Revelation is the doctrinal study of how
God makes Himself and His will known to humanity.
Without revelation, true knowledge of God would be impossible.
Scripture teaches that
God has revealed Himself
in a general way through creation and conscience,
and in a special, saving way through His words, acts,
and ultimately through Jesus Christ and the written Word.
The doctrine of revelation is
the foundation for all Christian faith and theology.
The doctrine of revelation addresses the question of how finite, fallen human beings can know the infinite and holy God. Left to ourselves, we cannot discover God by our own effort. God must take the initiative to disclose Himself — and He has done so. General revelation is available to all people through the created order and the moral law written on the heart. Special revelation is given through specific words and deeds in history, through the prophets and apostles, through the incarnation of the Son, and through the inspired Scriptures. All revelation is purposeful: it is given so that people may know God, trust Him, worship Him, and live in relationship with Him.
- Revelation is necessary because God is transcendent and holy, and because sin has darkened human understanding.
- General revelation reveals God’s eternal power, divine nature, and moral requirements, leaving all people without excuse.
- Special revelation is needed for the knowledge of salvation and the full disclosure of God’s character and redemptive purposes.
- God has revealed Himself progressively throughout history, with the fullest and final revelation given in His Son.
- Scripture is the written record and ongoing means of special revelation, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
- Revelation is not merely information; it is given to produce faith, worship, obedience, and transformation.
- While general revelation continues, the special revelatory work that produced the canon of Scripture has been completed.
- General Revelation – God’s self-disclosure through creation, providence, and human conscience, available to all people at all times.
- Special Revelation – God’s specific self-disclosure through direct speech, dreams, visions, the prophets, the mighty acts of redemptive history, Jesus Christ, and the Scriptures.
- Progressive Revelation – The gradual unfolding of God’s truth and purposes across the ages, reaching its climax in Christ.
- Personal / Illuminating Revelation – The work of the Holy Spirit in opening minds and hearts to understand and receive the truth of the gospel.
- Finality of Revelation in Christ – In these last days God has spoken fully and finally by His Son; no further revelatory work of the same order is to be expected.
- Psalm 19:1-4 – “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork… Their voice goes out through all the earth.”
- Romans 1:19-20 – “For what can be known about God is plain to them… his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived… so that they are without excuse.”
- Romans 2:14-15 – The work of the law is written on the hearts of the Gentiles, their conscience also bearing witness.
- Hebrews 1:1-2 – “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
- John 1:14, 18 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us… No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
- 2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God…”
- 2 Peter 1:20-21 – “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
- Matthew 11:27 – “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
- 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 – God has revealed the deep things of Himself to us through the Spirit.
- John 16:13-15 – The Spirit of truth will guide into all the truth and glorify Christ.
The doctrine of revelation is the starting point of all true knowledge of God. The same God who spoke the universe into existence has spoken in history, in His Son, and in the Scriptures. General revelation leaves every person accountable; special revelation makes known the way of salvation. In Jesus Christ the fullest light has shone, and in the written Word that light continues to shine. Revelation is never given merely to satisfy curiosity; it is given so that we may know the living God, trust His Son, and walk in His ways by the power of His Spirit until faith becomes sight.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.