1. Divine Revelation – The Communication of God

2. I. Important Questions to Consider II. Basic Terminology
OBJECTIVES
I. Important Questions to Consider
II. Basic Terminology
III. Various Opinions
IV. Examining the Scriptures
V. Systematic Conclusions
VI. Apologetics
VII. Practical Applications

3. Part 1 Philosophical Arguments that are Compatible with General Revelation

4. Homework Questions
The first premise of the Cosmological Argument states that everything that begins to exist has a cause. When Christians use this argument, atheists sometimes respond by asking, “Well then, who created God?” How would you respond to this question?

5. Cosmological Argument

6. THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
Premises
Notes
1. Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
God’s eternality makes Him exempt from this premise.
2. The universe began to exist.
Hubble Telescope
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
Conclusion
Therefore, the universe must have had a cause.
Matter, Time, Space, Energy = had a beginning point.

7. THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
The finitude of the universe leaves individuals with one of two leading interpretive options:
THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
1. The universe came into existence via “spontaneous generation."
Evaluation
The theory of “spontaneous generation” is highly improbable on both scientific and logical grounds.
Science
It contradicts the law of biogenesis. This well-established law demonstrates that life cannot arise from non-life, let alone will itself into existence. Why should we believe that an exception took place at the beginning?
Logic
How can an entity will itself into existence? In other words, an act cannot be made prior to the existence of an entity with acting competency.
2. The universe came into existence by God.
The overwhelming proof in favor of a finite universe greatly helps the case for the existence of God. Since the physical realm had a beginning, it must have been . . .
a. caused by an immaterial entity
b. caused by an uncaused cause
c. caused by a personal agent
God fits the description. As a spirit, He is immaterial. As an eternal being, He is the uncaused cause. As a mind, He is a personal agent.

8. PSALM 102:25 - In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

9. Homework Questions
For this section, you must summarize the Probability Teleological Argument. How did this argument influence Anthony Flew, a former atheistic apologist?

10. Teleological Argument

11. Premises
Notes
1. In most instances, Intelligent Design is the only reasonable option for explaining the origin of things that are functional, specific, and highly complex.
NASA
COMPUTER PROGRAMS
2. On a micro and macro level, the present universe is functional, specific, and highly complex.
MICRO – DNA
MACRO - EXPANSION OF UNIVERSE AND GRAVITATIONAL FORCE
3. Alternative theories, such as unguided processes or physical necessity, do not adequately explain the present universe. Intelligent Design does adequately explain the present universe.
Conclusion
Therefore, Intelligent Design is the best explanation for the present universe.

12. Homework Questions
What is objective truth (see your basic terms)? How does this term relate to the moral argument? What point does Douglas Wilson make in his quote (page 23)?

13. Moral Argument Premises Notes
1. If God does not exist, objective moral values and duties do not exist.
Created vs Discovered
If the Nazi regime would have taken over the world, would anti-Semitism be morally good?
2. Objective moral values and duties do exist.
Properly Basic Belief – No Defeaters
Examples:
The Creation of the World occurred more than 5 minutes ago
The fact that we are not dreaming
Anti-Semitism is objectively wrong
Conclusion
Therefore, God exists.
Although this argument does not logically lead to Christian theism, it does demonstrate the need for an external agent to justify objective values.

14. Moral Argument

15. “John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England
“John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England. He met Paul McCartney in 1957 and invited McCartney to join his music group. They eventually formed the most successful songwriting partnership in musical history. Lennon left the Beatles in 1969 and later released albums with his wife, Yoko Ono, among others. On December 8, 1980, he was killed by a crazed fan named Mark David Chapman.” –

16. Richard Wurmbrand writes, “The cruelty of atheism is hard to believe when man has no faith in the reward of good or the punishment of evil. There is no reason to be human. There is no restraint from the depths of evil which is in man. The Communist torturers often said, ‘There is no God, no hereafter, no punishment for evil. We can do what we wish.’ I have heard one torturer even say, ‘I thank God, in whom I don’t believe, that I have lived to this hour when I can express all the evil in my heart.’ He expressed it in unbelievable brutality and torture inflected on prisoners.”
If there is no god, would the Communist torturer be correct?
If God does not exist, how would this remove ultimate accountability from a person?
In the absence of God, why would it be meaningless to perform acts of compassion?

17. Part 2 Difficult Questions Related to the Topic of General Revelation

18. Homework Questions
How could God send a good person, who has never heard the gospel, to hell?
How could God allow some individuals to only have access to General Revelation, which is insufficient to bring them to Christ?

19. Question 1 –How could God send a good person, who has never heard the gospel, to hell?  
LOADED QUESTION
ACCURATE QUESTION
How could God send a bad person, who has never heard the gospel, to hell?
ACCURATE DILEMMA
Romans 1: Judgment = Rejecting the Gospel
= Rejecting God as Creator
2nd Peter 2:20-21: If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.

20. How could God allow some individuals to only have access to General Revelation, which is insufficient to bring them to Christ?
The current function of General Revelation is limited. It demonstrates the existence of God (creation) and the need for God (conscience), but it does not present the gospel. Consequently, this general communication is not redemptive in nature.
Having said this, it must be noted that initially General Revelation served a very positive function. Prior to the fall, Adam and Eve had the moral competence to obey God. God’s handprint on nature and influence on conscience were there to encourage Adam and Eve to make the right decision. If obeyed, this general communication had the aptitude to sustain their relation with God.
Because of the fall, the human populace merited a corrupt condition. Persons are no longer able to perfectly obey General Revelation because of their depraved condition; therefore, they need the redemptive message of Jesus.
The preceding demonstrates that the limited function of General Revelation is not God’s fault; rather, the current function of General Revelation is the result of the Fall.
Having said this, Scripture and cross-cultural testimonies demonstrate that God is not limited to human messengers. He, at times, brings gospel content to seekers via dreams, visions, and other supernatural means.

21. Dreams - General Revelation
Islamic Testimony

22. Part 3 General Revelation and Non-Christian Worldviews: What’s the Difference?

23. Homework Questions
For this section, you need to compare and contrast Christianity with naturalism and spiritual monism. Have you ever had a discussion with someone that embraces naturalism or spiritual monism? Summarize this discussion.

24. Naturalism Spiritual Monism
What is the definition of Naturalism?
This ideology affirms that everything can be explained by natural laws; it denies the existence of the supernatural realm.   
Where is this worldview influential?
Western World
Most Non-Religious Universities
    
How does this perspective compare and contrast with Christianity?
 Christians and naturalists both affirm the existence of a natural realm. They disagree on whether or not the supernatural realm exists. Christians believe that reality includes both the natural and the supernatural. In addition, the created and natural order communicates certain things about the supernatural Creator.
What is the definition of Spiritual Monism?
This worldview holds that everything is spiritual or divine in essence. It denies the existence of the physical realm.
New Age Religion
Eastern Spirituality
Radical Environmentalism
 How does this perspective compare and contrast with Christianity?
 Christians and spiritual monists both affirm the existence of a spiritual realm. They disagree on whether or not the natural realm exists. Christians maintain a strict distinction between the Creator and the created order, whereas spiritual monists would not make a distinction.

26. Part 4 The Issue of Concordism

27. Anti, Modest, or Strong?

28. Homework Questions
What is the difference between anti-concordism, modest concordism and strong concordism? In your opinion, which view is the most biblical? What does it mean to claim that the Bible uses “perception-based” language?

29. Summation God has authored two sources of revelation
The Bible is not a scientific document, yet certain biblical statements have implications that are testable
The Bible uses “perception based” language
Modern findings should urge Christians to recheck historic interpretations (Nicholas Copernicus)

30. Homework Questions
Imagine the following: Christian School of Atlanta is interviewing teachers for a HS science position. Genesis 1 and 2 come up in the interview. In your opinion, where should the school draw the line on what this teacher must believe? You may simply draw a line and then explain your decision.