What is revealed theology?

Revealed theology refers to the knowledge of God that comes from Scripture. Revealed theology differs from natural theology, which relies on human reason and observation to understand God. Revealed theology holds that God has made Himself known through Scripture, biblical prophecy, and Jesus Christ. For God to be known, He must choose to reveal Himself.

God’s self-revelation (or self-disclosure) is central to revealed theology. If God did not reveal Himself, He would be inaccessible and mostly unknowable. There are two kinds of revelation in Christian theology: general and special. General revelation, the foundation of natural theology, is accessible through reason, nature, and conscience. In Romans 1:20, the apostle Paul writes, “[God’s] 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, they are without excuse (ESV). On the other hand, special revelation, the foundation of revealed theology, includes various means God uses to communicate His message in the Bible, such as prophecy, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the apostles. Both general revelation and special revelation are from God and are about Him.

Scripture is the primary source for revealed theology. As such, believers should heed the command to “do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV).

Scripture is the authoritative Word of God and should be honored: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV).

In the Old Testament, God communicated through prophets. Prophetic revelations often addressed the need for repentance (e.g., Ezekiel 18:21–22), but they sometimes foreshadowed future events, such as the coming of Christ. For example, Isaiah 53:5 prophesies this about the Suffering Servant: “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (ESV). Jesus Christ fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy.

Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate revelation. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (ESV). The incarnation of Christ provided the perfect means for humanity to understand God’s character and will. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were the pinnacle of God’s revelation to humanity: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV).

Revealed theology provides knowledge of God’s nature and will, enabling believers to engage with truths that surpass natural theology. The limitation of human understanding is expressed in Isaiah 55:8–9, which says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (ESV). We cannot understand much of who God is using natural theology alone, so we must immerse ourselves in His Word. In doing so, we will “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18, ESV).