How has God revealed Himself?

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

How has the Creator God revealed Himself to His creation? There are two broad terms that are used to characterize God’s revelation. They are “general revelation” and “special revelation.” General revelation is the way in which God has generally revealed himself to all of His creation. “God’s existence, power, wisdom, majesty, and glory are made known in a general way to all people at all times in all places through the created order. That includes nature (Ps. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:18-21), history (Dan. 2:21; Acts 17:26), and the inner human conscience (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 2:11-16).”[1] The most important and often quoted Biblical support for this truth is found in Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world His invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (NASB). Because Paul is speaking about general revelation, it should be noted that this verse is not true only because it is found in inerrant Scripture. Rather, it is the case that this verse is simply stating a fact about reality. So even if this verse (or any other similar verse) were not in the Bible, general revelation could still be taught.

When studying the created order, one can conclude many things about the One who put it there. First, the Creator must be enormously powerful. For who, but a very powerful Being, could create all things out of nothing? Second, the Creator must be supremely intelligent. There is a clear sign of intelligence evident in creation. For example, imagine showing a bird to someone who had never seen or heard of such a thing. What if you told that person that this “bird” was an early twenty-first century invention by some of our brightest scientists? Upon studying this “invention,” the person you have fibbed to would be mesmerized and enormously impressed by the scientists who were able to create such a design. When discovering that this bird was actually a natural creature like all other animals, it would be foolish for the duped person to become any less impressed with the design and intricacies of this bird creature. When understanding it this way, one can see how intelligent design and enormous power were both necessary in establishing the created order. We should not ignore these conclusions any more than we would ignore the deduction that human intelligence is always behind a completed Scrabble board. Furthermore, there are other aspects of God’s general revelation found in creation (the moral law is an additional example).

General revelation will only reveal that God exists and that He has certain attributes. Special revelation is the way in which God has revealed Himself in a more specific and personal way. “First, God manifested himself through his covenant people such as the Hebrew patriarchs, prophets, and kings (as recorded and interpreted by the prophets in the Old Testament). Second, God’s revelation culminated decisively in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ—the God-man whose life, death, and resurrection were recorded and interpreted by the apostles in the New Testament.”[2] Miraculous acts and visions/dreams from God are additional examples of God’s special revelation. Protestant theologians often refer to this dual view of revelation as the “two-books theory.” God is both the author of the figurative book of nature (general revelation) and the literal book of Scripture (special revelation). Both the world and His written word reveal that God exists and desires a relationship with His creation.

In the context of the Faith Pyramid, general revelation is used to "conquer" Level 1, and special revelation is used to conquer Levels 2 & up.

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[1] Kenneth Richard Samples, A World of Difference. (Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2007), 109.

[2] Samples, 110.

Our Privileged Planet (Level 1 Discussion)

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

Earth is a "privileged" planet. If the attributes of our planet were any different, there could be no complex life on Earth. What should we conclude from the evidence? That we are the product of an intelligent and purposeful Designer.

• Large Moon - For a world the size of the Earth, our moon is unusually large. But if our moon didn't exist, neither would we! The gravitational pull of the moon stabilizes the Earth's axis. This insures temperate seasonal changes and the only climate in the solar system mild enough to allow for complex life.

• Jupiter - If a planet the size of the Jupiter did not exist, the Earth would be bombarded with space material. Jupiter's gravitational field attracts asteroids and comets that might otherwise strike Earth. The planet has been called the "Cosmic Vacuum Cleaner" of the solar system.

• Water - Several factors about water are required for life to exist. Liquid water is a must for life to exist on a planet, and the chemical properties of water are perfectly suited for carbon-based life forms. And water absorbs heat from the sun, which is critical to regulate the surface temperature of a planet.

• Earth's Distance from the Sun - If the Earth were very much closer to the sun, all water would evaporate from the surface. If the Earth were much farther from the sun, all water would freeze.

• Earth's Crust - On Earth, the terrestrial crust is "paper-thin." The crust of the planet is perfect to regulate the planet's temperature and fulfills a number of other important factors for life to exist.

• Magnetic Field - The magnetic field protects our planet from the solar winds of the sun. If our planet was smaller, or the magnetic field weaker, these winds would strip away our atmosphere altogether.

• Oxygen/Nitrogen Atmosphere - Our atmosphere is yet another important factor to sustain life. Complex life requires an oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere.

• Oxygen Level - Oxygen comprises 21% of the Earth's atmosphere. If it were 25%, fires would erupt and if it were 15%, humans would suffocate.

• Water Vapor - If water vapor levels in the atmosphere were greater than they are now, a greenhouse effect would cause temperatures to rise too high for human life; if they were less, the Earth would get too cold to support life.

• Earth's Rotation - If the rotation of the Earth took longer than 24 hours, temperature differences would be too great between night and day. If the rotation period were shorter, wind velocities would be too great.

• Earth's Tilt - The 23-degree axial tilt of the Earth is just right. If the tilt were altered slightly, surface temperatures would be too extreme on Earth.

• Earth's Orbit - Earth's orbit is nearly circular. If Earth's orbit were very elliptical, life would be destroyed due to temperature changes, because we would get too close and too far from the sun every year.

• Jupiter's Orbit - Jupiter has a nearly circular orbit (similar to Earth's). If Jupiter's orbit were very elliptical, its gravity would cause Earth's orbit to become irregular, which would prevent life on our planet from surviving the temperature changes.

I have only provided a dozen or so examples of our planet's "privileged" status as a life-supporting home for complex life in the universe. There are countless other examples which also serve as evidence that we are not the result of a great cosmic "accident" but rather an intentional and powerful Creator God.

[NOTE: All of the examples above were taken from "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist" by Norman Geisler & Frank Turek, "The Creator and the Cosmos" by Hugh Ross, and "The Privileged Planet" by Guillermo Gonzalez & Jay Richards.]

The difference between Creationism and Intelligent Design theory (Level 1 discussion)

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

Predictably, many Darwinists and far too many media pundits have painted Intelligent Design theory (ID) as "Creationism in disguise," but this is terribly misleading and is the direct result of either unfortunate ignorance or willful disingenuousness. Where the train derails is when Intelligent Design theory is thought to presuppose the existence of God. This is when it is often mischaracterized as simply being "creationism in disguise." In fact, a quick Google search of "intelligent design theory creationism is disguise" will achieve over 54,000 hits! The reason this is a misunderstanding of ID is because it is actually "creationism" that has theism as its presupposition - not Intelligent Design theory. This is where they differ. In essence, "I believe in God; therefore, I'm a creationist" is the logical flow of the argument. This is not a scientific argument - In fairness, creationism is not trying to be a scientific argument. It is simply a statement of belief. Of course, "creationism" is no more guilty than naturalism/materialism of adopting a particular religious belief. Truthfully, "materialism" (the philosophy that everything that exists is matter) is atheistic by definition. In fact, it could be argued that ID is the least religious view of the three, because (with ID) the existence of God is very much a logical implication of the theory; however, it is not a presupposition of the theory. Propositionally, it could be understood the following way:

1. Atheism (religious belief) --> Materialism or Naturalism (philosophy) --> Darwinism (view of origin)
2. Theism (religious belief) --> Creationism (view of origin) --> "Supernatural-ism" (philosophy)
   
3. Intelligent Design (view of origin) --> Theism (religious belief) --> "Supernatural-ism" (philosophy)

Notice that materialism has atheism as its foundation (or precursor) - truly, they are synonymous. This logically leads to Darwinism, or the view that mankind has descended from a common ancestor, via natural selection and genetic mutation. With #2, the religious belief of theism necessitates creationism as the view of origin. This, in turn, leads to the belief or "philosophy" that God supernaturally works in the world. With Intelligent Design theory (#3), notice how it is one's view and study of mankind's origin that implies or leads to a belief in God. And, as with #2, "supernatural-ism" logically follows from there. This is truly a scientific argument, because it is the study of the data that has created the conclusion. There is no religious belief or philosophy (or metaphysical presumption) that is necessitating a certain view of the origin of mankind.

Check back for further posts on Intelligent Design theory and how beneficial it can be for "Level 1" discussion - for the purpose of converting someone to theism.

The Depth Chart

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

When it comes to being able to proclaim a truth (or even an opinion), I believe there are varying stages of "understanding" as illustrated below. (Note: The "stages" are superior as they descend, because this chart is meant to connote "depth" of understanding). 

1. BELIEF [or assertion]

("I believe that Jesus rose from the dead.")

2. REASONS for belief

("I believe that Jesus rose from the dead, because of A, B, & C")

3. EXPLANATION of reasons

("I can explain A, B, & C")

4. DEFENSE of reasons

("I can defend A, B, & C")

For the sake of an evangelistic/apologetics encounter, it's important for a Christian to achieve the deepest stage of understanding and, therefore, a sound proclamation of truth. There are far too many Christians who possess only a first or second stage of understanding in many of their beliefs. A true Christian worldview is developed only at the bottom half of the chart. How deep are you?

The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God (Level 1 discussion)

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God:

1.  Everything that begins to exist has a cause.

2.  The universe began to exist.

3.  Therefore, the universe has a cause.

Before getting into the details of the argument, it should be noted that this argument is sound, in that, if the premises (#1 & #2) are true, then the conclusion (#3) must be true.

1.  Everything that begins to exist has a cause.

-This point is instinctively known. We have never experienced or heard of anything that came into existence without a cause, which is why this premise is usually not even challenged. Let me illustrate: Let's say I locked you in a room with no way out after giving you a pill that made you live forever. While in this room, you hear a banging sound outside the room...10 years later, you hear it again. Then you only hear it two or three times a century from then on. At no point (even after being in that room for a million years) would it be rational or smart to hear the sound and conclude that nothing had caused it. Logically, you know it was caused...every single time! Likewise, anything and everything that begins to exist has a cause.

2.  The universe began to exist.

-There are both philosophical and scientific reasons to accept this premise. Philosophically speaking, the universe had to come into existence, because it is not possible for there to have been an "actual infinite" past in time (meaning a past that goes on and on backwards). Otherwise, an infinite number of steps must have already been crossed to arrive to the present. This is not possible. Scientifically speaking, there is good evidence that the universe did come into existence at the "Big Bang." Scientists have confirmed that the universe is expanding and began at a first moment or "singularity." An additional scientific reason for there being a finite past (a past that has a beginning) to the universe is the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which teaches that the amount of usable energy is running out and eventually there will be no usable energy left. This implies that there has always been a finite amount of usable energy, which means that the universe had to have begun a finite time ago.

3.  Therefore, the universe has a cause.

-Once again, if premises 1 & 2 are true, then the conclusion must be true. Something (or Someone) "Big" indeed caused a "Bang"! This First Cause of all things is God, who must transcend time because time was created in the Big Bang, He must transcend space because space (or "material") was created in the Big Bang (this is consistent with God being Spirit), and He must be enormously powerful to cause such an effect. The Cosmological Argument is a sound and rational argument for the existence of God.

Finally, notice how these attributes of God - that He is timeless (or eternal), spaceless (or Spirit), and enormously powerful - are known without even having to open your Bible! This is called general revelation, or the way in which God has revealed Himself through nature and reason..."For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that they are without excuse." - Romans 1:20

Did Jesus actually think he was God? (Level 3 discussion) - Part 3: Jesus' personal understanding of his bodily resurrection

Before reading below, I recommend you read Part 1: The self-references of Jesus and Part 2: The teaching and behavior of Jesus.

Continuing with the evidence that Jesus did, in fact, believe himself to be God, I now turn to Jesus' personal understanding of his bodily resurrection. In multiple places, he reveals a clear expectation of his resurrection.  Immediately following Peter’s confession, Jesus states, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised on the third day” (Luke 9:22; italics mine).  This proclamation is also recorded in Matthew 16:21 and Mark 8:31.  In another place, Jesus explicitly prophesies, “For He [the Son of Man] will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again” (Luke 18:32-33).  Jesus also implies his death and resurrection when he states, “In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me” (John 16:16).  He further implies his death and resurrection in his mentioning of the prophet Jonah: “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40).  Finally, Jesus states, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up…But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:19-21).  Without question, Jesus had a personal expectation of his own resurrection.

A further point concerning Jesus’ divine self-understanding is in regards to Who raised Jesus from the dead.  Paul teaches in Romans 10:9, “If you…believe in your heart that God raised him [Jesus] from the dead…” (italics mine).  However, in addition to John 2:19 already mentioned, Jesus states, “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative.  I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).  Jesus is clearly teaching that he will raise himself.  Finally, you also have Paul teaching the role of the Holy Spirit in the resurrection: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead…” (Rom. 8:11).  Furthermore, Peter likewise states, “For Christ also died for sins…having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18, italics mine).  The obvious question must be asked, Who raised Jesus from the dead?  God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit?  A close examination of Scripture reveals that the answer is…YES.

The fact that Jesus claims a direct role in his resurrection expresses an even stronger divine self-understanding, because it illustrates, from his perspective, that he is God.

Did Jesus actually think he was God? (Level 3 discussion) - Part 2: The teaching and behavior of Jesus

Before reading below, I recommend you read Part 1: The self-references of Jesus.

As stated in my previous post, the question of Jesus' understanding of who he was has been the center of much debate, especially since the late eighteenth century. But the evidence is overwhelming: Jesus of Nazareth, indeed, believed himself to be God in the flesh. And the self-references discussed in my last post are only a part of the ample evidence...Jesus' teaching and behavior also allows us a peek at Jesus' self-portrait. Here are several examples:

• First, note how Jesus interprets his own miracles. He states, "But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Luke 11:20). Jesus' miraculous acts are not similar to other miracle workers who do extraordinary things, only for life to go on as it always has. Jesus views his own miraculous acts as a sign of the ushering in of God's Kingdom. This sets him apart. The scholar Ben Witherington has stated, "Jesus sees his miracles as bringing about something unprecedented - the coming of God's kingdom...And that's a not-too-thinly veiled claim of transcendence." (qtd. in Lee Strobel's Case for Christ, pgs. 135-36).

• Jesus also flatly states while teaching, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). This definitely aroused a reaction from his Jewish audience! The next verse states, "The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him."

• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals his perceived authority in his teaching on the Old Testament Law. Jesus takes the 7th commandment against adultery and extends its meaning to include lust of the heart. He does this in several instances and at one point later proclaims, "It is not what enters in the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man" (Matt. 16:11). You have to see what Jesus has done here! He has, in fact, set aside large portions of the Old Testament book of Leviticus, with its rigorous purity laws. Clearly, Jesus believed he had the authority to teach something new.

• Early in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill" (Matt. 5:17). This teaching undeniably implies a divine self-understanding. In fact, Jesus later makes a similar statement in which he extraordinarily claims that he is, in fact, the grand subject of the Old Testament!  He states, "...all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and Psalms (or Writings) must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44).

• Jesus had twelve disciples, but notice how he's not one of the Twelve. Ben Witherington has noted, "If the Twelve (disciples) represent a renewed Israel, where does Jesus fit in? He's not just part of Israel, not merely part of the redeemed group, he's forming the group - just as God in the Old Testament formed his people and set up the twelve tribes of Israel. That's a clue about what Jesus thought of himself" (qtd. in Lee Strobel's Case for Christ, pg. 134).

• There's also the obvious question - How did Jesus end up on the cross? He was crucified during Passover season when no Jew wants any Jew to be crucified by the Romans. And while on the cross, the sign above his head read, "This is the King of the Jews." Either Jesus had made this claim or someone sure though he did.

• Jesus also stated that the way people viewed him would determine God's judgment toward them on judgment day. He proclaimed, "I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9). William Lane Craig has stated, "Jesus is claiming that people will be judged before him on the basis of their response to Jesus. Think of it: people's eternal destiny is fixed on their response to Jesus. Make no mistake: if Jesus were not divine, then this claim could only be regarded as the most narrow and objectionable dogmatism. For Jesus is saying that people's salvation depends on their confession to Jesus himself" (Reasonable Faith, pgs. 325-26).

• Jesus claims to have authority to forgive sins. Mark 2:5-7 states, When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Finally, note all of the times that Jesus accepted worship:

• Matthew 8:2 - A leper came to Jesus and worshiped him without rebuke from Jesus.
• Matthew 14:33 - The disciples in the boat worshiped Jesus without rebuke.
• Matthew 28:9 - Jesus' disciples took hold of his feet and worshiped him without rebuke.
• Matthew 28:17 - Jesus' disciples saw him and then worshiped him without rebuke.
• Mark 5:6 - The man with the unclean spirit ran to Jesus and worshiped him without rebuke.
• Luke 24:52 - As Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples worshiped him without rebuke.
• John 9:38 - The blind man who was cured by Jesus worshiped him without rebuke.
• John 20:28 - Thomas says "My Lord and my God!" to Jesus without rebuke.

The teaching and behavior of Jesus clearly exemplifies a divine self-understanding. Don't forget to check my final post on this subject - Part 3: Jesus' personal understanding of his bodily resurrection.