Adam Abbott
THEO 3113A

How Can We Know God?

In our textbook Introducing Christian Doctrine by Millard Erickson, it states that there are three modes of general revelation that reveal God to the people. The three modes are nature, history, and human beings. The vastness of the universe gives testimony to God as Creator. Revelation about God through nature does not consist of words, it is nonverbal revelation. An example is the heavens being a silent continual testimony to God. How our Earth was made perfectly situated at certain distances from other planets, the sun, the moon etc. and it’s physical qualities that enable us to live is proof of a perfect Creator. God revealed Himself through His prophets such as in Hosea 12:10 "I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets." The faith of the people of Israel is based upon divine revelations in their history, which they experienced either as an expression of God's helping care or of His disciplinary judgments. He revealed himself through historical events such as the exodus or the incarnation, or to individuals in specific ways, such as Moses at the burning bush or Paul on the road to Damascus. God reveals himself through us, the people of the world, His greatest creation of all. One can see His presence through human’s morals and spirituality. The thought process of knowing what is right and wrong comes from a higher power.
There is no reason for any person to not know God for as Paul explains in Romans 1:20 “Ever since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.” That verse is perfect to describe how God reveals himself to the world not only through nature but all things.
It’s not enough to know that God exists, people must come to salvation. Therefore we need to answer the question, how do we receive salvation? Receiving Jesus’ death for your sins is the first step. It’s in the Bible Romans 10:9-10 “ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” The second step is to repent and confess your sins. A powerful, personal response to the gospel is repenting or feeling sorry for our sins, confessing them, and turning away from them. In the Bible Acts 2:37-38 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” It is also in the Bible 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The third step in this process is to