Nature and Scripture

God has revealed Himself in two ways: through the book of nature (general revelation) and the book of Scripture (special revelation). Both testify to His glory and truth, though they do so in different ways and for different purposes.

1. The Harmony of Revelation
   Natural revelation is accessible to all and teaches us about God’s eternal power, divine nature, and the moral law written on the heart (Romans 1:20; 2:14–15). Scripture, as God’s special revelation, clarifies, corrects, and completes what is known through nature. The Bible reveals the way of salvation and the fullness of God’s will for faith and life. These two revelations do not conflict but work in harmony, as they both come from the same God. Nature teaches foundational truths about God, morality, and the created order, while Scripture provides the full light necessary for redemption and godliness.

1. The Interdependence of Nature and Scripture
   Natural revelation and Scripture, as revelations of God, complement one another. Scripture assumes much about what natural revelation teaches. For example:

• Nature teaches us how to read, reason, and interpret, which Scripture assumes when it commands us to meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 1:2; Deuteronomy 6:6–7).

• Nature provides insight into masculinity, femininity, work, and order. When Scripture calls us to learn from nature, it assumes we can make right judgments about truth on the basis of reasoning from nature. Proverbs 6:6 says, “Go to the ant, O sluggard,” and 1 Corinthians 11:14 says, “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?”—both demonstrating that wisdom is found in observing creation.

• History provides examples of how studying nature has illuminated and corrected our understanding of Scripture. For instance, the discovery that the Earth revolves around the sun clarified that biblical passages referring to the sun "rising" and "setting" were using phenomenological language, describing appearances rather than prescribing scientific truths. Such insights remind us that while Scripture is infallible, human interpretations can sometimes err and benefit from the revelation in nature.

At the same time, Scripture sharpens and directs our understanding of natural revelation. Human reason, darkened by sin, often twists what nature teaches. The Holy Spirit uses Scripture to correct our faulty interpretations and guide us into truth. Yet, when rightly understood, nature can also illuminate Scripture, helping us grasp concepts Scripture assumes, such as the rhythms of work, rest, and stewardship.

3. Dangers in Denying Natural Revelation
   One ditch is to deny natural revelation’s ability to teach. Some claim the Fall has so corrupted human reason that nature communicates nothing meaningful apart from Scripture. This denies what Scripture itself declares: creation reveals God’s glory, and nature offers insights into morality, work, and sexuality. Without acknowledging natural revelation, we lose vital tools for understanding creation and society, including human relationships and the created order.

3. Dangers in Undermining Scripture’s Authority

Another ditch is to downplay Scripture’s sufficiency. Some separate nature and Scripture so sharply that Scripture’s guidance is excluded from civil or societal matters. This error, often seen in radical two-kingdom theology, claims civil government should govern only by natural law, divorced from Scripture. Yet historic Reformed theology affirms that natural law and Scripture are inextricably linked, with the Ten Commandments as the clearest expression of natural law. Scripture is the revealed Word of God and is necessary for understanding salvation and guiding us in life. Natural revelation works in concert with Scripture, but the two are never in competition. Together, they reveal the will and character of God.

5. The Balanced View
   The Fall has darkened human understanding, but it has not eradicated the light of natural revelation. Through God’s providential kindness, humanity retains some capacity to reason, and in particular to understand basic truths about God and morality on the basis of natural revelation. Scripture does not replace natural revelation but perfects and interprets it. Likewise, natural revelation does not diminish the authority of Scripture but complements it as another avenue through which God’s truth is revealed.

The Reformed tradition wisely acknowledges both the necessity of Scripture for salvation and the usefulness of natural revelation for understanding God’s world. Faithful Christians must avoid the extremes of rejecting natural revelation or diminishing Scripture’s authority.

Conclusion

God’s Word and world are in harmony. Nature teaches, and Scripture speaks with finality. Both declare the glory of the Creator, and both are necessary for a holistic understanding of life and faith. Human reason must submit to God’s revelation, and the Holy Spirit must lead us in rightly understanding both Scripture and nature. Seek both, honor both, and recognize that God’s truth is revealed through both His Word and His world.