Knowing God

1
Knowing God

• A. The Revelation of God
• 1. Natural Revelation
• 2. Special Revelation
• 3. Christ as Revelation

2
Horatius Bonar

• All wrong thoughts of God, whether of Father,
  Son, or Spirit, must cast a shadow over the soul
  that entertains them. In some cases the shadow
  may not be so deep and cold as in others but
  never can it be a trifle. And it is this that
  furnishes the proper answer to the flippant
  question so often asked Does it really matter
  what a man believes? All defective views of God's
  character tell upon the life of the soul and the
  peace of the conscience. We must think right
  thoughts of God if we would worship him as he
  desires to be worshiped, if we would live the
  life he wishes us to live, and enjoy the peace
  which he has provided for us.

3
Calvin

• Mans mind, full as it is of pride and boldness,
  dares to imagine a god according to its own
  capacity as it sluggishly plods, indeed is
  overwhelmed with the crassest ignorance, it
  conceives an unreality and an empty appearance as
  God (I.11.8).

4
How do we Know God

• WCF 71 The distance between God and the
  creature is so great, that although reasonable
  creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their
  Creator, yet they could never have any fruition
  of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by
  some voluntary condescension on God's part, which
  He hath been pleased to express by way of
  covenant. Isa. 4013-17 Job 932,33 1 Sam.
  225 Ps. 1135,6 Ps. 1002,3 Job 222,3 Job
  357,8 Luke 1710 Acts 1724,25.

5
Natural Revelation

• Romans 118-32

6
Romans 118-26

• For the wrath of God is being revealed from
  heaven against all wickedness and unrighteousness
  of the ones who are suppressing the truth in
  unrighteousness, 19 because what can be known of
  God is plain in them, for God made it plain to
  them, 20 for the invisible things of him from the
  creation of the world through the things made (or
  workmanship) are being understood being clearly
  perceived, that is his eternal power and deity,
  so that they are without excuse 21 because having
  known God, they have not glorified him as God or
  given thanks, but they have become futile (or
  worthless) in their reasonings and their foolish
  hearts have become darkened. 22Claiming to be
  wise, they have become fools, 23 and exchanged
  the glory of the immortal God for a likeness of
  an image of mortal man and of birds and
  four-footed animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore
  God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to
  impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies
  among themselves, because they exchanged the
  truth about God for a lie and worshiped and
  served the creature rather than the Creator, who
  is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God
  gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their
  women exchanged natural relations for those that
  are contrary to nature

7
Romans 127-32

• 27 and the men likewise having given up the
  natural function with women were being inflamed
  in their lustful passion for one another, men
  with men committing shameless acts and receiving
  in themselves the due penalty for their error.
  28And since they did not discern to acknowledge
  God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do
  what is not fitting (or proper). 29 being filled
  with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, malice,
  full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
  maliciousness, gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of
  God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of
  evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish,
  faithless, heartless, ruthless,32 who knowing the
  requirements of God, that the ones practicing
  such things are worthy of death, they not only do
  such things, but also give approval to the ones
  practicing them.

8
2 Timothy 316-17

• 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and
  profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
  correction, and for training in righteousness, 17
  that the man of God may be competent, equipped
  for every good work.

9
Hebrews 11-2

• Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God
  spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in
  these last days he has spoken to us by his Son...

10
John 539-47

• You search the Scriptures because you think that
  in them you have eternal life and it is they
  that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to
  come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not
  receive glory from people. 42 But I know that
  you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I
  have come in my Father's name, and you do not
  receive me. If another comes in his own name, you
  will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when
  you receive glory from one another and do not
  seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45
  Do not think that I will accuse you to the
  Father. There is one who accuses you Moses, on
  whom you have set your hope. 46 If you believed
  Moses, you would believe me for he wrote of me.
  47 But if you do not believe his writings, how
  will you believe my words?"