Journal: Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal
Volume: DBSJ 28:1 (NA 2023)
Article: “Received” Laws Of Language: The Existence, Ground, And Preliminary Identification Of A Hermeneutically Disputed Notion
Author: Mark A. Snoeberger

DBSJ 28 (2023) p. 25

“Received” Laws Of Language:
The Existence, Ground, And Preliminary Identification Of A Hermeneutically Disputed Notion

Mark A. Snoeberger

and
Rolland D. McCune1

Introduction And Preliminary Thesis

A few years ago, a colleague alerted me to the humorous rumor that I had formally denied the existence of natural revelation. I found the rumor bizarre—a notion akin to denying the existence of air or water. Reflecting further, I suspect that the anonymous perpetrator of this rumor misunderstood my concerns about the more objectionable notion of natural theology. Natural theology, in its most aggressive expression, supposes that mankind may derive and construct a whole system of warranted belief apart from the seminal embrace of the Christian God and the Christian Scriptures. Obstacles to accepting this idea are manifold, but reduce principally to two: (1) the insufficiency of natural revelation and (2) the fallenness of humanity. These two hurdles give substance to the biblical claim that apart from the fear of the Lord there is no true knowledge to be had (Prov 1:7).

Despite these hurdles, however, it has been rightly observed that fallen man is capable not only of obtaining, but also of comprehending, processing, and correlating data in the natural realm, leading to a great many correct conclusions greater than the sum of his observations. Apart from the Christian Scriptures, surely, fallen man knows much of God, his world, and his ways. What fallen man lacks, however, is a comprehensive truth system or truth standard by which his knowledge may be regarded as coherent, warranted, and thus as true.2 He ever

DBSJ 28 (2023) p. 26

“exchanges the truth of God for a lie” for “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world” (Rom 1:24; Col 2:8).3 As such, to turn a biblical phrase, the unbeliever may “have a form of truth, but deny the power thereof” (2 Tim 3:5; cf. Rom 2:20). As such, he can never construct a credible and coherent, much less a comprehensive natural theology.

But what of the notion—sandwiched vulnerably between the two ideas of natural revelation and natural theology—of natural law? By natural law is meant that, imbedded in the natural order, are principles generally avail...