Reason and Revelation

May 1, 2022

Reason can only take us so far and no further; so, man continues without

revelation, hoping to find purpose. Reason and logic have helped us to

discover the sum of two plus two and to discover ‘resolutions’ to physical

problems, but it is incapable of cleansing the conscious of man or absolving

guilt. Humanity has an awareness of things like responsibility but no

explanation for guilt due to lack of an appropriate response. So, we live in a

flux burdened by stress as we look upon an uncertain end. Not knowing our

purpose, we trudge ever onward not considering objective truth, which is truth

outside of our personal feelings. We are impressed that ‘feelings are fickle’;

constant in only one aspect, they are going to change in an instant. Ontology,

according to Anselm, is sufficient proof of God, the fact that the proposition of

God is indeed so true, accurate, and correct that its negative is inconceivable.

Reason can carry us to this conclusion, but unless God declares himself, we

cannot consider him even though we perceive him. It is as though we perceive

the ‘wind’ because the tree waves and the water moves. Likewise, we know

there is a source, we call him God, but only due to a revealed, objective

(outside of self), competing, and compelling Bible truth set alongside opinions

given by subjective experiences that call man no higher than himself. The

Word of God (John 1:1ff) calls us to rise above by following love instead of

selfishness. We are called by Jesus to follow him, to give instead of take, to

forgive instead of taking revenge, and etc. All of these are revealed behaviors,

not natural but contrary to nature. Not reasoned (Cain and Able behavior) but

behavior exemplified by the one who forgave those who crucified the incarnate

son of God. How do you know this? It is objectively revealed by the Father

(Hebrews 1:1).

Dr. Kenneth E. Morrison