Belgic Confession, Article 2 - knowing God

Article 2: By what means God is made known unto us

We know Him by two means: First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe; which is before our eyes as a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to see clearly the invisible things of God, even his everlasting power and divinity, as the apostle Paul says (Rom. 1:20). All which things are sufficient to convince men and leave them without excuse. Second, He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to His glory and our salvation.

After starting with God, the One in whom we trust and the Creator of all things, the Reformed churches confess that there are two ways in which we come to know Him. The first means is the “elegant book” of the universe, which God created, preserves, and directs. It reveals God clearly to all mankind. No one can complain that they did not receive a Bible, or that there wasn’t enough evidence for God’s existence. Everything outside of man and inside of man is ‘legible text’ telling us of the living God in a way perfectly adapted to our capacities.

The second way we come to know God is greater in quality and quantity. Scripture tells us more about God, and it does so even more clearly than creation. It is perfectly sufficient to both inform us of how to obey God, we don’t need extra-biblical revelation to please Him, and tell us of how we may be saved. One need look no further than the pages of the Bible. The ‘apostolic' popes and the ‘inner light’ of the Anabaptists will lead one astray. The Reformed churches look to the Holy Scriptures as the source of all the doctrines contained within its confessions and catechisms.