I Need God To Give Personal Revelation To Believe

I Need God To  Reveal Himself To Believe

I have encountered this statement many times, sharing my faith in Jesus; "I need God to give me either a sign or vision then I would believe in Him." This month's article will share how I address this statement. It will cover how God has left evidence for himself throughout human history, how humans have to come to terms with that, and finally, what is the most potent testimony outside of human experience.

I was on NC State Campus, and I started a conversation with a gentlemen by asking if he had received one of our tracts. The question on the tract was; If you died tonight, what would happen to you spiritually?

As I began to talk to this young man, I learned a little about him. He grew up in what he called a Christian home- they went to church twice a year. He has been struggling with doubt for years. Then the response came; he stated, "I need God to give me a vision or sign, then I will believe." We need to know a few things about conversations like these. This person is a product of his culture, he has been taught lies most of his adult life, especially in college. What are the lies? That he determines truth and his experiences shape that truth.

We can help them come to terms with this by asking one question, do you think there is absolute truth? Then listen. As Christians, we have graciously excepted the truth. "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them." (Romans 1:19) You must remember that the person who is an unbeliever is suppressing this truth. There is a form of autonomy dwelling in the unbeliever and exposing this is vitally important.

1.      Needing individual revelation or physical evidence for God's existence

How have humans and evidence for God worked out on the whole to help their belief in the one true God? "There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.'” (Exodus 11:6) The Israelites had just viewed the ten plagues that God brought on Egypt. This specific plague was the killing of the firstborn of all in Egypt. The Israelites had a front-row seat as God showed himself stronger than the most powerful nation. Yet look at what happens a little later.

“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”  (Exodus 32:1-5) Within a few months of seeing all these amazing miracles in Egypt, they ask Aaron to make them another god. God can give all the miracles in the world, but the miracle will simply fade with time and doubt will come again without a changed heart.

The person you are talking to may deny this and become resolute in his need for God to reveal himself. Remind him he is no better than the Israelites. After some time has passed, ask him if his memory has gone dull on an event that was once very clear. What makes him think he is any different from the Israelites?

2.      Having to come to terms with what God has given

It is not that miracles and amazing demonstrations of God’s power have not been displayed in human history, and if God chooses, He can do it any time He wants. However, He does not cater to the whim of a fickle human being. Unbelievers have to come to terms with not being the center of the universe. Think about this, if miracles are all that is needed for someone to believe, Jesus never would’ve been crucified. Revival would have broken out all over the Roman empire, and millions would ‘ve believed. Some believed but not the total population. The crowds around Pilate’s verdict that day would have drowned out the Pharisees and others yelling for Pilate to crucify Jesus. Nevertheless, that is not what happened. Jesus gives us an answer to why in the Gospel of John.   

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. (John 2:23-24) We must understand that demons believe in Jesus not unto Salvation but acknowledge who he is. These people that followed Him were no different. They were being healed of diseases and getting their bellies filled with food; however, as soon as the authorities came for Jesus, they turned on Him and joined the voices of the masses to have Jesus killed. Therefore, Jesus did not entrust Himself to them. He knew their hearts were not changed. God can give a sign, but without the change of your heart- your presuppositions- you will eventually betray the evidence that has been given. Our Creator has been very kind. He knows exactly what we need to be grounded and assured of His presence and power outside our human experiences. 

He gives a trichotomy telling us to remember what he has done in human history. He provides us with bodies that need to be sustained by His environment. He Gives special revelation and the Holy Spirit to understand all that exists rightly.  

      3. How does God help us overcome the human desire for individual revelation/ experience?

He tells us to remember what he has done through the New Testament Apostles. “That you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,” (2 Peter 3:2). The first help He gives is recording what He has done in human history. This is a testimony to review. He gave Israel festivals and altars to remember what He did to bring them out of Egypt. Evidence is not bad, but God gives it on His terms, not ours. Just because time has passed does not make His miracles in human history obsolete. We have another testimony of God’s power at work that is more personal.

You cannot get any more personal than your own body. God gives you everything for your meat tent to keep functioning. Look at all this evidence that is given on a daily bases, air, environment, temperature, food, sunlight, clothing, and shelter, just to name a few. All these are God’s daily evidential graces to us all. Here are the final two that God gives.

I can hear someone debating with you right now. All this does is point us to some generic god; however, our Creator took care of this piety argument by giving His special revelation to us in the Bible. With special revelation, we understand God and ourselves as needy recipients of the daily care provided by this amazing Creator. Finally, with the Holy Spirit, everything begins to make sense. The Holy Spirit is a tutor who leads us to the truth of God’s law and is what the person you are talking with needs to make sense of anything. He created us, revealed Himself to us, and cares for us daily by giving us the ability to live. 

If God did an amazing physical work in front of us every five years, the worries and stress of life would melt the memory away like a freeze pop on a summer day. Humans have to come to terms with that fact and look to what God has given. God knows that we need something more substantial to overcome our selfishness. He gave us His general revelation so our minds and bodies can engage to realize that there is a God. He was gracious enough to provide special revelation to show who He is and who we are. Then He gave the Holy Spirit to confirm everything is a gift from Him. He provides a trichotomy by telling us to remember what he has done in human history. He gives us bodies that need to be sustained by His environment. He provides special revelation along with the Holy Spirit to understand all that exists rightly.  

Until next month go out and proclaim the Gospel to see a life transformed.