Beyond the Stars: Why Redeemer Trusts the Word
Theology Tuesday #2
Take a moment and imagine a cloudless night sky—stars shining in patterns beyond human counting. In that quiet beauty, many sense a nudge in their soul: there must be a Creator behind this vast universe. The psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), and he was right. Natural revelation—what we see in creation—shouts that God is powerful, creative, and good. Yet as awe-inspiring as starlit skies can be, they only hint at God’s nature; they don’t fully reveal the path to salvation or who Jesus is.
That’s precisely why God gave us the Scriptures. According to our theological statement, “this natural revelation alone is not sufficient” for us to truly know God or find salvation. Think about it: seeing a masterpiece tells you there’s an artist, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you the artist’s name, motivations, or how to connect with them personally. In the same way, creation points to God’s existence and power but doesn’t fully show us His holiness, grace, or the rescue plan found in Christ. Scripture is God’s chosen way of revealing His will, His character, and—most importantly—Jesus, the Savior we desperately need.
At Redeemer, we lean on the Bible because it is, in essence, our spiritual bedrock. Sure, nature inspires us to worship a Creator, but we need God’s written Word to direct our hearts to the Redeemer Himself. Without it, we’d be guessing at who God is and how we should live. With it, we have certainty about salvation, Christ’s finished work on the cross, and the Spirit-empowered life we’re called to live. All the wonders of nature, as glorious as they are, simply can’t offer that level of clarity.
So why stress this so strongly? Because the heavens hint at God; His Word shows us Jesus. We want to be clear that while creation is magnificent, it won’t anchor us in times of doubt or teach us about atonement and grace. Only God’s Word, by the Spirit’s illumination, can do that (Romans 10:17). That’s why reading, studying, and preaching Scripture forms the heartbeat of Redeemer—weekly sermons, Gospel Communities studying biblical passages, and personal devotion all flow from our conviction that the Bible is absolutely necessary.
Next week, we’ll explore how we identify which books belong in this sacred library. Until then, take a moment to marvel at creation, but remember that it’s only the opening act. The main event—God’s special revelation in Scripture—is where we truly meet and worship Jesus, our Redeemer.
