LESSON No. 1
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THE NATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD?
A Look At God's Word By
Oswald Riess

1. IS IT NECESSARY TO PROVE THAT THERE IS A GOD?
 THE BIBLE SAYS -
   (a) Gen. 1:1. In the beginning God.
 *(b) Ps. 14;1. The fool hath said in his heart, THERE IS NO GOD.  They are corrupt,        they have done abominable works.

FROM THIS WE LEARN -
 (A) The Bible, beginning with its very first words, simply speaks of God as existing;
 (B) It does not consider it necessary to prove that there is a God since only a person who   refuses to use his reason would deny or doubt so evident a fact. (Atheism, Agnosticism.)
 

2. HOW MAY ALL MEN KNOW BY NATURE THAT THERE IS A GOD?
 THE BIBLE SAYS -
   (a) Gen. 3:4. Every house is builded by some man; but HE THAT BUILT ALL THINGS IS GOD.
 *(a) Ps. 19:1. The HEAVENS DECLARE the glory of God; and the FIRMAMENT SHOWETH His handiwork. 
   (a) Rom. 1:19,20. That which may be known of God is manifest in them (the Gentiles): for God hath showed it unto them.  For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, even His eternal power and Godhead; so the they are without excuse.
   (b) Rom. 2:15. (The Gentiles) show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their CONSCIENCE also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.

FROM THIS WE LEARN -
 All men may know by nature that there is a God
 (A) From the existence of the world;
 (B) From the testimony of their conscience.
 

3. WHAT DO THE UNIVERSE AND CONSCIENCE TELL MAN ABOUT GOD?
 THE BIBLE SAYS -
 (a b) Rom. 1:20 The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. Being  understood by the things that are made, even His ETERNAL POWER.
 (c) Ps. 104:24. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In WISDOM hast Thou made them all.
 (d) Acts 14: 17. He left not Himself without witness, in that He DID GOOD, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
 (e) Rom. 1:32. (The Gentiles know) the JUDGMENT of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.

FROM THIS WE LEARN -
 The universe and conscience tell man that God is
 (A) Eternal (without beginning and without end);
 (B) Powerful;
 (C) Wise;
 (D) Good to His creatures;
 (E) Just (fair and impartial), punishing the evildoers.
 

 4. FOR WHAT PURPOSE HAS THIS NATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD BEEN GIVEN TO  MAN?
 THE BIBLE SAYS -
  Acts 17:26,27. (God) hath made of one blood all nations for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, if haply they might feel after Him and find Him.

FROM THIS WE LEARN -
 The natural knowledge of God should move man to search after God.
 

5. IS MAN'S NATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD SUFFICIENT?
 THE BIBLE SAYS -
 (a) Ps. 96:5. All the GODS OF THE NATIONS ARE IDOLS; but the LORD made the heavens.
 (a) Acts 17:23. As I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
 (b) Acts 16:29,30. He called for a light, and sprang in, and came TREMBLING, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
 (b) 1 Cor. 2:9. EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
 (a b)  Eph. 2:12. Ye were without Christ ... having NO HOPE, and WITHOUT GOD in the world.

FROM THIS WE LEARN -
 Man's natural knowledge of God is not sufficient because the universe and conscience do not reveal
 (A) Who the true God is;
 (B) How man, the sinner, may escape the punishment of the just God and enter heaven.
 

6. WHICH OTHER REVELATION HAS GOD THEREFORE GIVEN TO MAN?
 THE BIBLE SAYS -
 1 Cor. 2:9,10,13. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the thing  which God hath prepared for them that love Him.  But GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT ... WHICH THINGS ALSO WE SPEAK.

FROM THIS WE LEARN -   Since man's natural knowledge of God is altogether           insufficient, God has revealed Himself in the Bible. (Revealed knowledge of God.)
 

BEFORE THE NEXT LESSON FILL OUT Work Sheet No. 1.
MEMORIZE, if you can, the Bible passages in this lesson marked with an asterisk (*).
READ Genesis, chapters 1-7. (A chapter a day.)
 

Work Sheet No. 1
ONE

1. (A) The atheist denies the existence of God because he follows the guidance of his reason. [_]
(B) The atheist denies the existence of God because he wishes that there were no God. [_]
(C) The atheist denies the existence of God because he has no way of knowing whether there is a God. [_]

(Check the correct statement.)

TWO

2.  Name something in nature that impresses you with
    (A) Gods's power ..........................................

    (B) God's wisdom ..........................................

    (C) God's goodness ........................................


THREE

3.  Conscience tells us that we have..................and deserve................. (Insert the missing words.)


FOUR

4.   We sometimes hear people say: "Foreign mission work is a waste of men and money because the heathen already have a religion of their own."
      Is this attitude correct ?  Yes [_]  No [_]
      Give reasons for your answer.

...................................................................................................................................................


FIVE

5.  (A) The NATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD is that knowledge of God which we get from
         ...........................................................

(B) The REVEALED KNOWLEDGE OF GOD is that knowledge of God which we get

           from...........................................................

(Complete these sentences.)