The sermon explores the extent of the grace of the gospel as described in the 1689 LBCF, Chapter 20, Paragraph 2. It emphasizes that the promise of Christ and salvation is revealed only through the word of God, not through general revelation. General revelation, which includes the works of creation and providence, can manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, but it is insufficient for attaining saving faith or repentance. Special revelation, on the other hand, involves God revealing Himself verbally and tangibly, such as through theophanies, communications, and miracles. The written scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are considered the only special revelation available today, and they are seen as the living, infallible, and authoritative Word of God, providing all the necessary knowledge for a life pleasing to God and understanding the promise of Christ and God's will of salvation.

From the Second London Baptist Confession comes from chapter 20 today of the gospel and of the extent of the grace thereof, paragraph 2. This promise of Christ and salvation by Him is revealed only by the word of God. Neither do the works of creation or providence with the light of nature make discovery of Christ or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure way, much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance. So we continue in our study of chapter 20 of the gospel. Last week we looked at the initial revelation of the gospel immediately after the fall through the words in Genesis 3.15.

This week our focus is on the promise of Christ and salvation being revealed only by the word of God. And this is an important point for us to understand only by the word of God. This point was stressed in the very, very first paragraph of the first chapter of our confession. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God as to leave men inexcusable, yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will, which is necessary unto salvation?

My approach today will take us through a brief discussion of general and special revelation, what they are and how they fit in with our paragraph. Dr. Sproul comments on revelation in an article on divine incomprehensibility. There is a mysterious dimension of God that we do not know. However, we aren't left in darkness groping around for a hidden God.

God has also revealed himself and that is basic to the Christian faith. Christianity is a revealed religion. God the creator has revealed himself manifestly in the glorious theater of nature. This is what we call natural or general revelation. God has also revealed himself verbally.

He has spoken and we have his word inscripturated in the Bible. Here we're talking about special revelation, information God gives us that we could never figure out on our own. So when we speak of general revelation, it is general. It's perceptible to all people throughout all time. The Beljeet Confession in Article 2 describes it as, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, which is before our eyes as the most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters, leading us to see clearly the invisible things of God, even His everlasting power and divinity.

From the psalmist, the heavens declare the glory of God, and affirmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Psalm 19, one through three, who has looked up on a clear dark night out in the countryside to see innumerable stars, the band of the Milky Way, an occasional shooting star, and not marvel at God's creation. Who has been through an earthquake or a hurricane or a tornado and not shuddered at the power of God.

Who has been at a child's birth watching the first breath of life, beholding the little tiny fingers and tiny toes, and not been in awe of what God, the author and creator of life, has created in the womb. For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made so that they are without excuse. Romans 1 19 through 20. Paul tells us we are without excuse. We are without excuse if we deny the existence of God, if we deny His power and His nature.

But what about redemption? What about restoring our relationship with God that was broken with sin? Is what God has revealed in nature, in general revelation, enough to be saved? No, it's not. It's insufficient for the knowledge of Christ and salvation.

Again, the confession, our confession in chapter one, paragraph one states, although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God as to leave men inexcusable, yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God in His will which is necessary unto salvation. God makes himself known in his will of salvation through means of special revelation. God reveals to us how we should live, how we should live in a manner that pleases him. You could search a lifetime through general revelation through creation and nature But you would never learn anything about the gospel you would never discover anything about the incarnation atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ Yet God has revealed Himself in a variety of ways that would fall under the category of special revelation. Theophany is communications and miracles.

A theophany is a manifestation of God in the Bible that is tangible to human senses. When God came to Abraham in Genesis 12, when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush in Exodus 3 and 4. Louis Berkoff includes in the category of communications God's audible voice, dreams, visions, prophets, and even Jesus. And of course we are all familiar with the variety of miracles that we read about. The ten plagues on Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and many, many others.

A commentary at Ligonier continues this thought, we could multiply examples of the different forms in which special revelation once came. The most important of these, however, is in the form of writing. When God spoke to his people, individuals such as Moses, the prophets and the apostles, and others wrote down that revelation our Lord wanted us to have in perpetuity. Special revelations ceased by the end of the first century. So the only special revelation that we have today is the written scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

And these are not just stories and histories. This is the Word of God written by 40 or so people, all inspired by God, written in three different languages over a period of over 1,500 years. Paul writes, all scripture is breathed out by God, Second Timothy 3.16. Peter adds, for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2nd Peter 1 21. For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope, Romans 15-4.

We are so blessed to have the living, infallible, authoritative Word of God. It is the only sufficient and certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Many search for truth. Many seek a word from God, a revelation from God. But we don't need to look for a new, special revelation.

We have God's word at our fingertips. We have all the revelation necessary to live a life pleasing to God, to know the promise of Christ, to know God's will of salvation. We must only turn our attention to the Bible, to the Old and New Testaments, not just the New Testament, but the Old and the New. We need to study them, to know them, to do them, and to live them out daily. Amen.