Page 4 - Bible Doctrine Survey I - Student Textbook (3)

the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he
has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops
in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

Romans 1:19-23 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God
has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible
qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being
understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21For
although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him,
but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although
they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the
immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and
animals and reptiles.

General Revelation also means that God put inside of every man a conscience to know right from
wrong. Check out this verse:

Romans 2: 14-16 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by
the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the
requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their
thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on
the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

God is also revealed to us through Special Revelation. That means we can see Him doing mighty acts
among us. He performs miracles which reveal God. For example, in Joshua, He extended natural laws in
making the sun to stand still. He sometimes makes exceptions to natural laws as in floating an axe head
in 2 Kings 6.

Specials Revelation also involves God fulfilling prophecies or predictions made in the Bible. There are
hundreds of examples, but to name one in the Old Testament would be that Cyrus would release the
people to rebuild the temple in Isaiah 43.28-45 which was fulfilled in Ezra 1:1-4. The best example in the
New Testament would be the prophecy of the coming Messiah’s birthplace (Micah 5:2) which was
fulfilled in Christ in Matthew 2:1.

A third special revelation is demonstrated in Jesus Christ Himself. He is called the WORD in John 1:1
which is the Greek word, logos, and literally means “the expression of God.”

Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in
various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all
things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the
exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided
purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

John 1: 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself
God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

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