The Two Books, Coined by the Theologians

The devil Books Module 3 The 2 Books, Coined By The Theologians Gloria J. Farmer HTH-505-0101 Systematic deity I Instructor Professor Peter Conlin March 19, 2013 The Two Books knave 1 idols objective for self-divine divine revelation is that mankind comes to know Him better. From the ascendent of insertion, idols plan was to create a battalion among whom he could dwell and with whom he could be in descent (Hill & Walton, 2009, p. 23). Mankind has no excuse for non knowing deity and establishing a relationship with Him because everyone of course has a public idea that on that point is a paragon (McGrath, 2011, p. 5), base upon His eternal power and divine nature. His glory is declargond in the heavens, the feed of His hands is proclaimed in the skies, (psalm 19 Romans 120) and the order, intricacy, and wonder of creation speak to the existence of a powerful and glorious reason (Got Questions, 2013). Moreover, people everywhere possess ecumenical knowledge of the ex istence of immortal as the author of heaven and earth, and they understand His righteousness, and that He administers punishment to the wicked, etc.However, people do non accept a clue of divinitys plans concerning mankind, the benefits of His bles sings, our deliverances from sin and death, and the plan of salvationwhich denotes true knowledge of matinee idol (McGrath, 2011). The Two Books that God reveals Himself to humanity include, world(a) divine revelation and excess revelation. popular revelation refers to the common truths that can be cognize well-nigh God through nature. e special(a)(a) revelation refers to the more specific truths that can be known about God through the supernatural (Got Questions, 2013). customary manifestation was not the throttle valve that was designed to teach us our obligation towards God and our proper relationship to him as our creator. It was not designed to guide us in ethical motive even if the fall of man had not occurred in the Garden of enlightenment (Preacherwins, 2008). It is through General manifestation that Gods revelation of Himself as God, and the righteous judge is seen. Also, through General Revelation man is seen as a sinner standing under The Two Books Page 2 Gods divine judgment.The recognise message of prevalent revelation and what is derived from itnatural theology (e. g. , Romans 1 and 2), encounters the problem of fallen man perverting its clear message. Nature, human history, and human nature (internallyvia con learning) denote the three primary categories of general revelation (Apologetics, 2013). God manifested or revealed Himself through spare Revelation in three major categories that include miraculous events, divine speech, and visible manifestations. Special Revelation is redemptive or salvific in nature and is communicated in twain words (e. . , Scripture) and acts or actions. It moldiness be revealed/initiated by God alone. Christ and the Scriptures respectively are the sup reme examples of Special Revelation (Apologetics, 2013). Having tell this, The Two Books, coined by the Theologians, present an intertwining role of Special Revelation (Scripture) and General Revelation in the theological task of discovering God. As we explore General Revelation in the area of Science and the rule book, we must note that there is some information that General Revelation tell us and does not tell us.According to VandenBerg, (2010), there are ii beliefs among the Christian community concerning scientific knowledge and the password. For example, there are Christians who reject the knowledge in the areas of evolution, cosmology, and put forward that the biblical accounts of creation and cosmology must be read in a woodenly literal fashion. They assert that it is not necessary to match the Bible and science because, for the most part, the scientific academy is wrong.Furthermore, some Christians insist that what the Bible says about the origins of the universe does not, in fact, cannot, contradict what science has discovered. contrast those in the first group, those in this group tend to affirm 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, Because God is the write of both booksthe physical world and the Bibleso the argument goes, there can be no departure between them.The basic premise for science and the Bible is that God has provided twain sources of knowledge for human persons nature and the Bible (VandenBerg, 2010). Scientists contend that the problem with General Revelation is not that data is interpreted incorrectly with regard to any particular scientific subject that is being studied, but the problem is that the author of the data is distorted (VandenBerg, 2010). A critical analysis of General Revelation calls into question what is being revealed.At first glance , there is common understanding of what God is revealing about himself. However, the theological jury 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). Agreement also exists that the knowledge revealed consists of particular attributes of God or a broad outline of what He is like. The attributes of God that are considered to be revealed are those described in passages such as Psalm 191-6, Romans 118-32, and Acts 1417. Psalm 191-8, according to Demarest, indicates that God as Elohimthe eternal, omnipotent, wise, and good Creator and Sustainer of all that isrevealed via general revelation (Howard, D. 2010). Knowledge obtained from general revelation is not considered salvific in nature, because it lacks salvation knowledge. Knowledge disclosed in general is only abou t God as The Two Books Page 4Creator and other general divine attributes, not God as Redeemer and other salvific knowledge. There is no knowledge of redemption or the Redeemer given in general knowledge, because the precise purpose of general revelation is to declare the glory of the Creator and give general guidance to the creature, not to reveal Jesus Christ. Furthermore, mankind do not obtain salvific knowledge from general revelation, they have true and accurate knowledge of Gods existence, his attributes, and moral police (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 two different media that in different ways point to the same messengerthe divine Creator and Revealer. To the degree that the content of the message is the sameGods unseeable qualities his eternal power and divine nature (Romans 120)the truth that both books speak the sam e language and point to the same God must be stressed. At the same time, the truth that natural theology has no saving capacity, that to know our sin and salvation we need the additional special revelation given in Scripture, must never be overlooked.The two Books are not in the first perpetrate about the Bible and science but about God and his relation to us as Creator and Redeemer in Jesus Christ (Bolt, J. , 2011). Special Revelation can be categorized in the following way. Theophany (God makes Himself known to the vaticinator while the prophet is awake and aware 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 SonJesus Christ (Jesus is the crowning(prenominal) manifestation of God given not just to the prophets, but The Two Books Page 5 o all people. Jesus is also the finished image of the invisible God and the object of all S pecial Revelation. all told 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 intimate manifestation of Gods special Revelation to his people, revealing Christ and uniting in Christ all of these damp forms of Special Revelation.Scripture reveals Christ in his fullness for Gods people and thus, the completed canon of Scripture is given to us as the stretcher upon which our faith is held together (Preacherwin, 2008). References Apologetics. (2013). Explain general and special revelation employ 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 Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan. Howard, D. (2010). A c ritical analysis of general revelation. Criswell Theological Review, 8(1), 53-75 Preacherwins. (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) give tongue to Us. Perspectives On Science & Christian Faith, 62 (1), 16-24