The Scope of General Revelation
Combining famous quotations with the power of the Internet is a recipe for satire and confusion. Case in point, nowhere else can you find a picture of Joseph Stalin stating, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Then there’s Abraham Lincoln alongside the words, “The problem with quotes found on the Internet is that they are often not true.” Quotes can be misattributed and misleading. In a world of misinformation, not surprisingly, quotations aren’t the only things misattributed. It also happens with Bible doctrines.
Have you ever read in a book on counseling how we have to “plunder the Egyptians” by gleaning the good principles psychology might have to offer? Or have you come across a book on Christian business theory asserting that “All truth is God’s truth”? The idea in both cases is that the collective knowledge available in the world falls under the umbrella of God’s general or natural revelation to man. Christians can swallow the good chicken and spit out the bad bones because the good chicken is God’s general revelation. Is that really what the Bible intends general revelation to mean?
Actually no, it doesn’t. This is a case of Bible doctrine misattribution. God’s general revelation does not include fields such as psychology, business, science, math, literature, and art. The sole subject of general revelation is God: who He is and what He does. Everything else is outside the scope of general revelation. Read what Romans 1 has to say about the human response to general revelation and you’ll find how instead of embracing it, man suppresses it. Not to mention, Paul tells us in Rom. 1:19 how general revelation is “manifest” (or “plain” as the ESV puts it). This type of revelation is a common possession for everyone, which is something that isn’t the case for much of many mislabel under this doctrine (Thomas 2002, 117-124).
How should we properly attribute this doctrine then? We know Stalin didn’t say, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” In fact, it wasn’t even Voltaire (as commonly thought). We can properly attribute those words to Evelyn Beatrice Hall (Tallentyre 1907, 199). There is truth in this statement, but the applicable doctrine here for such enrichments from the humanities is God’s common grace, not general revelation. It’s to this doctrine we tie the words of Jesus from Matt. 5:45, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Paul and Barnabas were teaching this same doctrine to the people of Lystra when they proclaimed “…He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). David had this doctrine in view when he wrote, “The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). Unsaved people can offer good things because God is good. Unsaved people can even know truth. After all, Jesus was able to affirm good teaching coming from wicked Pharisees in Matt. 23:1-13 (Frame 2013, 246-278).
Therefore, instead of chalking up the truth the world has to offer with an “all truth is God’s truth” kind of attitude, a better approach might be “not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.” God in His goodness allows good to come through in a dark world of sin, the very same world suppressing the truth of God made known through His general revelation. Let’s not forget that God’s Word is the absolute standard of truth and authority and rejoice that God is good to all.
Sources:
Frame, John. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2013.
Tallentrye, S. G. The Friends of Voltaire. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907.
Thomas, Robert L. Evangelical Hermeneutics: The New Versus the Old. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2002.
Brent Niedergall is youth pastor at Catawba Springs Christian Church in Apex, North Carolina. He holds an MDiv from Shepherds Theological Seminary and is pursuing a DMin from Maranatha Baptist Seminary.