God's revelation through nature
British pastor John Scott was asked to reflect on fifty years of ministry and give advice to a new generation of Christian leaders. This is part of what he said, “My main exhortation would be this: Don’t neglect your critical faculties. Remember that God is a rational God, who has made us in His own image. God invites and expects us to explore His double revelation, in nature and Scripture …” The Old Testament clearly teaches that God reveals Himself through nature. Isaiah 28:23-29 and Proverbs 6:6 are but a few examples. Most importantly, from Jesus’ sermons and parabolic teachings, it is evident that He was a keen observer of nature. Over and over again we read, “the kingdom of God is like…” then Jesus “likens the kingdom” to an aspect of nature: the sowing of seeds (Mark 4:31), the pearl (Matthew 13:45), the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31) and so on. When Paul penned Romans 1:19-20, with the Spirit of the living God and not with ink, he showed the fruit of observing God’s creation.
You cannot want it anymore straightforward than: cause and effect. God is not an effect, therefore He has no cause. Yet, even though God exceeds all senses, some of His effects (one of which is nature), are sensible. The origin of our knowledge from senses hold even when what is known exceeds the senses. Therefore, God can be known through His sensible effects (like nature), even though the essence (quiddity) of God, is in every way beyond our senses. This principle is present in both the Old and New Testament. Most importantly, Jesus taught it. That a 1930s Nobel prize winner advocated a view to the contrary is inconsequential.
You cannot want it anymore straightforward than: cause and effect. God is not an effect, therefore He has no cause. Yet, even though God exceeds all senses, some of His effects (one of which is nature), are sensible. The origin of our knowledge from senses hold even when what is known exceeds the senses. Therefore, God can be known through His sensible effects (like nature), even though the essence (quiddity) of God, is in every way beyond our senses. This principle is present in both the Old and New Testament. Most importantly, Jesus taught it. That a 1930s Nobel prize winner advocated a view to the contrary is inconsequential.
