D. Scott Meadows
LECTURE 3: ON THE EXISTENCE OF GOD (ANALYSIS of WLC A2)
The first thing we must do to appreciate the magnificence of WLC A2 as a defense of God’s existence is to know both what it says and what it means by what it says, and then its biblical support. All this will require intense thinking on our part, because it involves many propositional statements and the application of grammar and logic for interpretation and explanation. The greatest commandment in all of Scripture calls you to love God with all your mind and all your strength (Mark 12.30). That means you must apply all your mental might to know God and His truth. This kind of love is “more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12.33).
Now let us analyze WLC, Answer 2, first, without Scripture proofs. Two major parts are separated by a semicolon:
The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.
It appears that there is a God in two fundamental ways: first, there is a plain declaration, and second, there is a saving revelation.
The first “plain declaration” is essentially what theologians have called “general revelation,” which is “God revealing certain truths and aspects about His nature to all humanity, which revelation is essential and preliminary to God’s special revelation.”1 This might well be thought of as “natural,” ordinary Providence.
The second way in which it appears that there is a God is by “saving revelation,” or “special revelation,” which comes directly through the Word (now, Scripture alone) and Spirit (i.e., the Holy Spirit of God, the third member of the Trinity). This is supernatural, extraordinary Providence. I am calling it supernatural because it is especially a manifestation of God’s existence and power. I am calling it extraordinary because it is relatively rare in human history that God grants new revelations of this kind. There has not been anything comparable for over 1900 years now, and there were long stretches, even in the biblical history, without new special word revelation (e.g., the 400 “silent years” between the OT and NT; cf. 1 Sam 3.1, “precious” means it was seldom heard2).
The “plain declaration” is universal and sufficient to condemn men for their sin, but not to save them from it. This is asserted and implied by the use of the word “only” in the second major part. Logically we must understand this statement to mean that “the very light of nature in man, and the works of God, do not sufficiently and effectually reveal God unto men for their salvation.”
WLC makes this point explicitly (omit proof texts):
Question 60. Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature?
Answer. They who, having never heard the gospel, know not Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the laws of that religion which they profess; neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone, who is the Savior only of his body the church.
If the “saving revelation” (Word and Spirit working together in a saving way) is the only way of sufficient revelation for the salvation of men, then it is absolutely necessary for their salvation. If the “saving revelation” is effectual for the salvation of men to whom it comes, then it comes only to the elect, chosen by God unconditionally from eternity to be recipients of His saving grace, because all of these and only these will finally be saved.
The “plain declaration” is what atheists and agnostics refuse to acknowledge as convincing evidence of God’s existence, and for this they are culpable. The “saving revelation” is what they lack and cannot have unless God is pleased to give it to them by grace, and without this they are spiritually helpless, unable of themselves to repent and to believe and to be saved.
Concerning the plain declaration (first half of the answer), notice there are two parts:
The very light of nature in man,
and the works of God.
Together, as a team, these “declare plainly that there is a God.”
“The very light of nature in man” refers to God’s entire manifestation of His existence that occurs in the souls of men apart from His saving operations, especially the remnants of enlightened conscience and sound reason.
“The works of God” refers to God’s entire manifestation of His existence that occurs outside the souls of men, especially the evidence which is creation (as His product reflecting His glory) and providence (WSC 11: “His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving, and governing all His creatures, and all their actions”).
Concerning the saving revelation (second half of the answer), there are also two parts:
but His [i.e., God’s] word
and [God’s] Spirit.
These two parts also bear witness together as a team. This combined revelation is both “sufficient [it is enough] and effectual [it works powerfully and successfu11y]” for the salvation of men.
“His Word” is Holy Scripture and it is an instrument of salvation if wielded by the Spirit in that way.
“His Spirit” is God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the blessed Trinity, working with the Word of God to do the work of God in the elect of God, namely, their full redemption.
Again, WLC elaborates (omit proof texts):
Question 67. What is effectual calling?
Answer. Effectual calling is the work of God’s almighty power and grace, whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto) he doth, in his accepted time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his word and Spirit; savingly enlightening their minds, renewing and powerfully determining their wills, so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein.
Question 155. How is the word made effectual to salvation?
Answer. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners; of driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto Christ; of conforming them to his image, and subduing them to his will; of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions; of building them up in grace, and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.
Now that we have meditated upon what WLC answer #2 says and what it means by what it says, let us consider carefully its Scripture proof texts and their support for these doctrines. Each half of the catechetical statement appeals to three biblical passages for support.
Right here skeptics may object, “How can you logically support your belief in the existence of God by using the Bible, which you claim to be God’s Word, when His existence is the very thing you are aiming to prove? Isn’t that circular reasoning?” At this point, many if not most Christians relent and begin to look elsewhere for a basis for faith in God’s existence. These days many appeal to “science” for proof of God’s existence, but many other extra-biblical evidences have been tried, including history, philosophy, sociology, zoology, botany, psychology, and archaeology, often while studiously avoiding references to the text of Scripture.
The “circular reasoning” criticism is an attempt to bully the Christian away from his presuppositions that the God of the Bible exists and that the Bible is His Word. Because both these things are actually true, it is not wrong to cling to them and present them both (God and Scripture) as self-authenticating. Even atheists have presuppositions upon which they build their argument, unspoken assumptions without which nothing makes any sense (e.g., that we actually exist, that language can communicate ideas, that human reason is dependable, etc.). More to the point, the skeptic begins with an assumption that the existence of God is doubtful, which only reveals and proves his anti-God prejudice. It is enough for a Christian to show that there is nothing inherently irrational about his faith, indeed, that it is the most rational of all possible systems of thought related to the existence of God. We do this by teaching biblical doctrine and contending with all its competitors. Having done this, we should challenge the skeptic that if he cannot produce a more reasonable explanation for the phenomena we all observe, then he is the one being perverse and irrational to reject the Christian faith, and guilty of circular reasoning (i.e., I doubt there is a God, and therefore I reject all evidence for His existence).
LECTURE 4: ON THE EXISTENCE OF GOD (SCRIPTURAL PROOF OP WLC A2)
Let us now consider the proof texts from Scripture chosen by the WLC framers to support their magnificent explanation of how we know that God exists.
Instead of giving a detailed exegesis of each passage, I only intend to show how each relates to and supports the statement in the catechism.
The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God.
Rom 1.19-20. “That which may be known of God” or “that which is known of God” (ASV) “is used in a specific sense to denote the truth-content respecting God available to such,”3 here, specifically, the witness of creation to “his eternal power and Godhead” (1.20, a further explanation of 1.19). This truth “is manifest in them” (1.19), or rather, “plain to them” (ESV). “This respects the clearness of the evidence of the object in itself, for it is not an obscure or ambiguous revelation; it is a manifestation which renders the thing certain.”5 “God hath shewed it [His self-disclosure] unto them.” “The things that are made” refers to the inherent testimony of creation to its Creator. This “plain declaration” is what renders men “without excuse” in their “ungodliness and unrighteousness” (1.18); i.e., at least at first, they know better than they admit they know, and they inwardly condemn their own actions. Because they would rather continue in sin than worship God, they “hold [suppress] the truth in unrighteousness” (1.18).
Psa 19.1-3. These verses personify the “heavens” (especially heavenly bodies and space viewed by the naked eye from earth) as declaring, proclaiming, preaching that God is and that He is glorious and a skilled Creator. The psalmist emphasizes the absolutely universal scope of this natural revelation: everyone everywhere has it, including the Gentiles which in OT times were almost completely without any Scripture (Psa 19.7 ff.).
Acts 17.28. Paul uses “we” to include his pagan hearers. In “the Lord” (17.27), a title for the only true and living God, we all live and move and have our being (i.e., all human beings are utterly dependent upon God for everything we are and have; He is the author and sustainer of our existence). The relevance for WLC #2 is that even the skeptic himself is evidence for God’s existence and activity in the world.
But his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.
1 Cor 2.9-10. “We” (2.7) should be understood especially of the apostles like Paul. “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery” (2.7) refers to their authoritative, revelatory, gospel proclamations. This glorious gospel was not known to the murderers of Jesus (2.8), because it could not be known by human wisdom and apart from such a divine revelation (2.9). The gospel is a revelation of the grace which God has prepared for them that love him (2,9). “But God hath revealed them (gospel blessings) unto us (apostles, and through us, to you our believing hearers) by His (Holy) Spirit” (2.10). Thus Paul speaks very highly of special, “word revelation,” that which goes beyond what anyone could know from natural, non-verbal revelation.
2 Tim 3.15-17. The Scriptures are distinguished from other revelation in that they are “able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (3.15). Without these Scriptures no one can be saved, nor progress spiritually as a believer (3.16-l7).
Isa 59.21. “God’s Word and Spirit [is] given to His covenant people, unlike His natural revelation, which is given to all mankind.”
Thus we have explained the concept of “first truths” or theological presuppositions as a foundation for all religious knowledge, analyzed the content of WLC #2 in its vocabulary and syntactical relationships, with its theological implications, and shown the sentiments expressed therein to be the exegetical consequence of the message of Scripture itself.
Notes:
1. Moody Handbook of Theology, ch. 18.
2. TWOT #905a.
3. John Murray, in loc.
4. Robert Haldane, in loc.
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