General Revelation and Scripture (Belgic Confession 2b)
Rev. Angus Stewart
Belgic Confession 2: By What Means God Is Made Known Unto Us
We know Him by two means: first, by the creation, preservation and government of the universe; which is before our eyes as a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to contemplate the invisible things of God, namely, His eternal power and divinity, as the apostle Paul saith, Romans 1:20. All which things are sufficient to convince men, and leave them without excuse.
Secondly, He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to His glory and our salvation.
Comparing General Revelation and Scripture
Belgic Confession 2 makes comparisons between "the creation, preservation and government of the universe" (general revelation) and God's revelation in the Bible, "His holy and divine Word."
First, Scripture is a greater revelation of God in terms of content, for "He makes Himself more … fully known to us by His holy and divine Word." General revelation reveals that God is the Creator of all things, but it is Scripture that teaches us that the Lord made all things in six days by the Word of His power (Gen. 1). What does general revelation say to us about the people who lived before the worldwide flood or the history of Old Testament Israel or the miracles recorded in the Bible? At best, very little! Only in Scripture do we read of the virgin birth, holy life, profound teaching, atoning cross and victorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. General revelation teaches us nothing about the spread of the church as recorded in the book of Acts. The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed in the inspired writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter and Jude, not in general revelation. Where in the "creation, preservation and government of the universe" does one learn of the truth of the election of the church or union with Christ or justification by faith alone?
Second, Scripture is a greater revelation of God in terms of clarity, for "He makes Himself more clearly … known to us by His holy and divine Word." Consider not merely what the common people among the unevangelized thought or think, but even their great philosophers. The pagan Cicero declared, "I do not know of anything as absurd as can be said which is not already being said by some philosopher."1 Unenlightened man is befouled with great delusions and uncertainty on the greatest issues of life. Is there one god or are there many gods? Is there no god or is everything god? In the areas of politics and morality, Plato, perhaps the greatest pagan philosopher, advocated a form of communism, with society being ruled by philosopher kings; weak children are to be abandoned, pederasty (sodomite intercourse with boys) is to be defended, and community of wives is to be practised.2 Likewise, pagan speculation on the afterlife is characterized by errors and doubts.
Third, Scripture is a greater revelation of God in that it alone shows us the way of salvation, for "He makes Himself more clearly known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life ... [for] our salvation." Paul stated to Timothy "that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 3:15). The "scriptures" referred to here are the Old Testament, so the apostle here declared that even a child could be saved through faith (not works) in the Messiah through God's Old Testament Word. General revelation does not save and cannot save, for it is sufficient only to leave men "without excuse" (Rom. 1:20), as Belgic Confession 2 states. As the Westminster Larger Catechism puts it: "How does it appear that there is a God? The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation" (Q. & A. 2).
Fourth, Scripture is a greater revelation of God in that it alone fully and clearly shows us the way of glorifying God, for "He makes Himself more clearly known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to His glory ..." Since Scripture is a fuller and clearer revelation of God, so that it alone shows us the way of salvation, God's Word in Scripture is necessary for us to glorify God truly. The Westminster Shorter Catechism is right: "What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him" (Q. & A. 2).
Scripture Interprets the Created Order
Near the start of his first sermon on Genesis, dealing with Genesis 1:1-2, John Calvin writes,
God extends to us a wonderful kindness, greatly pleased to help us in our ignorance, in our reluctance, indeed in our wickedness, by adding his word to what we can see and perceive by experience. Consequently, we can call God’s word our eyeglasses. Those who are near-sighted or whose eyesight is dim see some light, but if they wish to see at a distance, everything will be blurred and they will not be able to tell the difference between one letter and another. But if they have glasses, their eyesight is so strengthened as to be restored, whereas it was previously useless to them. The same is true when we try to judge the works of God with our own senses. We move toward irrationality. We will lack circumspection and discrimination, but when our Lord provides his word, we are able to see distinctly and to be instructed in what is necessary for worshipping and serving him and attributing to him the glory which is his.3
Thus the believer has "eyeglasses" or "spectacles" (i.e., the Bible) through which to see and understand general revelation (unlike the unevangelized pagan). The believer also has spiritual eyes (i.e., faith) to see through these "spectacles" to understand general revelation (unlike the unbeliever who has a Bible).
A brief consideration of some examples will show how Scripture interprets creation and providence. Why does man work? God created him for this (Gen. 1-2) that he might reflect the working God (cf. John 5:17). Lions and lambs, the lily of the valley and the bright and morning star are pictures of Christ in the created order, according to Holy Writ. A woman's pain in childbirth, a sweating labourer and death are explained by the fall (Gen. 3:16-19). Why do a man and a woman form a pair in marriage? Just read Genesis 1-2 and Ephesians 5:22-33. Why is homosexuality wrong? Romans 1:18-32 gives the answer. What is the origin of pagan or false religions? Totally depraved man's perversion of general revelation, as Romans 1 also explains. What about rock layers and fossils in the earth? God's revelation concerning the flood is key (Gen 6-9; II Pet. 3). How are we to understand economic hardships, famines, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, etc.? These are not merely "natural" events, but signs of our Lord's return (Matt. 24; Rev. 6). Why are there civil governments? What is their calling and how are we to relate to them? Read Romans 13:1-7. Why is there an increasing push for one-world government? It is preparation for the coming of the Antichrist, as the book of Revelation explains.
This truth, that Scripture interprets the created order, is of crucial importance for us and our children. It underlines the need for Christian education and Reformed schooling. We must not be deceived by humanistic spin in the news or secular propaganda or worldly wisdom.
Scripture Helps Us See God's Glory in the Creation
Belgic Confession 2 refers to "the creation, preservation and government of the universe" as a "most elegant book." The Reformed faith does not denigrate our Father's world! "All creatures, great and small," from the tiniest sub-atomic particles to massive galaxies, "are as so many characters leading us to contemplate the invisible things of God," namely, his divine attributes and works. We need more of such holy contemplation!
These two passages from the Psalms teach us to marvel at various aspects of God's world. First, consider God's amazing formation of a baby in the womb:
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee (Ps. 139:13-18).
This is something especially appreciated by Christians working in medicine, especially those in gynaecology, and believing parents.
Second, the child of God exclaims, "How excellent is thy name in all the earth!" (Ps. 8:1), as he looks up at the sky at night: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (3-4). One never hears such praise of our Creator or humility in astronomy programmes on TV!
Psalm 19's Comparison Between General Revelation and Scripture
Scripture teaches us about general revelation, especially the sky and the sun, in Psalm 19:1-6:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. (2) Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. (3) There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. (4) Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, (5) Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. (6) His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Right at the start, we have the fact of general revelation, that the creation declares its Maker's glory (1). This testimony goes forth day and night, continuously, unceasingly (2), in a universal language (3), all around the globe (4a), unlike Holy Writ. Psalm 19 then zeros in on the sun (4b-6): its power (5), light and heat (6), which all reveal God's glory (1).
In the rest of Psalm 19, Scripture teaches us about Scripture. The Word of God is "perfect" and "sure" (7), "right" and "pure" (8), "clean," "true" and "righteous" (9). Unlike general revelation (1-6), the law of the Lord brings salvation, "converting the soul," "making wise the simple," "rejoicing the heart" and "enlightening the eyes" of God's people (7-8). No wonder Scripture is more desirable and sweeter than created entities such as fine gold and honey (10)! Blessed by the Spirit, God's Word warns against sin (11), provokes self-examination (12), fuels prayer (12-14), restrains from sin (13), stirs meditation (14) and evokes worship (14)!
As Calvin writes, "Therefore, however fitting it may be for man seriously to turn his eyes to contemplate God's works, since he has been placed in this most glorious theater to be a spectator of them, it is fitting that he prick up his ears to the Word, the better to profit" (Institutes 1.6.2).
Lord willing, we will consider more of the truth about Scripture in Belgic Confession 3-7 in future articles.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What is the relationship between Scripture and general revelation in "the creation, preservation and government of the universe"?
2. What does God's Word teach us about the created order in Psalm 104? To what does this knowledge lead in verses 1, 24 and 33-35?
3. Discuss Calvin's statement: "wherever you cast your eyes, there is no spot in the universe wherein you cannot discern some sparks of his glory" (Institutes 1.5.1).
4. How does all this help us as God's children in forming a truly Christian and Reformed worldview?