General revelation and special revelation are two important concepts in Christian theology that deal with how God makes Himself known to humanity. Here is an overview of both types of revelation:
General Revelation
General revelation refers to the ways that God reveals Himself to all people universally through nature, history, and conscience. Through general revelation, all people at all times and places gain some basic knowledge of God’s existence, power, and attributes.
The Bible teaches that general revelation comes through creation. Romans 1:20 states, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Psalm 19:1 also declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Creation testifies to God’s existence, wisdom, power, and glory.
God’s providential workings in history also reveal truth about His character and plans. As people study history, they can discern patterns that point to God’s sovereignty over human affairs. Events in history demonstrate His justice, mercy, and care for His people.
In addition, God has instilled a conscience within every person that conveys a sense of right and wrong and an inner awareness of God’s moral law (Romans 2:14-15). The conscience affirms God’s existence and righteous standards.
While general revelation provides universal testimony to God’s existence and attributes, it does not provide a full knowledge of God or His redemptive plan in Christ. General revelation gives only a limited understanding of God and spiritual truth. It must be supplemented by special revelation, which presents the fuller manifestation of God and the Gospel.
Special Revelation
Special revelation refers to God’s specific and direct self-disclosure of truth. It involves God communicating distinct information about Himself, His will, purposes, and plan of salvation that goes beyond what can be known through general revelation alone.
The Bible is the clearest representation of special revelation. Through the Old and New Testaments, God has disclosed His character, laws, redemptive plan, and will in written form. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The Bible provides knowledge essential for salvation and the Christian life that is unavailable apart from special revelation.
Another key form of special revelation is Jesus Christ Himself. John 1:14,18 declares that Jesus perfectly revealed God, stating “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus demonstrated God’s love and forgiveness for sinners.
God also communicates special revelation by His Spirit working within people. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 explains, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined…God has revealed to us through his Spirit.” The Holy Spirit illumines Scripture, convicts people of sin, and discloses God’s will to believers. This inner witness provides insights unattainable through general revelation alone.
Other examples of special revelation include prophets forth-telling God’s word, apostles recording inspired Scripture, the incarnation of Christ, and visions/dreams in which God distinctly reveals truth. Unlike general revelation which is continuous, special revelation has appeared at specific times in history to communicate God’s redemptive plan.
The Relationship Between General and Special Revelation
Both general and special revelation originate from the same God, so there is harmony between them. General revelation lays a foundation for the truths disclosed through special revelation. Special revelation assumes and builds upon the knowledge of God conveyed through general revelation.
However, due to the impact of sin, general revelation is limited and distorted in what it can communicate about God and His plan of salvation. Special revelation provides the clear, authoritative, and definitive disclosure of God necessary for salvation. Theologian Louis Berkhof explains it this way: “While general revelation is sufficient to render man inexcusable, it does not provide him with the knowledge necessary unto salvation…The two are complementary, and together provide the foundation for the universal offer of the gospel.”
Without special revelation, people would remain in darkness regarding God’s redemptive plan and saving work in Christ. General revelation alone cannot lead people to salvation. The specific truths of the Gospel that are unveiled through special revelation are required to know God’s provision for the forgiveness of sins.
The Universal Witness of General Revelation
General revelation presents a universal witness of God to all people at all times and places. Several passages affirm that the created world clearly reveals God to everyone.
Romans 1:19-20 states that God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Psalm 19:1-4 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”
Acts 14:17 explains that God “did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” And Romans 2:14-15 says that the law of God is “written on their hearts” and their conscience also bears witness. Through creation, providence, and conscience, God continually discloses His existence and aspects of His nature and moral standards to everyone.
This universal revelation makes all people responsible before God because it conveys some basic knowledge of God that should lead them to seek Him. Romans 1:20 teaches that people are “without excuse” because “his invisible attributes…have been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.” Titus 1:15 explains that “to the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.” Although unregenerate people distort and suppress general revelation due to sin, it still renders them morally accountable for their rejection of the light they have received.
The Necessity of Special Revelation for Salvation
While general revelation conveys a universal witness of God, special revelation is required for people to receive the knowledge of God necessary for salvation. General revelation is not sufficient to lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:13-15 says, “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Hearing the special revelation of the Gospel is foundational for salvation.
2 Timothy 3:15 states that the Scriptures are able to make one wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Acts 4:12 declares “there is salvation in no one else” except Jesus Christ. Specific knowledge of Christ and the redemptive work He accomplished is needed for people to respond in repentance and faith.
Ephesians 2:8 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Romans 10:17 explains that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Special revelation that discloses the Gospel and work of Christ prompts saving faith.
Jesus’ instructions to His followers presupposed the necessity of special revelation for people’s salvation. He commissioned them to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15), showing that He did not expect general revelation to lead people to Himself. The special revelation Christ sends His people to deliver is His ordained instrument for calling the lost to repentance and faith.
The Clarity and Finality of Special Revelation in Scripture
The Bible is the clearest and most definitive form of special revelation, communicating all that is necessary for salvation and faith. Jude 1:3 speaks of “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” The Scriptures provide the complete special revelation needed to know God’s saving work in Christ.
Psalm 19:7 declares that “the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” The certainty and clarity of Scripture contrasts with the brokenness and ambiguity of general revelation due to the Fall. Theologian R.C. Sproul explains that “special revelation has a clarity and a certainty that flies far above the confusion and ambiguity of general revelation after it has been corrupted by the noetic effects of sin.”
Hebrews 1:1-2 teaches that “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.” This indicates the finality of the revelation given through Christ and inscripturated in the New Testament. No new special revelation is to be expected beyond what God has already definitively disclosed in His Son and the Bible.
The Scriptures thoroughly equip believers for salvation and Christian living (2 Timothy 3:15-17). No additional revelation outside the Bible is needed for people to know God’s will and receive His salvation. The finality of biblical revelation is a key reason why Christians reject false religions claiming to provide new revelations.
The Universal Proclamation and Personal Illumination of Special Revelation
Though special revelation is necessary for salvation, God does not reveal it exhaustively to every person. His ordained means involve the universal proclamation of special revelation and the personal illumination of the Holy Spirit. Together these make God’s specific revelation available and effectual for salvation.
Matthew 28:19 instructs followers of Christ to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” The Great Commission presupposes that special revelation must be proclaimed universally for people to hear and believe the Gospel.
Romans 10:14 asks: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” Hearing the message of special revelation is foundational for salvation. This necessitates the communication of special revelation to those who have not yet received it.
Yet special revelation alone is not enough. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 explains that the Gospel comes both “in word” but also “in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” Alongside the outward preaching of the word, the inward illumination of the Holy Spirit must open blind eyes and renew hard hearts to receive the truth of special revelation.
When special revelation is proclaimed, some hear and remain unresponsive. But in God’s elect, the Spirit powerfully applies special revelation to bring about conviction, understanding, and saving faith. The content of special revelation combined with personal illumination by the Spirit makes God’s specific disclosure effective in bringing people to salvation.
The Limitations of General Revelation
General revelation provides universal knowledge of God’s existence and attributes. However, general revelation alone cannot lead people to salvation due to the distorting effects of sin. Several limitations restrict what general revelation can communicate about God:
1. General revelation conveys limited knowledge of God’s character and works. It testifies to God’s existence, power, wisdom, and glory. But it does not disclose the full truth about God’s holy nature, His triune identity, His redemptive plan centered on the person and work of Christ, and His offer of salvation by grace.
2. General revelation has become unclear and distorted due to the impact of sin and the curse on creation. While it originally testified clearly to God’s existence and nature, general revelation has been adversely affected by the Fall so that it no longer communicates an undistorted witness of God.
3. Unregenerate people actively suppress the truth of general revelation due to sin. Romans 1:18 says people “suppress the truth by their unrighteousness.” They twist general revelation to concoct false ideas about God rather than responding rightly to the witness they have received.
4. General revelation cannot lead to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:21 says the world through its wisdom does not know God. Saving faith comes in response to hearing the message of Christ through special revelation.
5. General revelation alone cannot communicate how God forgives sins. It cannot disclose truths such as Christ’s substitutionary death for sins, justification by faith alone, and redemption from the curse of the law.
Due to these limitations, general revelation cannot impart a saving knowledge of God and the Gospel. It must be supplemented by the special revelation found in Scripture that fully communicates the message of salvation.
The Sufficiency and Necessity of Special Revelation
Special revelation provides the clear and authoritative disclosure of God essential for salvation. Several aspects of its sufficiency and necessity should be highlighted:
1. Special revelation fully reveals God for salvation. While general revelation gives some knowledge of God’s existence and attributes, special revelation fully communicates who God is, His holy nature, His purposes, His requirements for humans, and His redemptive plan.
2. Special revelation centers on the person and work of Christ. It declares that Jesus is the Son of God and only mediator, whose death and resurrection provide the sole basis for the forgiveness of sins.
3. Special revelation in Scripture has divine authority that calls for faith and obedience. It alone communicates authoritatively what God requires and promises.
4. Special revelation is necessary for salvation. The truths disclosed through Christ and the Scriptures must be communicated for people to exercise saving faith.
5. Special revelation conveys what people must believe to be saved. For example, Romans 10:9 states “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
6. Special revelation provides assurance of salvation. 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” Special revelation grounds the certainty of salvation.
7. No new special revelation beyond Scripture is needed for salvation. The Bible contains everything required to know God’s redemptive plan and receive eternal life.
For these reasons, special revelation proves utterly unique and indispensable. It alone brings the knowledge of Christ needed for people to be saved and come into fellowship with God.
