By natural reason man can know God with certainty, on the basis of his works. But there is another order of knowledge, which man cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers: the order of divine Revelation. God, who creates and conserves all things by his Word, provides men with constant evidence of himself in created realities. Wishing to open up the way to heavenly salvation - he manifested himself from the very beginning. This revelation was not broken off by the fall. God buoyed hope of salvation by promising redemption. He has never ceased to show his solicitude for the human race. For he wishes to give eternal life to all those who seek salvation by patience in well-doing.
Even when we disobey him, he does not abandon us. The covenant with Noah after the flood gives expression to the principle of the divine economy toward mankind. In order to gather together scattered humanity God called on Abraham. The people descended from Abraham would be the trustee of the promise made to the patriarchs. God formed Israel as his people by freeing them from slavery in Egypt. He established with them the covenant of Mount Sinai and, through Moses, gave them his law so that they would recognize him and serve him as the one living and true God, the provident Father and just judge, and so that they would look for the promised Savior. Through the prophets, he prepared them to accept the salvation destined for all humanity.
God, who "dwells in unapproachable light", wants to communicate his own divine life to the men he freely created, in order to adopt them as his sons in his only-begotten Son. By revealing himself God wishes to make them capable of responding to him, and of knowing him and of loving him far beyond their own natural capacity. The divine plan of Revelation is realized simultaneously "by deeds and words which are intrinsically bound up with each other" and shed light on each another. It involves a specific divine pedagogy: God communicates himself to man gradually. He prepares him to welcome by stages the supernatural Revelation that is to culminate in the person and mission of the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.
God revealed himself and gave himself to man by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. His will was that men should have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature. God revealed himself fully to man by sending his own Son, in whom he has established his covenant for ever. The Son is his Father's definitive Word.
Even when we disobey him, he does not abandon us. The covenant with Noah after the flood gives expression to the principle of the divine economy toward mankind. In order to gather together scattered humanity God called on Abraham. The people descended from Abraham would be the trustee of the promise made to the patriarchs. God formed Israel as his people by freeing them from slavery in Egypt. He established with them the covenant of Mount Sinai and, through Moses, gave them his law so that they would recognize him and serve him as the one living and true God, the provident Father and just judge, and so that they would look for the promised Savior. Through the prophets, he prepared them to accept the salvation destined for all humanity.
God, who "dwells in unapproachable light", wants to communicate his own divine life to the men he freely created, in order to adopt them as his sons in his only-begotten Son. By revealing himself God wishes to make them capable of responding to him, and of knowing him and of loving him far beyond their own natural capacity. The divine plan of Revelation is realized simultaneously "by deeds and words which are intrinsically bound up with each other" and shed light on each another. It involves a specific divine pedagogy: God communicates himself to man gradually. He prepares him to welcome by stages the supernatural Revelation that is to culminate in the person and mission of the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.
God revealed himself and gave himself to man by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. His will was that men should have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature. God revealed himself fully to man by sending his own Son, in whom he has established his covenant for ever. The Son is his Father's definitive Word.
