God is a revelation God: He reveals Himself to us through creation, moral law, and the gospel. Romans 1 declares: “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed…” It is written in the same chapter: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen.” Further Paul says: “Although they knew God’s righteous decree, that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do them but also approve of those who practice them.” In one chapter, in the book of Romans, Paul cites three ways God reveals Himself: the gospel, nature, and the moral law.
Psalms 19 proclaims God reveals Himself in nature and through the law: “The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of His hands…the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” God has revealed Himself through His moral law and character, and His divine power and invisible qualities are seen in creation. Because of this, Paul states we have no excuse for our evil conduct.
God in His mercy has revealed Himself, His kindness toward us, through the gospel. The scriptures, the written word of God, testify to Christ. Light and life have come to us in the work and person of Jesus Christ. When we hear the good news of the gospel, God is speaking to us, opening our eyes to see who He really is. We can’t come to know God through our intellect alone or through the scientific method. Jesus said: “No one comes to the Father, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” In fact, Paul declares: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things of the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness…the person with the Spirit discerns all things.” No, we need to be illuminated by the Spirit to see who Jesus is and what He did for us in His death, burial, and resurrection. This comes through the written word and the preaching of the gospel.
Have you ever wondered why there are so many religions in the world? Or even why there are so many Christian denominations? I believe it to be the result of man’s intellect trying to grasp eternal realities. Man’s attempts to figure out who God is and how to know Him—man’s way of understanding. Paul stated that the gospel wasn’t taught to him by man, but came by revelation (Galatians 1:11,12). He prays for the Ephesian church to have their eyes opened by the Spirit. We need the same illumination and revelation today. What does the Spirit reveal? Jesus. I’ll leave you today with this quote from the gospel of John: “But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus) because He will take of mine, and declare it to you.”