Lesson 2 - Doctrine of Scripture

Question 1

How does Psalm 19 help the Christian understand the economy of divine revelation?

Answer 1

2 ways that God reveals himself:

1. ) Book of Nature (Psalm 19:1-6)
   - God reveals himself through works of Creation
   - Universal
2. ) Book of Scripture (Psalm 19:7-11)
   - God speak to us and teaches us how to speak to Him

Question 2

How does one understand the relationship between human nature and divine revelation before and after the Fall?

Answer 2

a. ) State of nature before the Fall
- General revelation via God’s works
- Special revelation via God’s Word

b. ) State of nature after the Fall
- General revelation via God’s works

c. ) State of grace
- Special revelation via God’s Word: OT and NT; various administrations of covenant of Grace; Jesus Christ: the Word made Flesh

d. ) State of Glory
- Beatific Vision

Question 3

Similarities between General and Special Revelation?

Answer 3

• Invisible God makes himself known through creaturely media to creatures
• Both manifest certain common objects of knowledge regarding God and ourselves
• Both are able to produce knowledge that is properly basic
• Proofs can play a secondary role in strengthening both general and special revelation. Proofs are not essential to gaining knowledge, but can help.

Question 4

Differences between General and Special Revelation?

Answer 4

a. ) General Revelation = God makes himself known through His works to human reason; Special Revelation = God makes himself known through His word to Spirit-illumined faith
b. ) GR = God makes himself known through universal medium to universal audience; SR = God makes himself known through specific utterances to specific audiences (Heb. 1:1-4)
c. ) GR = we come to know God through God’s works by natural faculties of perception; SR = we come to know God through God’s Word/Testimony, received by Spirit-illumined faith (belief and trust)
d. ) SR reveals truths not available through GR (Trinity, incarnation, salvation, worship)
e. ) GR = does not produce fully adequate knowledge of God and ourselves because sin has diseased our cognitive faculties and we suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18); SR = does produce fully adequate knowledge of God, the gospel, and ourselves through Holy Scripture and the illumination of Holy Spirit
f. ) Both GR and SP are essential to theology of pilgrims, but SR is a superior form of revelation, and thus should inform our GR
g. ) SR only can lead us to the ultimate form of revelation and to the source of our happiness in the beatific vision

Question 5

In what ways is Special Revelation Covenantal in nature?

Answer 5

a. ) WSC 12 (God’s special act of providence) - By means of his covenantal Word, God moves and directs human beings to their divinely appointed end of possession, knowing, and loving God.
- - God gives himself through the covenant
- - God’s covenantal words is the means whereby God moves and directs us toward our ultimate end of happiness in Him

b. ) How God moves and directs us through His covenantal word that we know, trust, and love God:
- Speech acts: law and promises/gospel
- Covenantal elements –> Covenantal substance (God’s name, what God has done for us and will do for us, Faith, hope, and love)

Question 6

By what modes has God given special revelation to His creatures?

Answer 6

1. ) Jesus Christ is the Supreme mode of Special Revelation (Theology of Union)
   - - Incarnate Son is the ultimate author and object of all forms of special revelation
2. ) Other forms
   - - Angel and Theophany (Ex. 3:1-6)
   - - Dreams, visions, riddles (Numbers 12:6-8)
   - - Direct speech (Deut. 34:10, 2 Peter 1:16-18)
3. ) Prophets and Apostles (Heb. 1:1, 2 Cor. 5:20)
4. ) Holy Scriptures as the extension of the prophets and apostles