The document discusses perspectives on general revelation from Norman Geisler, Millard Erickson, and others. It defines general revelation as God revealing himself to all people through nature, humanity, and history. While general revelation provides some knowledge of God, it is limited and cannot bring salvation on its own. Special revelation through Scripture is necessary for salvation. General revelation helps witnessing by pointing to God as Creator but its limitations require the gospel be shared through special revelation.

2. general revelation
according to Geisler

3. General Revelation -
Geisler
• God has, since the beginning of
time, revealed Himself to all
generations, aside from the special
revelation of His Word.
Romans 1:19-20
“Because what may be known of God is
manifest in them, for God has shown it to

4. General Revelation
• Through nature, humans, and
history God has given humanity
insight to some of His attributes.
• A proper working knowledge of
His general revelation is critical to
know the purpose it serves in the

5. • In contrast to the Bible, general
revelation serves to compliment all
truths contained in Scripture as well as
every truth found outside of it.
―While the Bible is all true, God has not
revealed all truth in the Bible‖ -
Norman L. Geisler
• In this regard general revelation is
General Revelation

6. Important to human thought
• Man was created in the image of God.
(Gen 1:27)
• As a result, humans have been given the
capacity to be creative and think
rationally.
– Though not specifically addressed in the
Bible, this human attribute is common to all
General Revelation

7. Important for government
• Void of any law by way of special
revelation , Gentiles are bound to the law
written upon their heart.
• Romans 2:8-11 clearly states God’s
impartial and righteous judgment upon all
who are in violation.
General Revelation

8. Important for apologetics
• Had God not made His general
revelation apparent to mankind, there
would be no starting point for the
believer to engage the lost.
– No evidence or thought of design,
causation, or morality
General Revelation

9. • Although general revelation is limited and
unable to solely bring one to salvation, it does
provide the individual with a foundational
framework from which to begin.
• Since the fall of man all who are born, are born
into sin and therefore the lens by which they
view the world is skewed.
• Paul stated that even nature itself is eagerly
awaiting its own redemption from the effects of
General Revelation

10. • That said, those who suppress God’s truth to
live according to their own fleshly impulses
have no excuse. As Paul stated in Romans 1,
they know the truth and will endure the
consequences of ignoring it.
• At the same time, this does not relieve
Christians of their duty to take ownership of the
Great Commission given by Christ.
General Revelation

11. Romans 10:14-15
― How then shall they call on
Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall they
believe in Him of whom they have
not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how
shall they preach unless they are
sent? ―
General Revelation

12. general revelation
according to Erickson

13. “General revelation is God’s
communication of himself to all
persons at all times in all places.”
The Nature of Revelation

14. 1. It’s universally available.
2. The content of the message.
General in two senses:

15. 1. Nature- The universe is creative and
impressive, pointing to an impressive
Creator.
2. History- If God is at work in the world
and is moving toward certain goals, the
trend should be evident in history (Ex.
People of Israel)
Three Loci of General
Revelation

16. ―It [natural theology] maintains not
only that there is a valid, objective
revelation of God in such spheres as
nature, history, and human
personality, but that it is actually
possible to gain some true knowledge
of God from these spheres—in other
words, to construct a natural theology
Natural Theology

17. 1. There is an objective, valid, and
rational general revelation.
2. The integrity of the person perceiving
and learning from the creation.
3. There is a congruity between the
human mind and the creation about
Assumptions of Natural
Theology

18. It is possible, without a prior
commitment of faith to the beliefs of
Christianity, and without relying on
any special authority such as an
institution (the Church) or a document
(the Bible), to come to a genuine
knowledge of God.
The Core of Natural
theology:

19. Grace
Nature
Thomas Aquinas

20. • Cosmological proof
• Teleological argument
• Anthropological argument
• Ontological argument
Arguments for God’s
Existence

21. Karl Barth
1.God’s revelation is
exclusively in Jesus Christ.
2.Genuine revelation is
always responded to
positively rather than being
ignored or rejected.

22. • God has given us an
objective, valid, rational general
revelation of himself.
• Humans do not clearly perceive God
in the general revelation.
• General revelation evidently does not
General Revelation and
Human Responsibility

23. • There is a common ground or a point
of contact between the believer and
the nonbeliever.
• There is a possibility of some
knowledge of divine truth outside the
special revelation.
Implications of General
Revelation

24. • General revelation serves to explain
the worldwide phenomenon of religion
and religions.
• Since both creation and the gospel
are intelligible and coherent
revelations of God, there is harmony
between the two
Implications of General
Revelation Cont.

25. How does the doctrine of general
revelation
shape your understanding of
unbelievers and salvation?

26. Two Scenarios
• General Revelation is
enough for a person to be
saved.
• A person can only be saved
through Special Revelation

27. 3 Assumptions
• We must operate under the
assumption that all people KNOW
God. (Romans 1:19-20)
19 Since what may be known about God is
plain to them, because God has made it plain
to them. 20 For since the creation of the world
God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power

28. 3 Assumptions
• We must also operate under the
assumption that all people have
REJECTED God. (Romans 1:21-23)
21 For although they knew God, they neither
glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but
their thinking became futile and their foolish
hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed
to be wise, they became fools23 and exchanged

29. 3 Assumptions
• We must finally operate under the
assumption that we are all GUILTY of
sin. (Romans 3:9-12)
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any
advantage? Not at all! For we have already made
the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all
under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
―There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there

30. Salvation Through General
Revelation
• The number one question: What
about people who have "never
heard?‖

31. Salvation Through General
Revelation
• The number one question: What
about people who have "never
heard?‖
• In both Romans 1 and Psalm 19
we see how God reveals himself to
ALL people through creation…so

32. Salvation Through General
Revelation
• The number one question: What
about people who have "never
heard?‖
• In both Romans 1 and Psalm 19
we see how God reveals himself to
ALL people through creation…so

34. Salvation Through Special
Revelation
• Jesus said, ―I am the way, the
truth, and the life and nobody will
come to the Father except through
Him.‖ (John 14:6)

35. Salvation Through Special
Revelation
• Jesus said, ―I am the way, the truth,
and the life and nobody will come to
the Father except through Him.‖
(John 14:6)
• It’s so sad that people who have
never been given a chance to
respond to the Gospel because they
have never heard it will die. Surely

36. Salvation Through Special
Revelation
• Jesus said, ―I am the way, the
truth, and the life and nobody will
come to the Father except through
Him.‖ (John 14:6)
• It’s so sad that people who have
never been given a chance to
respond to the Gospel because they
have never heard it will die. Surely

37. How does general revelation
shape our understanding of
MISSIONS?

38. Why do we do missions?
• We Are Commanded by Christ:
– “Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit,”
(Matthew 28:19-20)

39. Why do we do missions?
• No Justification in General
Revelation or the Law:
– Paul makes it clear that no one can
satisfy the requirements of the law
(Romans 3)
– The purpose of the law is not to justify
us, but to make us aware of our sin.
– ―Thus in effect the general revelation

40. Why do we do missions?
• Those without Christ are
hopelessly lost:
– ―Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven
given to mankind by which we must be
saved.‖ (Acts 4:12)

41. Why do we do missions?
• Because so many have not heard:
– 2,986 UUPG’s
(no known witness)
*190 million people
– 2,986 UPG’s
( less than 2% Christian)
*3.9 billion people

42. Why do we do missions?
• They must hear, in order to be
saved: (Romans 10:14-15,17)
―Everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.‖
How, then, can they call on the one they
have not believed in? And how can they
believe in the one of whom they have not
heard? And how can they hear without

43. Southern Baptists & General
Revelation
• ―Be it further RESOLVED, That we oppose
the false teaching that Christ is so evident
in world religions, human consciousness or
the natural process that one can encounter
Him and find salvation without the direct
means of the gospel…
• Be it finally RESOLVED, That we confess
Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the

44. General Revelation &
Inclusivism
―Those also can attain to everlasting
salvation who through no fault of their
own do not know the gospel of Christ or
his church, yet sincerely seek God and,
moved by grace, strive by their deeds to
do his will as it is known to them through
the dictates of conscience‖
• Second Vatican Council (1962-

45. General Revelation &
Inclusivism
"We do know that no
person can be saved
except through Christ;
we do not know that
only those who know
Him can be saved by
Him.‖

46. General Revelation &
Inclusivism
―I think everybody who
knows Christ, whether they're
conscious of it or not, they're
members of the Body of
Christ... They may not even
know the name of Jesus but
they know in their hearts that
they need something that they
don't have, and they turn to the
only light that they have, and I

47. General Revelation &
Inclusivism
―Missions then is less
about the transportation of
God from one place to
another and more about
the identification of a God
who is already there [...]
So the issue isn't so much
taking Jesus to people
who don't have him, but
going to a place and

48. It’s IMPORTANT that we understand the
truth of what scripture says about the
lost, and our responsibility and urgency in
proclaiming the gospel to them.

49. How does the doctrine of
general revelation
assist in sharing the Gospel with
a nonbeliever?

50. 1. It Does:
a. Declare The Glory of God
(Ps. 19: 1)
b. Proclaim the message of
God’s
existence to the entire
world (Ps. 19: 2-4)
WHAT GENERAL
REVELATION DOES Do

51. 1. It Does:
d. Show His power and divine
nature
(Rom.1:20)
e. Declare the just
condemnation of mankind
(Rom.1:20)
WHAT GENERAL
REVELATION DOES Do

52. WHAT GENERAL
REVELATION DOESN’T Do
1. It Does Not:
a. Provide a means of
escaping God’s judgment
(Rom. 2:3)
b. Restore us to a right
relationship with God
(Rom.1:18)

53. 1. Paul’s Areopagus Address to
the Athenians (Acts 17: 22-32)
a. Paul makes use of man’s
religious nature – one of four modes
of general revelation cited by
Erickson
GENERAL REVELATION In
witnessing

54. 2. Historical Revelation - which
Erickson sites as another
mode of General Revelation has
been used often.
a. God’s preservation of Israel
b. Preservation of Christianity
GENERAL REVELATION In
witnessing

55. 3. Erickson sites humans
themselves as God’s third mode
of
general revelation.
a. ― …for we are fearfully and wonderfully
made‖ (Ps. 139:14)
b. ―… we are His workmanship‖ (Eph. 2:10)
GENERAL REVELATION In
witnessing

56. • 1. General Revelation can
be useful in witnessing to an
unbeliever by:
a. Presenting evidence for a
divine creator from examples in
natural, historical, human, or
religious revelation
b. Helping an unbeliever
CONCLUSION

57. • 1. Limitations
a. It is useful only as a means
to prompt someone to
consider the validity of special
revelation.
b. It is not capable of leading
someone to a saving
CONCLUSION