teaching man about God’s eternal power and His divine nature (v.20). Romans 2:14-15 tells us that man has God’s law written on their hearts in the form of a conscience, alternately accusing or excusing their actions. Romans 1:32 even says that man knows that he is condemned by God.
So from these verses I take away three things that man can know without even reading the Bible.
Gen. Rev. is sufficient to tell us:
1. That God or some type of Supreme Being or Creator exists.
2. That moral categories of good and evil exist; (i.e. a moral law).
3. That mankind has a moral deficiency with respect to that law and is condemned by that God.
So, if we think about our sinfulness as a lethal disease that we all need a remedy for, then Gen. Rev. is sufficient to lead man to the correct diagnosis of that disease, but unable to know the correct remedy. That remedy is the atoning work of Jesus Christ. And that remedy is only available through repentance and faith in Him. And we can not have faith in someone whom we have no knowledge of, i.e. through the scriptures and preaching of the gospel (Spec. Rev.) Romans 3:21 expresses than the righteousness of God has been manifested (in Christ) and Romans 10:13-17 makes it clear that it is only available to us by hearing the gospel contained in scripture.
So, Spec. Rev. (the Bible) is necessary (but not sufficient, meaning: not all who simply hear the gospel are saved, that’s where the H.S. comes in) for salvation. However, General Revelation (God’s created order), although it can’t save and has been corrupted by sin, is revelation from God just the same and as such, retains the residue of its Maker and thus is effective when we use it to:
1. Point men to our need of a Savior who is revealed in the Bible.
2. Bring glory to God when we recognize how He has organized our world (including logic, physics, chemistry, biology, the mind, emotions, language, music, colors, food…!)
God gets glory when we enjoy these things, and see Him as the author of every good gift (James 1:17).
My main point: sometimes I think we (Reformed Christians) understand “sola scriptura” to mean there is no other source of knowledge or revelation from God outside the Bible, which can lead to a tacit anti-intellectualism and the (grievous, in my estimation) error of not using Gen. Rev. to its fullest potential.
(If you want to wrestle some more, compare Rom 3:11 “no one understands or seeks after God” and Acts 17:26-27 “God has organized providence so that man might seek Him and maybe find Him”!)
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