GENERAL REVELATION

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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This week, we begin a series of devotionals aimed at helping us see the gift that is God’s willingness to communicate with his children. It is right that we should pause and reflect on the significance of the Lord’s decision to communicate anything with his creation much less provide the wealth of communication that we have already received. The Lord owes his creation nothing and any form of revelation from the Creator to the Creation is a blessing. 

Today we are going to reflect on the significance of General Revelation. This is a term used to describe the examples communication from the Creator that are available to all who would look for them. The Lord left his mark on every element of creation and invites those who are willing to search them out to find these fingerprints wherever they may be seen. 

In the passage below, we hear the Apostle Paul provide a summary statement of this gift of General Revelation. 

20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

(Romans 1:20-21 NIV11)

The Gift

Before we get lost in the fact that the gift of General Revelation has never led anyone to a place of repentance and faith that lead to salvation, we need to see that the Lord has chosen to speak to his people through the works of creation. 

This communication is a gift that needs to be identified and embraced. The Lord has provided us examples of his eternal power (storms, earthquakes, and the expanse of the universe) and of his divine nature (natural law and the order found in the rules of matter and energy) within the details of the created order. 

Clearly

The design of the universe can be seen in all levels of creation. From the most minute to the grandest scale imaginable, the Lord has provided humanity with the ability to perceive the reality and nature of the Lord to some degree.

The point being made here is this, creation and the natural order of all things was given to humanity as a gift so that we might lift our heads to the heavens and declare the majesty of the Lord. The Lord designed and created for our benefit. The Lord desires that we see him and experience him within the gifts of creation. 

Without Excuse

In his continued writing in Romans, Paul goes on to show that even though humanity has had the gifts of creation and the natural law provided by the Lord to all who will receive these gifts of communication, none have actually turned away from their sin and toward the Lord because of the testimony of the created order. 

Turned

As we will hear in the following passage taken from the Prophet Isaiah as he spoke God’s word concerning the coming Messiah, we have all turned away from the path that was painted by the Lord through the gifts of his creation and order. 

4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 53:4-6 NIV11)

The Savior

While it is true that we have all turned to follow our own way, the Lord has met us in this place of need and failure in the work of the Messiah. The Lord entered into our world and into our lives to give us what we needed most. 

We might see the Lord in the created world around us, but this creation cannot bear the weight of our sin and shame. Only the one who created us can do this work. And so we are able to give thanks for the gift of his mercy and grace as poured out on all who believe in Jesus Christ. 

Today

As you go through your day today, consider making the choice to stop every now and then to look up, look around you, see the gift of the created order. Examine the created world, consider the common law placed in the hearts of all mankind, and give God thanks for the fact that he has never left us alone, never left us without the wisdom found in the message of the Bible. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Worked at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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