God wrote “two books” (i.e., the book of nature and the book of Scripture—see Ps. 19).  But how should we see those two books?  And is it sufficient to have access only to one or the other?

Romans 1:18-21 asserts that all people have an awareness of God’s existence—of his eternal power and deity—through the witness of nature.  Creation points to a Creator.  This is true for everyone (Ps. 19:3-4).  So asking if we need to have access to God’s “book of nature” isn’t necessary:  we do have that access.

The key question is whether or not we need to hear what God says in Scripture.  Do we have reason to believe that people can know the Lord in a saving way simply through his general revelation in nature?  I believe the answer is “No.”  Consider:

• For all his religious devotion (Acts 10:2), respectable Cornelius was not saved until he heard the message of Jesus (11:14).
• Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).  Paul makes this point in a string of questions (10:14-17) to say that people must hear the gospel to believe and be saved.
• Many passages link salvation with “believing”—and believing isn’t mere recognition that God exists but conscious trust in Christ (e.g., John 3:16, 36; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9; 1 John 5:13).
• The Apostle Paul didn’t spend his life planting churches all over the Roman Empire and endure horrendous suffering (2 Cor. 11:23-29) because he believed people did not need to hear about Jesus.  No:  he took Jesus’ charge seriously—to make disciples among all people groups (Matt. 28:18-20).

So, we have no good reason to think that people will be saved merely by having access to God’s “book of nature”:  they need to learn the gospel truth as revealed in Scripture.  In light of this, let us:  pray, love, serve, speak, and go—including to loved ones, friends, and neighbors right here in our community!