CONCLUSION

Summary of Argument

In light of the neglect and dichotomization of revelation in evangelical theology, this dissertation has sought to provide an evangelical ressourcement for the external and internal reality of revelation. By using resources from Scripture, the history of the church, and systematic theology, it has argued that revelation includes external and internal dimensions that are organically united in the triune God. In other words, the dissertation asserted that revelation is external and internal, whether a revelation occurs objectively to the human person in the form of a disclosure of information (external) or subjectively to the human person in the form of an unveiling of perception (internal).

Over the course of argument, the dissertation has considered a biblical, historical, systematic, and practical theology of revelation for the purposes of an evangelical ressourcement.

Chapter 2 began to develop the thesis by averring that the Old Testament treats revelation in both external and internal dimensions. While the external dimension is especially evident within the earlier development of the law, the internal dimension becomes evident as one follows the development of the covenants into the new covenant.

External revelation is most clearly discerned in three different media: verbal or written speech, events, and persons. Internal revelation is discerned in the cases of Pharaoh, Balaam, Job, and the psalmist, where God confronts and transforms perceptions internally, having the spiritual power either to hide or to reveal himself to people.

Moreover, internal revelation is clear in the promise and reality of the new covenant.

Herein God, providing the greater provision of the Spirit to all believers, internally

reveals the true perception of himself by giving believers a new heart and spirit and by putting the law within them so they would know God directly.

Chapter 3 affirmed and expanded the argument by exploring the New

Testament for the purposes of an evangelical ressourcement of revelation as external and internal. It maintained that the external and internal dimensions of revelation correspond to the Word and Spirit. The Word corresponds to the external dimension of revelation, which refers to revelation through realities that are external to the human person, specifically Jesus Christ, Scripture, and creation. The work of the Spirit corresponds to internal revelation, which occurs as the Spirit unveils understanding or perception within a person through regeneration and illumination. Therefore, both the external and internal dimensions of revelation should be included within the larger biblical category of

revelation. Indeed, revelation simply means to unveil or disclose some truth or reality that was previously unknown. External revelation is a disclosure (in persons, words, or

events) that was previously unknown, and internal revelation is an unveiling of understanding (through regeneration and illumination) that was previously unknown.

Chapter 4 argued that the external and internal nature of revelation is implicitly or explicitly evident throughout the history of the church. For the purpose of evangelical ressourcement, it focused on important theologians including Augustine, Bonaventure, Calvin, Turretin, and Bavinck. Each theologian variously conceived of revelation in this twofold framework. While the early church only implicitly conceived of the twofold distinction, later contributors and contributions (such as Bonaventure, Calvin, and the Reformed confessions) included the terminology without a fuller discussion. Finally, Turretin and various modern theologians explicitly used the distinction and applied it to discussions within theological prolegomena and/or principia. In other words, the twofold understanding of revelation is not new, but it extends back to the early church and

Reformation.

Chapter 5 has provided systematic directions and resources for an evangelical

theology of revelation. Using insights from Scripture, Reformed theology, and speech act theory, it argued that revelation includes external and internal dimensions, and these dimensions are organically united in the one triune Godhead. It accomplished this argument first by systematically surveying the idea of revelation as external and internal in Christ, Scripture, and creation. Second, it clarified and expanded the argument by correlating revelation with the principia cognoscendi of the sciences (i.e., general revelation) and theology (i.e., special revelation); namely, as revelation is external (Word) and internal (Spirit), so also the theological and scientific principia are external (Scripture, creation) and internal (illumination, reason), respectively. Third, the chapter grounded the principia, and thus revelation itself, within the principium essendi, maintaining that the triune God himself is the singular organic source of all things, especially being and knowledge. Revelation recorded in Scripture and observable in the natural world is the external source of knowledge (principium cognoscendi externum);

revelation through regeneration and illumination is the internal source of knowledge (principium cognoscendi internum). The former is the material cause, whereas the latter is the efficient; the former is the means, and the latter the goal. These two cannot be pulled apart without losing the unity of God and theology. The selfsame God who discloses his power and nature in his external world and word also teaches inwardly.

Chapter 6 sought to provide practical resources for evangelical theology by exploring some of the most pertinent implications of the thesis: (1) theological

prolegomena includes both external and internal dimensions, (2) the authority of Scripture involves both Word and Spirit, (3) hermeneutics embraces both Word and Spirit and thus requires a humble posture, and (4) theology is Word and Spirit and thus entails gospel-centered action.

In conclusion, the dissertation has sought to provide an evangelical ressourcement for the external and internal reality of revelation. It affirms that the external and internal dimensions of revelation are organically united in the triune God.

While Jesus Christ, Scripture, and creation properly disclose the one true God, the Spirit is necessary to unveil perception and understanding of God. Herman Bavinck likewise concluded that the internal work of the Spirit must be included within an understanding of revelation:

The aim of revelation, after all, is to re-create humanity after the image of God, to establish the kingdom of God on earth, to redeem the world from the power of sin and, in and through all this, to glorify the name of the Lord in all his creatures. In light of this, however, an objective revelation in Christ is not sufficient, but there needs to be added a working of the Spirit in order that human beings may

acknowledge and accept that revelation of God and thereby become the image of the Son. Just as in the sciences the subject must correspond to the object . . . so external and objective revelation demands an internal revelation in the subject.¹

Objective or external revelation by itself is not complete; rather, in order for humans to acknowledge and accept the external revelation God and so be conformed to Christ, the Spirit is necessary to unveil perception in human hearts.

Areas for Further Research

This dissertation is not the final voice on the subject of the twofold dimensionality of revelation. While it has contributed to a biblical, historical, and

systematic understanding of the field, it is, like any project, a work in progress. Following the work herein, there are at least five pertinent areas for further research.

First, while this dissertation has contended that the traditional Reformed distinction of external/internal is helpful, such a distinction is admittedly limited and open to misinterpretation. The dissertation has already combated many

misunderstandings flowing from these terms. Further work should be done to define and assess the terminology in light of church history and philosophy. Moreover, because the thesis of the dissertation is influenced far more by continental philosophical categories, analytic categories and definitions would be especially helpful.

1Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, ed. John Bolt, trans. John Vriend (Grand Rapids:

Baker Academic, 2003), 1:347-48.

Second, while this dissertation has briefly discussed the relationship between the human conscience, rationality, and revelation, further work is necessary in this area.

Because this dissertation has sought to show in the broadest contours the biblical, historical, and systematic helpfulness of revelation as external/internal, it was unable to explore adequately the relationship between other, lesser pronounced forms of revelation, such as the human conscience and rationality. Pertinent questions here include the

following: is the conscience best understood as an informational or perceptive disclosure?

How is the conscience related to reason? What is the relationship between the image of God and the conscience? What is the relationship between the image and revelation?

Third, because the historical chapter was necessarily limited to the pertinent thinkers of the eras, more work ought to be done to evaluate other theologians and philosophers. Many important thinkers were necessarily passed over in the discussion, some that agreed with the basic premise, including (but not limited to) Ambrose of Milan, Johannes Scotus Eriugena, Martin Luther, Martin Bucer, Jonathan Edwards, and John Owen. Further historical work in this capacity will clarify and inevitably nuance some of the arguments of this dissertation.

Fourth, because the biblical chapters (chaps. 2 and 3) were limited to exploring revelation as external and internal, further work ought to be done to incorporate these insights into a fuller and more systematic undertaking of the biblical doctrine of

revelation. By incorporating these fuller insights of the biblical text, and by dealing with the Ancient Near Eastern background of revelation, one could articulate a more precise and full biblical definition of revelation.

Fifth, while this dissertation (especially chap. 5) has dealt with the nature and result of regeneration and illumination on the epistemic faculties of the mind, more work needs to be done. The dissertation has asserted that these internal works of the Spirit resuscitate and resurrect the cognitive faculties of a person. It has also suggested that this event allows a believer to apprehend and accept God’s truth in the world and thereby

produce a worldview shift. Many questions still remain. For example, in what ways does regeneration and illumination contribute positively to the construction of knowledge? The dissertation has explained that internal revelation does not produce extrinsic information;

rather, through illumination, it restores proper cognitive function through the Spirit’s ever-present renewing and sustaining. While this much is taken for granted, how does this process unfold? What are the mechanisms within it? In other words, ultimately, how are the external and internal categories of revelation integrated in the human mind through the process of thought? The unfolding development of (external/internal) revelation in and through the triune God is clear, but exactly how this unfolds in epistemology is unclear.

In the final analysis, revelation includes external and internal dimensions.

Through the demonstration of this thesis, the dissertation provides direction and resources to reunite the two dimensions of revelation within evangelical theology; namely, it offers an overarching framework for discussions related to revelation within evangelical

biblical, historical, and systematic theology. It also provides believers with the practical knowledge that “the Father of glory” gives “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,” which leads to “having the eyes of [their] hearts enlightened” and thus the knowledge of their salvific hope and inheritance (Eph 1:17-19). Thanks be to God the Father in Christ by his Spirit.