Be The Fruit

How do we know anything?

by Bill Blair on 18/08/09 at 8:13 pm

Epistemology is the study of knowledge, but it may be helpful to consider it as the study of the basis of knowledge or just how people know what they know.  The concept is very important to consider because different people base their knowledge on very different presuppositions.  For example, a naturalist will look at the world as if there is no God and rule out an supernatural causes for what exists in the world.   The naturalist, then, will only believe that he can gain knowledge through observation and reason and it is up to humans to decide what is true.  This may sound familiar because it is the worldview that dominates secular society today and is often referred to as secular humanism.

For Christians, there is better epistemology… One that begins and ends with God.  For a good summary, consider the following excerpt from Graeme Goldsworthy in  his book According to Plan:  The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible to be found here:

The [Christian] view is that God created everything and therefore knows everything.  God also created humankind in his own image so that we know God from what is created.  All facts, including those about ourselves, are facts about God, since he is the creator of all facts and gives them their meaning.  Confusion enters because of sin.  As sinners, we refuse to accept that the universe is God’s and that we are God’s creatures.  We refuse God’s interpretation of reality and substitute our own false interpretation.  God justly gives mankind up to this folly and, as a consequence, we are no longer able to perceive the truth about God, which is everywhere around us and within us.  But in his goodness, and in accordance with his plan of salvation, God provides a special revelation through his Word.  He also sends his Holy Spirit to subdue the rebellious wills of his people so that they can perceive the truth of this revelation.  By this means alone are we able to know truly.