Doctrine 1: Knowing God - Assg

Below is my humble little assg for the subject of Knowing God. It's still rather repetitive, i think.

Special revelation is God’s revelation of Himself toward humankind that’s tightly-coupled to the redemptive purpose of God. Special revelation is only particular to God’s chosen people at particular times as opposed to general revelation that’s universal to all people in all places at all times (i.e. creation). It culminates in the incarnation of Christ, as a representation of God’s being in person (Heb. 1:3), and is mediated through the Scripture, as the inspired words of God (2 Tim. 3:16). While general revelation makes known God’s power and divinity, special revelation makes known God’s saving grace, which must be initiated by God alone. Therefore, it provides the content necessary for salvation, in which it supplies the redemptive knowledge of God that is directed toward particular sinners.

Scripture conveys that humankind is created by God (Gen. 1:26, Acts 17:26). As Creator, God exists apart from humankind. As creature, humankind is dependant upon God, His creator. These facts assert that God and humankind are different in being, that also carries to a distinction in knowing. As a man’s heart is only known to himself, so God’s spirit knows of God Himself (1 Cor. 2:11). Yet, since God is the Creator, His knowledge surpasses ours, indeed, we are known to Him, but not the opposite, the creature doesn’t posses God’s self-knowledge, since humankind is His subordinate creature with purposes, which can be assumed why God is to reveal Himself in order that humankind would have relationship with Him. Due to this condition (i.e. humankind has the limited capability that would never enable him to reach out to God to know Him perfectly, His being and nature that would allow the creature to worship Him), God must reveal Himself toward His creature. Moreover, as sin has so affected the whole course of human being and thinking, humankind is made totally incapable of identifying with his sinful nature (i.e. humankind has turned away from God and continued to rebel against Him – Rom. 3:10-12), let alone coming to the knowledge of God (Eph. 4:18, 2 Cor. 4:4).

Through creation and human conscience as the forms of general revelation, even though they are supposed to carry some weights in disclosing the nature of God, they are still a little insufficient as means to prove of God’s existence and understand the purposes of creation in the course of sinful human thinking because of the fall. In fact, even the un-fallen Adam could only come to relationship and knowledge of God through God’s direct address toward him (Gen 1:28f., 2:17f.). Therefore, a further special revelation from God apart from general revelation is required if sinful humankind is to know God. As the forms of special revelation, Jesus Christ and the Scripture are essential to bring us to God, because only through Christ the barrier of sins that affects our relationship and knowledge of God was dealt with on the Cross, and through the Scripture, that testifies to Christ, it teaches us about God and enables humankind to learn of God’s purpose in sending His Son in order for humankind to respond to His saving grace.

Reference: Milne, Know The Truth