I. Introduction

In this short research paper I will examine the place of natural revelation in bringing people to salvation. Another term for "natural" revelation is "general" revelation. This revelation has been available to all people throughout all history through observation of our natural world and through mindful introspection. "Creation" is a biblical synonym for "natural revelation" since the Bible proposes that our world, our bodies and our minds are all creations of our creator God. In contrast, "special" revelation is revealed outside the natural framework. This special truth is revealed only through written words (like the Bible), through spoken words (like a proclamation of the Gospel) or through miraculous signs. As Christians, we understand the importance of special revelation in the work of salvation, but what is the role of natural revelation in leading people to a saving faith in Jesus?

II. Knowledge from Natural Revelation

The first question to ask is "what can people learn from natural revelation?" I believe that we can learn much. We can learn that a god exists who is eternal, powerful and good. The Epistle to the Romans makes just this point. In chapter one, verses 19 and 20, Paul indicates that God is manifest to all people:

verse 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. verse 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²

This passage suggests that natural revelation in itself is sufficient to bring all people to a limited knowledge of God. It is God himself who chooses to reveal his nature to us. His invisible qualities become visible as we contemplate his creation. The Amplified Version of the same passage expounds and re-states its meaning:

verse 19 For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. verse 20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made - His handiworks. So [men] are with without excuse - altogether without any defense or justification. ³

Our inner consciousness is aware of God, because he reveals himself. His attributes have been made intelligible and clearly discernible through his handiwork. Through natural revelation and our God-given reason, we can determine that a god exists who is eternal, powerful, and good. We are without excuse if we cannot see this.

Concerning this passage, Douglas Moo states that:

He [Paul] asserts that people come to understand something about God's existence and nature. How universal is this perception? The flow of Paul's argument makes any limitation impossible. Those who perceive the attributes of God in creation must be the same as those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness and are therefore liable to the wrath of God. Paul makes clear that this includes all people (p. 104) ⁴.

James Dunn adds that:

Here too the charge is framed in broad terms and Paul is evidently concerned that it should be as meaningful and as widely admitted as possible. For the phrase used 'what can be known of God', takes up the well know premise of the time that God is knowable, and his brief elaboration draws principally on influential Stoic ideas: that there is an innate rapport between the divine and the human because the divine logos immanent throughout the word is immanent also in man as the power of reason; and that consequently the invisible realities and eternal power of divinity behind the visible cosmos are clearly seen by the eye of understanding in and through creation. At the same time, however, it is Paul's more Jewish perception of this divine human relation which remains primary; what is known of God is an act of revelation personally willed by God in relation to a created order and man is recognized as a responsible agent in face of this revelation, so that his failure to respond appropriately is not simply a lack of perception, a defect in spiritual capacity, but a moral failure, a culpable act, 'without excuse' (p. 186)⁵.

To this, Joseph A. Fitzmyer adds:

For Paul the condition of pagan humanity results, first, from its failure to recognize God for what he is, to glorify him, and to thank him, when it could readily have done so, had it paid due attention to the traces of him and his qualities evident in the created word. The sin of pagans against God stems from their suppression of the truth about him in their lives, and as a result their misguided minds have become steeped in idolatry (p. 271)⁶.

All three commentators note that through natural revelation all human beings are given a glimpse of God. We are culpable if we choose not to recognize the author of the cosmos. This passage in Romans is paralleled in many reference Bibles to Psalms 19 which begins: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and words to the end of the world (Psalm 19:1-4)⁷." The psalmist makes three of the same points that Paul makes in Romans. (1) Natural revelation - God's handiwork - points obviously to God, (2) This revelation is invisible, without words, yet it is visible for all who care to see it, (3) This revelation goes out to all men in all lands.

Twenty centuries after Paul wrote Romans, the subject of natural revelation remains an issue. In a recent book entitled Belief in God in an Age of Science, John Polkinghorne writes: "For me the fundamental content of belief in god is that there is a Mind and a Purpose behind the history of the universe and that the One whose veiled presence is intimated in this way is worthy of worship and the ground of hope (p. 1).8" He goes on to say, "Such a reading of the physical world as containing rumors of divine purpose, constitutes a new form of natural theology (p. 2).⁸" Natural revelation informs us that there is a god. We can read from nature hints of divine purpose. This is just as true to modern scientists in the twenty-first century as it was to the Romans in the first century.

III. The Value of Natural Revelation

Natural Revelation is valuable because it draws people toward God. Paul alludes to the drawing power of creation in Romans 2:14 and 15: "When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them. 7"

Moo believes that these are "Gentiles who do some part of the law but who are not saved (p. 156) .4 " Moo goes on to say that some Gentiles have an innate sense of right and wrong. They obey their parents and refrain from murder and robbery. In his book The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis calls this innate sense of right and wrong "natural law".

He says:

The Chinese also speak of a great thing (the greatest thing) called the Tao. It is the reality beyond all predicates, the abyss that was before the Creator Himself. It is Nature, it is the Way, the Road. It is the Way in which the universe goes on, the Way in which things everlastingly emerge, stilly and tranquilly, into space and time. It is also the Way which every man should tread in imitation of that cosmic and super cosmic progression, conforming all activities to that great exemplar. ⁹

The Abolition of Man contains an appendix of wide-ranging, historically diverse cultures that practice natural law or the Tao. The fact is that when natural revelation points people toward God, people feel obliged to obey the natural law that is evident throughout the cosmos.

IV. The limitations of Natural Revelation

Medieval theologians like Thomas Aquinas and Anselm developed "proofs" for the existence of God. Chapter three of Handbook for Christian Apologetics contains twenty such arguments for the existence of God ¹⁰. None of these prove God because each requires at least some faith. I personally believe that this was God's intention. God has granted each of us the freedom to believe or not to believe in Him. Human beings sit on that knife edge between faith and doubt. If God appeared in space and time every day at noon with accompanying signs, wonders, and marching orders, where would our freedom be? We would be compelled to obey out of fear not out of faith. The author of Hebrews points this out in 11:1 to 3, " Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old received divine approval. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that is seen was made out of things which do not appear 7" . This passage makes clear that at least some faith is required to understand that the world was created by God. Perhaps if one does not have even this little amount of faith, one is a fool.

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis entitles his first section: "Right and Wrong as Clues to the Meaning of the Universe"¹¹. I like the word "clue". Through Natural Revelation, we can never "prove" that God exists. At best we have "rumors", "hints", and "clues". We ignore the clues at our eternal peril.

V. Salvation through Natural Revelation

I have always believed that Natural Revelation can point us to God the Father, but that only special revelation can take us home to God the Son. There is no "natural revelation of Jesus Christ" and only Jesus Christ - the Son of God- can save us from our sins. I have no doubt of this. If the law of Moses has no ability to save us, as Paul points out, then how can natural revelation save us? There is no salvation through natural revelation. Paul makes this clear in Romans 10:13 to 15: "For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved'. But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard; and how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?⁷" This chain of questions makes clear that the salvation of others depends upon each of us proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Natural revelation can prepare our hearts for the special revelation of the gospel.

In a book entitled Four View on Salvation in a Pluralistic World ¹², four perspectives of salvation are presented by their major proponents. The first view called "Normative Pluralism" proposes that all ethical religions lead to God. I cannot see that this view is Biblical. The second view called "Inclusivism" proposes that salvation is universally available, but is established by and leads to Christ. This view is attractive but does not conform to scripture. I find myself somewhere between the last two views: "Salvation in Christ" and "Salvation in Christ alone". I am stuck here because I remain ambivalent about the eternal destiny of the millions (1) who died before Christ, (2) who never reached an age or mental ability to confess Christ, or (3) who never even heard a whisper that there was such a thing as Jesus Christ. I confess that I don't know about these people. I do know these two things. First, I trust the divine judge to be infinitely just and fair. I don't know what the judgment will be for these individuals, but I have confidence in the judger who will be accepting or rejecting them. Second, I take seriously the great commission. I am under obligation to proclaim the Gospel to all creation.

VI. Conclusion

Let me conclude with a story that I once heard. This story was told by a Christian college student who was majoring in anthropology. This student accompanied his professor and a dozen other anthropology students on a field trip into the Brazilian rain forest. In the middle of the forest, they quietly came upon a forest native who was in a clearing on his knees in front of a stone altar. The native was oblivious to their presence. He was shouting, then weeping, then finally cutting himself with sharp stones. It appeared that he was pleading with his god. The eager anthropologists took notes as the man cried his heart out and bled on the stone altar. When the "show" was over, the anthropologists walked back to camp. The professor lectured his students about this primitive religion, this primitive people, and this primitive god. With a smug smile of scientific certainty, he joked that he was glad to be an atheist and not subject to these painful primitive practices. All the students laughed at and mocked the native. They could not identify with the bleeding native in the least. The Christian student never spoke up, but reflecting upon the forest encounter, he felt more kinship with the primitive theist than with his fellow atheists. He marveled that without one word of special revelation, this native man recognized through natural revelation that there was a god worthy of worship, that this god was powerful enough to control his circumstances, and that blood was the means to forgiveness. How is that "civilized men" cannot grasp these basics?

As I listen to lectures by naturalists and read books by skeptical scientists, I often think of the 53rd Psalm that begins, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God". The entire Epistle to the Romans speaks of general revelation: from the first chapter: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became as fools (Romans 1:22)2" to the last chapter: "the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith (Romans 16:26).2" Any person with ears to hear cannot miss the voice that has gone out to the ends of the world. Anyone with eyes to see cannot miss the fingerprints of God that identify his handiwork.