'The Two Books, Coined by the Theologians\r'

'The twain Books faculty 3 The Two Books, Coined By The Theologians Gloria J. Farmer HTH-505-0101: systematic Theology I Instructor: Professor irradiation Conlin March 19, 2013 The Two Books †scalawag 1 perfection’s object glassive for self- apocalypse is that realitykind comes to know Him better. From the root word of creation, god’s plan â€Å"was to create a peck among whom he could dwell and with whom he could be in recountingship” (Hill & antiophthalmic factor; Walton, 2009, p. 23). Mankind has no excuse for non knowing theology and establishing a relationship with Him because â€Å"everyone natur all(prenominal)y has a habitual head that in that location is a perfection” (McGrath, 2011, p. 5), based upon His ceaseless might and divine personality. His glory is decl bed in the heavens, the work of His hands is proclaimed in the skies, (Psalm 19; Romans 1:20) and â€Å"the order, intricacy, and wonder of creation speak to th e domain of a powerful and glorious Creator” (Got Questions, 2013). Moreover, â€Å"people everywhere possess familiar experience of the institution of beau ideal as the Creator of heaven and earth, and they escort His guilelessness, and that He administers punishment to the wicked, etc.However, â€Å"people do non have a clue of divinity’s plans concerning mankind, the benefits of His blessings, our deliverances from sin and death, and the plan of salvationâ€which de nones true association of God (McGrath, 2011). The Two Books that God reveals Himself to humanity include, â€Å" command manifestation and special(prenominal) disclosure. â€Å" cosmopolitan revealing refers to the global truths that piece of tail be cognize closely God through nature. Special revealing refers to the more item truths that can be cognise about God through the supernatural” (Got Questions, 2013). General manifestation was not the catalyst that was designed to teach us our contract towards God and our proper relationship to him as our creator. It was not designed to guide us in theology even if the magnetic inclination of man had not occurred in the Garden of Eden” (Preacherwin’s, 2008). It is through General revealing that God’s manifestation of Himself as God, and the righteous judge is seen. Also, through General disclosure man is seen as a sinner standing below The Two Books †Page 2 God’s divine judgment.The clear message of general revelation and what is derived from itâ€natural theology (e. g. , Romans 1 and 2), encounters the problem of locomote man perverting its clear message. Nature, human history, and human nature (internallyâ€via conscience) denote the three primary categories of general revelation (Apologetics, 2013). â€Å"God manifested or revealed Himself through Special manifestation in three major categories that include: improbable events, divine speech, and visible m anifestations. Special Revelation is redemptional or salvific in nature and is communicated in both(prenominal) words (e. . , Scripture) and acts or actions. It moldiness be revealed/initiated by God alone. Christ and the Scriptures respectively atomic number 18 the supreme examples of Special Revelation” (Apologetics, 2013). Having said this, The Two Books, coined by the Theologians, present an intertwining role of Special Revelation (Scripture) and General Revelation in the theological working class of discovering God. As we explore General Revelation in the area of Science and the record, we must(prenominal) note that on that point is some information that General Revelation advertise us and does not tell us.According to VandenBerg, (2010), there are two beliefs among the Christian community concerning scientific fellowship and the volume. For example, â€Å"there are Christians who reject the knowledge in the areas of evolution, cosmology, and insist that the bi blical accounts of creation and cosmology must be read in a ungraciously literal fashion. They assert that it is not necessary to fit in the Bible and science because, for the most part, the scientific honorary society is wrong.Furthermore, some Christians insist that what the Bible says about the origins of the earth does not, in fact, cannot, contradict what science has discovered. Contrasting those in the first group, those in this group tend to produce the discoveries of science while seeking to harmonize them in some way with the biblical text. The Reformed tradition, tends to fall into line with the The Two Books †Page 3 latter(prenominal) group” (p. 16). However, â€Å"Because God is the author of both booksâ€the physical world and the Bibleâ€so the argument goes, there can be no disagreement between them.The basic premise for science and the Bible is that God has provided two sources of knowledge for human persons: nature and the Bible (VandenBerg, 201 0). Scientists contend that the problem with General Revelation is not that data is interpreted incorrectly with regard to some(prenominal) particular scientific subject that is being studied, alone the problem is that the author of the data is distorted (VandenBerg, 2010). A critical analysis of General Revelation calls into school principal what is being revealed.At first glance, â€Å"there is common sagacity of what God is revealing about himself. However, the theological instrument panel is still out deliberating a revelatory verdict” (Howard, D. , 2010). One point is agreed upon concerning General Revelation by those who embrace this Doctrine of Revelation is that knowledge about God is revealed concerning His existence and character (Howard, D. , 2010). â€Å" concord too exists that the knowledge revealed consists of particular attributes of God or a â€Å"broad outline of what He is like. The attributes of God that are considered to be revealed are those desc ribed in passages such as Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 1:18-32, and Acts 14:17. Psalm 19:1-8, according to Demarest, indicates that God â€Å"as Elohimâ€the eternal, omnipotent, wise, and good Creator and Sustainer of all that isâ€revealed via general revelation” (Howard, D. 2010). â€Å" friendship obtained from general revelation is not considered salvific in nature, because it lacks salvation knowledge. Knowledge disclosed in general is only about God as The Two Books †Page 4Creator and another(prenominal) â€Å"general” divine attributes, not God as Redeemer and other salvific knowledge. There is no knowledge of redemption or the Redeemer prone in general knowledge, because the precise purpose of general revelation is to declare â€Å"the glory of the Creator and exit general guidance to the creature,” not to reveal saviour Christ. Furthermore, humans do not obtain salvific knowledge from general revelation, they have true and hi-fi knowledge of God ’s existence, his attributes, and moral truth (Howard, D. , 2010). The task of discovering God is incomplete without Special Revelation (Scripture).The intertwining role of Special Revelation (Scripture) and General Revelation reveal â€Å"two divergent media that in different ways point to the alike(p) messengerâ€the divine Creator and Revealer. To the degree that the content of the message is the aforesaid(prenominal)â€â€Å"God’s invisible qualities his eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20)â€the truth that both books speak the identical language and point to the same God must be stressed. At the same time, the truth that natural theology has no parsimony capacity, that to know our sin and salvation we need the redundant special revelation effrontery in Scripture, must never be overlooked.The two Books are not in the first place about the Bible and science but about God and his relation to us as Creator and Redeemer in deliveryman Christ” (Bolt, J. , 2011). Special Revelation can be categorized in the following way. â€Å"Theophany (God makes Himself known to the vaticinator while the prophet is awake and assured of such taking place; Visions (God makes Himself known (not physically) to the prophet who is awake and aware of what is taking place; Dreams (God makes Himself known to a prophet who is asleep); In His Sonâ€Jesus Christ (Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of God given not in force(p) to the prophets, but The Two Books †Page 5 o all people. Jesus is also the perfect image of the invisible God and the object of all Special Revelation. All of Scripture, not just the Gospels, points to Jesus)” (Preacherwin, 2008). Without the Two Books, (General Revelation and Special Revelation), mankind would be deprived of the â€Å"intimate manifestation of God’s special Revelation to his people, revealing Christ and merger in Christ all of these separate forms of Special Revelation .Scripture reveals Christ in his fullness for God’s people and thus, the completed canon of Scripture is given to us as the capstone upon which our faith is held in concert” (Preacherwin, 2008). References Apologetics. (2013). Explain general and special revelation using examples. Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://www. apologeticsinfo. org/outlines/ Got Questions. (2013). What is general revelation and special revelation? Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://www. gotquestions. org/general-special-revelation. tml Hill, A. E. & Walton, J. H. (2009). A Survey Of The experient Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan. Howard, D. (2010). A critical analysis of general revelation. Criswell Theological Review, 8(1), 53-75 Preacherwin’s. (2008). Forms of Special Revelation. Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://preacherwin. wordpress. com/2008/04/21/forms-of-special-revelation/ VandenBerg, M. L. (2010). What General Revelation Does (and Does Not) Tell Us. Per spectives On Science & Christian Faith, 62 (1), 16-24\r\n'