Defining General Revelation Biblically

What is general revelation?

Building on the introductory overview, general revelation encompasses God’s self-disclosure through creation, human conscience, and universal moral awareness, accessible to all apart from Scripture.

The Bible affirms this in Romans 1:18-20, where Paul asserts that God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen through the things He has made, leaving humanity without excuse. Psalm 19:1-2 further emphasizes that the heavens declare God’s glory, and His handiwork proclaims His wisdom, suggesting that even those without direct access to Scripture encounter His attributes through nature. Additionally, Romans 2:14-15 indicates that God’s moral law is written on the hearts of all people, enabling them to discern right from wrong through conscience.

General revelation is universally available but not exhaustive. It provides enough knowledge to hold humanity accountable (Romans 1:20-21), yet it lacks the specific saving truths found in Scripture. While it can spark awareness of God’s existence and moral order, it does not fully reveal His redemptive purposes, necessitating the need for special revelation. This foundational concept bridges to the next topic, where we explore how Scripture complements and transcends general revelation in Christian theology.

General Revelation in Romans 1:20

Romans 1:20 establishes a foundational claim about general revelation: God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly perceived in creation, holding humanity accountable for their response.

Paul writes, 'For 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' (Romans 1:20). This verse asserts that creation itself functions as a medium of divine communication, rendering God’s attributes intellectually accessible to all. The language of 'clearly seen' and 'understood' emphasizes that this revelation is not obscured but actively discloses truth. By making divine realities evident, Paul frames general revelation as a universal witness that precludes human claims of ignorance.

This accountability mechanism underscores the ethical weight of general revelation: those who suppress its truth face moral and spiritual consequences. Yet the verse stops short of claiming this revelation provides saving knowledge, reserving fuller disclosure for special revelation.

The implications of Romans 1:20 thus set the stage for exploring how Scripture complements creation’s testimony, offering the redemptive clarity general revelation alone cannot provide. This duality shapes Christian theology’s understanding of divine accessibility and human responsibility.

General Revelation vs. Special Revelation

While general revelation provides a foundation for recognizing God’s existence, Scripture teaches that special revelation is essential for salvation and a full understanding of God’s character.

General revelation, accessible to all through nature and conscience (Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1), reveals God’s power and moral order but does not communicate the redemptive truths necessary for eternal life. Special revelation, found in Scripture, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, uniquely discloses God’s plan of salvation and His personal relationship with humanity. Romans 10:14-15 emphasizes that ‘how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?’ - highlighting the insufficiency of general revelation for saving faith.

John 1:18 further clarifies that ‘no one has ever seen God; the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.’ This underscores that only through Christ can God’s full nature be understood. This distinction sets the stage for examining how special revelation fulfills the limitations of general revelation in the next section.

Why General Revelation Matters Today

General revelation remains a vital framework for understanding humanity's accountability in a modern world increasingly skeptical of supernatural claims.

In apologetics, it provides a common ground for dialogue by pointing to the universe's design as evidence of a Creator (Romans 1:20), while the universality of moral awareness - seen even among non-Christians - suggests an innate divine imprint on human conscience. The text's assertion that 'God’s invisible qualities... are clearly seen' underscores that truth is not confined to cultural or geographic boundaries.

Yet Romans 1:18-20 also warns of ethical consequences when individuals 'suppress the truth by their wickedness,' a challenge evident today in moral relativism and environmental exploitation. This tension sets the stage for examining how special revelation addresses these limitations through Scripture's redemptive clarity.

Going Deeper

To deepen your understanding of general revelation, consider exploring its intersections with natural theology, the problem of evil, and the dialogue between reason and faith.

Natural theology examines how human reason and observation of nature point to God’s existence, while the problem of evil questions how suffering coexists with a benevolent Creator. Engaging with these topics can illuminate how general revelation both supports and challenges philosophical and theological inquiry.