Knowing God Because He Speaks
One of the sweetest comforts in the Christian life is knowing that God has not remained distant or silent. He has lovingly made Himself known (Heb. 1:1–2). Everything we truly know about Him comes not from our own wisdom or effort, but from His mercy. We would never have found our way to Him on our own. Yet in grace, God stoops down to us, speaks to us, and opens our eyes so that we may know Him, trust Him, love Him, and walk with Him day by day. We read in Jeremiah 9:23–24, This is what the Lord says: The wise person should not boast in his wisdom; the strong should not boast in his strength; the wealthy should not boast in his wealth. But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me—that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the Lord’s declaration.
Why We Need God to Reveal Himself
We need God to reveal Himself because He is far greater than we are, and we are deeply dependent on Him. He is holy, and we are sinners in need of grace as Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He is infinite, and we are finite and limited. If God did not graciously make Himself known, we would remain in darkness and never come to know Him as we should. But He has not left us there. He has spoken. That truth should humble our hearts and fill them with gratitude, because every true thought we have about God begins with His kindness toward us. The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29).
God’s Voice in Creation
God reveals Himself in the world He has made. The heavens above and the earth beneath testify that He is there: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their messagehas gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun. (Psalm 19:1–4). Since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20). And even the quiet witness of conscience all testify that He is: So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them. (Romans 2:14–15).
Creation is not empty or mute. It is full of signs of His power, wisdom, and majesty. The sunrise, the changing seasons, the order of the world, and the moral awareness within the human heart all remind us that we live before our Creator every moment of our lives. This is a gift of common grace, calling us to reverence Him and leaving us without excuse if we turn away. (Acts 14:17).
God’s Clearer Word in Scripture and Christ
And yet, as glorious as creation is, it cannot tell us all that our souls most need to hear. It can show us that God exists, that He is powerful, and that He is worthy of worship, but it cannot fully tell us how sinners can be reconciled to a holy God. For that, we need His clearer word. In love, God has spoken through His mighty acts in history, through His written Word, and most fully through His Son, Jesus Christ. John writes, The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him. (John 1:14, 18) In 2 Timothy 3:16–17 Paul says, All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. In Christ we see the heart of the Father, and in Scripture we hear the trustworthy message of salvation, grace, and truth.
Our Response to God’s Revelation
Because God has spoken, our calling is to listen with humble, believing hearts (Ps. 95:7–8). General revelation reminds us that He is real and worthy of worship, but special revelation leads us to Jesus Christ and teaches us how to live before Him. The Bible, then, is not simply a book to set on a shelf or open only in moments of crisis. It is God’s gracious Word for weary hearts, wandering minds, and needy souls. As we come to Scripture day after day, God meets us there, deepens our faith, steadies our steps, and teaches us to follow Him more faithfully. Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105). So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. (Romans 10:17).
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
