GOD IS A REVEALING GOD [1902]

Point of lecture is that God is not hidden nor only transcendent. Several passages point this out: Psalm 91, 139, Romans 1. God's intention is not to hide. Even in Genesis 3:9 after Adam and Eve sinned God looked for them, "Where are you?"

With this premise in mind we can see God revealing in several areas. From Romans 1-3 we glean the following areas where God has revealed His character and self.

• Creation - Romans 1:20 -21
• Consciousness of man - 1:21
• Law - Romans 3:21
• Prophets - 3:21
• Written Word - 3:2 (Old Testament)
• Christ - 3:21-26

UNAPPROACHABLE LIMIT

Do not confuse "unapproachable limit" with the common understanding of transcendence.

From my life's experience, study, and the Word, I believe that the student has a vast world the discover. The end or limit of study is never to be found.

As man's knowledge of the creation increases, a previously unknown and unexpected frontier is discovered beyond the threshold of the known. As soon as the new unknown is examined and becomes known, a new and unexpected frontier is discovered. If man has ears to hear and eyes to see, he will know more and more of God. (Romans 1:20-21)

We will use an illustration: Take, literally or with your imagination, a GRAPEFRUIT.

Assume this is the first grapefruit you or anyone has ever seen. The early childhood questions "WHY?" and "IS THERE MORE?" compels us to examine the grapefruit.

The grapefruit

round, has a peculiar smell, seems to be soft, cannot see inside

WHY? Is there more...

so we open the grapefruit not knowing what will be found

The Slices

rather symmetrical, wedged shaped, some white strings attached to them, are able to see something inside.

WHY? Is there more...

so we open the grapefruit wedges and find

The "Little" Juice Sacks

bunch of them, different sizes,

WHY? Is there more...

so we open the grapefruit "little juice sacks and find

Molecules

water (H₂0) 2 hydrogen and one oxygen atom making up water. Now is this not interesting? The some Greeks believed that the atoms were held together with hooks. More "modern" (1800s and early 1900s) minds thought that the atom COULD not be divided.

WHY? Is there more...

so we open the grapefruit molecules and find

Atoms

as we examine the atoms which seem to be mostly emptiness we ask

WHY? Is there more...

so we develop more sophisticated tools and procedures

Electrons, and nucleus --

WHY? Is there more? This process goes on...and on...and on....neutrons, protons, mesons, super colliders...I believe that there will always be more to discover and to learn as we push into new thresholds

MY CONCLUSION is that the "unapproachable limit" demonstrates a quality of God as demonstrated in His handiwork. Just as the special Thanksgiving turkey dinner demonstrates the handiwork of the person who prepared the meal. The meal is not the person who did the preparation. The creation IS NOT God. The creation declares God characteristics: power, god-head, wisdom.

• There seems to be an unapproachable limit ... When we learn something there is more to learn. When one unknown frontier becomes known ... there is yet another unknown which we can know.
• From my perspective, this truth appears to hold true with the MACROCOSM ... there seems to be no end to what can be learned about space.
• The little ... the big ... and the in-between ... God's handi-work is such that we can see a God who made things which REALLY AND TRULY demonstrate his power and God head.
• The student has "job security." Our world is created so that we can never understand it all. Never know it all. Never know all there is to know.
• We are beings whose very foundation of existence is faith.
• My understanding of God as revealed in the Scripture has the same unapproachable limit. God will always be found more loving, more just, and more trustworthy.

  Last Updated 24 February, 2000