Thursday, June 26, 2014

Pieper, 1968. Chapter 2, "The Christian Knowledge of God"

Chapter 2, “The Christian Knowledge of God”


In this chapter Pieper makes a sharp distinction between the knowledge of God available through the Scripture and elsewhere. The Bible presents one true God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is in stark contrast to the other world religions. The pagan polytheism is not allowed for by the Bible, nor is the monotheism in which there is no trinity. This knowledge is not revealed to us anywhere but the Bible.

Pieper reminds us that natural revelation can never give us hope. We are never rescued from a guilty conscience by natural revelation, but only through the Bible’s Jesus, the one who gave himself for our sins. Pieper reminds us of Luther’s portrayals of the hope which comes from the God of the Bible. As opposed to the non-Christian religions, the Bible gives a consistent revelation of God. This is the Christian’s hope.

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