************ Sermon on Belgic Confession Article ************
Doctrine: The Means by Which We Know God
By: Rev. Adrian Dieleman
This sermon was preached on January 4, 1998
B.C. 2
Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:18-20
"The Other Book of God"
Introduction
Have you ever wondered if there is another book from God beside the Bible? A book which tells us what happened to the ten lost tribes of Israel? A book which tells us of Christ's resurrection appearances here in North America? A book which tells us more than does the Bible about the secret things of God?
I saw this advertisement on TV and in a magazine. I called up a 1-800 number and ordered my copy of "The Book of Mormon" (HOLD IT UP). It makes for interesting reading. In looking at Articles 3 & 4 of the Belgic Confession of Faith I will discuss in greater detail whether the Bible is a closed or open book, whether there is any written or new revelation beside the Bible; suffice it to say for now that "The Book of Mormon," though it sounds intriguing, is but mere fantasy, the fabrication of Joseph Smith.
Back to the question posed by the advertisement: Is there another book from God beside the Bible? Yes, congregation, there is. Today, we are going to spend some time looking at "The Other Book of God."
I The First Book of God
A What is the other book of God? It has no pages, yet it is many volumes thick. It has no words, yet it is read everywhere. It has no tongue, yet it is heard by men of every tribe and language and people and nation (Ps 19). The Belgic Confession calls it a "beautiful book." What is this book? It is the universe — its creation, preservation, and government —
in which all creatures,
great and small,
are as letters
to make us ponder
the invisible things of God ...
First, the creation itself speaks to us of God. I think it is accurate to say that for every Christian believer there is something in creation which seems especially to reveal God. A farmer finds mystery, majesty, and promise in a sun-rise over a field of waving corn. A gardener sees God as she drinks in the colors of a thousand flowers. Artists see God when they look across deep blue waters surrounded by majestic mountains. Vacationers see God in the vast trees of Sequoia National Park, the cascade of water at Niagara Falls, and the depths of the Grand Canyon. Children see God everywhere: in salamanders; insects; a grain of sand; a rain-drip; and in the sun, moon, and stars. Mothers and fathers see God in the miracle of new life: so small, so intricate, so delicate, and yet so complete.
Creation is not silent about God. Not at all. The psalmist says,
(Ps 19:1) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
The creation speaks of God so loud and so clear — if only we would be silent and listen, if only we would open our eyes and see, if only we would unplug our nose and smell, if only we would reach out our hands and touch.
Topic: God
Subtopic: Glory of
Index: 1426
Date: 7/1991.29
Title:
Six years ago scientists at Kitt Peak National Observatory southwest of Tucson reported the discovery of a supercluster of galaxies believed to be the largest known entity in space: one billion light years across! When we realize that light travels almost six trillion miles in one year, the vastness of that galaxy supercluster staggers the imagination.
But instead of inspiring mere surprise, these reports of the vastness of space should evoke from us praise and wonder, for the heavens speak of God's glory. The whole earth has a front row seat for the heavenly display of God's handiwork. While the stars and moon utter no audible words, their instruction is easy to understand.
You know the song that we sing:
This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in rustling grass I hear him pass--
he speaks to me everywhere.
(P.H. # 436:3)
B As believers we see God not only in the creation itself but also in its preservation and government. We know this as the providence of God. We see God in His providence over creation.
Without God's providence, the whole universe would collapse like a lung without air. What keeps the planets going around the sun? What keeps the moons going around the planets? What keeps the galaxies from hitting each other? How come season faithfully follows season? To the Christian believer all this speaks of God.
The order and consistency that exists in our universe, this too speaks to us of God. The law of gravity is not suddenly suspended so that we wake up some morning to find ourselves floating against the ceiling and our loved ones floating out the window. Our cows don't suddenly start talking to us. The trees on our front yard don't pull up roots and move two houses down to the neighbor's. Our children don't turn into bugs over night. Such absurd things do not happen because God is in control, He is in charge, and He gives His creation an inner consistency and constancy.
It seems that every Christian has his or her own story of God's providential care. Stories like: the rescue of a treasured child, the miraculous recovery of a loved one, the profession of faith of a wayward son, the unexpected arrival of badly needed help. So many rich gifts whisper God's name to an alert soul.
We also know that sometimes God's providence means grief, or hardship, or pain, or loss. Someone's child is not rescued, a loved one does not recover, a marriage comes unglued, a precious daughter is raped, a business goes bankrupt. Yet, even then, even when God's providence holds us in trouble, many Christians are deeply moved by a sense of God's care. A man loses his job; yet, he has never been surer that God is with him. Grieving parents visit their child's grave; never has their faith and their God meant as much to them as it does now. A person receives the shocking news that he has cancer; after a time of struggle this person knows that God can conquer all.
C We can and should see God in the universe. Says Guido de Brés,
The creation, preservation, and government of the universe ... is before our eyes like a beautiful book ... to make us ponder the invisible things of God.
Says the psalmist,
(Ps 19:1) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Says Paul,
(Rom 1:19-20) ... what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (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 ...
What does the universe — its creation, preservation, and government — reveal to us about God? Guido de Brés, quoting from Paul in Romans 1, tell us: "his eternal power and divine nature." By looking at the universe, we know there is a God — a God Who creates, preserves, and governs. And, we further know that the God of the universe must be almighty.
Do you know what this all means? It means we don't have to prove the existence of God. Even today there are some who go into long detailed, philosophical arguments in which they try to prove the existence of God. We don't have to prove God's existence because He has revealed Himself to us. By looking at the universe all can see that there is a God and that He is almighty.
D If the universe is a most beautiful book, how come not everyone acknowledges and worships God. If what may be known about God is plain because God has made it plain, how come we do missions and evangelism?
There are two answers, and they both have to do with man's fall into sin. First of all, we have to say that the Fall has obscured the handwriting of God in creation. Yes, we can see God in the majesty of a snow-covered mountain, in the blowing of the wind, in the beauty of the sea. However, snow-covered mountains becomes places of death in an avalanche or a skiing accident. Wind in the form or a tornado or hurricane is frightening. And, a stormy sea or a tidal wave can do untold damage. It is hard, at times, to read God's beautiful Creation book when its pages are smeared with blood, sweat, grief, and tears.
Second, we have to say that the Fall has also affected man's ability to read God's beautiful Creation book. The Fall has blinded us to God's revelation of Himself in the universe. Paul tells us that men "suppress the truth by their wickedness." Every person, no one excepted, can see that there is a God. But many deliberately suppress this knowledge. They purposely bottle it up and thrust it aside. They choose to ignore God's creation revelation.
Topic: Rejection
Subtopic: Of the Word of God
Index: 2968
Date: 6/1986.27
Title: A Closer Look
Many years ago, while on a visit to America, a wealthy Chinese businessman was fascinated by a powerful microscope. Looking through its lens to study crystals and the petals of flowers, he was amazed at their beauty and detail. So he decided to purchase one of these devices and take it back to China. He thoroughly enjoyed using it until one day he examined some rice he was planning to eat for dinner. Much to his dismay, he discovered that tiny living creatures were crawling in it. Since he was especially fond of this staple food in his daily diet, he wondered what to do. Finally he concluded that there was only one way out of his dilemma -- he would destroy the instrument that caused him to discover the distasteful fact! So he smashed the microscope to pieces.
"How foolish!" you say. But many people do the same thing with the Revelation of God. They hate it and try to ignore it.
Sin or no sin, God has still revealed Himself to us in and through and by His universe. Says Guido de Brés, again quoting from Paul,
All these things are enough to convict men
and to leave them without excuse.
Not a single person can stand before the Judgment Throne and say, "No one told me. I didn't know You were there, God. So You can't hold me responsible." For God will answer, "But I told you. I revealed Myself to you in creation."
Hundreds of years ago Tertullian, the early church theologian, stated: "It was not the pen of Moses that initiated the knowledge of the Creator. The vast majority of mankind, though they had never heard the name of Moses, to say nothing of his books, knew the God of Moses nonetheless. Nature is the teacher; the soul is the pupil. One flower of the hedgerow, one shell from any sea you like, one feather of a moor fowl--speak to you of a Creator."
Back to the question posed by the advertisement: Is there another book from God beside the Bible? Yes, congregation, there is. It is a "beautiful book." It is the universe — its creation, preservation, and government —
in which all creatures,
great and small,
are as letters
to make us ponder
the invisible things of God:
his eternal power
and his divinity ...
II The Second Book of God
A Creation Revelation is the first book of God. I call it Book I. Because of sin, as I said, we have trouble seeing God in this book. The Fall has obscured the handwriting of God and has led us to suppress the truth about Him. For this reason we need God's other book, Book II, what we know as the Bible.
I just love what John Calvin says. He speaks here of the spectacles of Scripture. The Bible is like a pair of eyeglasses. I am almost lost without my glasses. Without my glasses cars on the road, even the yellow line, becomes a blur. Without my glasses I cannot see my sermon notes. Without my glasses I cannot see the ball in golf. But with them, everything becomes clear and distinct.
The Bible is like a pair of eyeglasses. By looking through the eyeglasses of Scripture everything becomes clear and distinct. By looking through the eyeglasses of Scripture we are able once again to clearly see God in the creation, preservation, and government of the universe.
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, should speak to us of God. The fact is, though, that they do speak to us of God only when we look at them through the eyeglasses of Scripture. So I urge you, my brothers and sisters, to read and study and meditate on Book II, the Bible. And, then, you will be able to see what God says to you in Book I.
B Of course, Book II was not given to us just so we can see God in Book I. Guido de Brés tells us God speaks to us in Book II of salvation, redemption, and Christ. We don't hear or see a word of this in Book I. So we need Book II for our salvation. Apart from it we would remain ignorant of God's eternal plan of salvation by way of the cross and the grave.
Conclusion
In the first 9 sermons on the Belgic Confession we have looked at God, His being, His person, His characteristics, His attributes. Today we have looked at how we know this God. We know Him by two means: Book I and Book II; Creation Revelation and Special Revelation.