#Bavinck2022 Chapter Two: The Knowledge of God
Chapter two is another short one, only eight pages so we need not fear as we start to read it. In this chapter, he builds on the main idea of chapter one: God, and God alone is man’s highest good. A statement like that begs the question, “If God is man’s highest good, how can man know anything about God?” Chapter 2 focuses on man’s knowledge of God, helping us to answer that question.
Bavinck makes an interesting statement in the first page of this chapter: “As its content this revelation has the one, great comprehensive promise of the covenant of grace: I will be a God unto thee, and ye shall be my people.” (8) In the overarching story of the Bible, everything between Creation at the very beginning and the New Jerusalem at the very end could be described as God claiming a people out from the world to be His people. Some food for thought for you: How does knowing this help you to read parts of the Bible that seem out of place?
A part of the chapter that you might overlook is related to the purpose of God giving Himself to His people. According to Bavinck, “God gives Himself to His people in order that His people should give themselves to Him.” To the people of Israel, this concept made God exceedingly personal. They lived their entire lives coram deo, before the face of God. Are you tempted to make God a topic you philosophize about in abstracted concepts? I exhort you, as Bavinck does, to live your life coram deo before the face of God. Consider writing out a prayer using some of the Old Testament titles for God that Bavinck lists on page nine.
The second part of the chapter focuses on how the knowledge of God that Jesus refers to in his High Priestly Prayer (John 17:1-3) is different from knowledge of other kinds. As you read, make a note of those two ways. The knowledge that Jesus speaks of is not merely information in the head, but rather information that has implications for our hearts. One quote you may want to underline and commit to heart is “God is known in proportion to the extent that He is loved.” (13)
In this chapter, Bavinck provides a helpful definition of theology for us to file away: “Theology is the science which derives the knowledge of God from His revelation, which studies and thinks into it under the guidance of His Spirit, and then tries to describe it so that it ministers to His honor.” (14) Our theological study is to be pursued under the guidance of the Spirit to the honor of God. I hope that you will join me in pursuing this disposition as we continue to read through this rich theological work together.
If you are anything like me, you can recite the first question and answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism (and not much more). Bavinck quotes WSC #1 with slightly different language that I’d like to draw your attention to: “What is the chief end of man? And it gave a brief and rich reply: To glorify God and enjoy him perfectly unto all eternity.” (15) God, and God alone is man’s highest good. For those of us who are in Christ, it is our greatest privilege to enjoy God today and into eternity.