Chart of the Definitions of the Eighteen Principles of Divine Revelation

By Clifton L. Fowler

Copyright 1924

Taken from Grace and Truth Magazine 1924

 

PRINCIPLE NO. 1

The Infinity Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

(a) Wherein God lays down the line of demarcation between the finite and the infinite, giving all the necessary explanations in the realm finite and confining Himself to simple declarations of fact in the realm infinite;

(b) and under which God teaches finite beings (men) to walk by faith in the unexplained infinite.

PRINCIPLE NO. 2

The Willingness Principle "is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which the knowledge of God's truth is guaranteed to willing souls.

PRINCIPLE NO. 3

The Direct Statement Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which God says what He means and means what He says.

PRINCIPLE NO. 4

The Right Division Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which God distinguishes between things that differ.

PRINCIPLE NO. 5

The First Occurrence Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Wherein God indicates by the context of the first occurrence that truth or fact wherewith a subject of thought stands connected in the Divine mind.

PRINCIPLE NO. 6

The Agreement Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which the truthfulness and faithfulness of God become His guarantee that He will not set forth any passage in His Word which contradicts any other passage.

PRINCIPLE NO. 7

The Context Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Whereby God, either in adjacent passages or distant passages bearing on the same or related themes, gives Bible light on Bible questions.

PRINCIPLE NO. 8

The Gap Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Whereby God in Jewish Scriptures ignores those periods of time during which He is especially manifesting His disapproval of sin, or during which the confusion of a national adjustment may be taking place, or during which God may be holding in temporary abeyance some one of the Divine purposes.

PRINCIPLE NO. 9

The Analogy Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which God imbeds the wonderful truths concerning Israel, Jesus, and the individual believer in some apparently remote Biblical incident, making these truths "demonstrable by an extended series of similarities or contrasts.

PRINCIPLE NO. 10

The Numerical Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Wherein God places a definite significance upon the numbers employed by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures and continues that significance with unbroken uniformity throughout the inspired Book.

PRINCIPLE NO. 11

The Synthetic Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which God so fully superintends the literary structure of the Bible that from Genesis to Revelation it is constructed in introversions or alternations or combinations thereof.

PRINCIPLE NO. 12

The Three-Fold Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which God sets forth the truths concerning Israel, Jesus, and the individual believer from the standpoint of God's triple dealing with man, — justification, transformation, and glorification.

PRINCIPLE NO. 13

The Election Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Whereby God, in the working out of His creative and redemptive purposes uniformly sets aside all firsts and establishes all seconds.

PRINCIPLE NO. 14

The Overlapping Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Wherein God, in both history and prophecy, goes back over a given period of time repeatedly, viewing some special asp ct, or presenting new details of the particular period with each repetition or overlapping.

PRINCIPLE NO. 15

The Foreshadowing Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Under which God conducts rehearsals of the fulfillments of His prophecies before He brings to pass the actual performance and manifestation.

PRINCIPLE NO. 16

The Interpretation vs. Application Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

(a) Whereby God presents the interpretation of a passage as related to the time when and the person of or to whom the words were addressed;

(b) And under which God presents such application of the same words as will not do violence to any of the inspired Principles of Revelation.

PRINCIPLE NO. 17

The Progressive Revelation Principle is that principle of Divine revelation

Whereby God makes increasingly clear and complete revelations of any given truth as the oracles of God proceed to their consummation.

PRINCIPLE NO. 18

The Christo-Centric Principle is that principle of Divine revelation whereby God shows

(a) That the Mind of Deity is eternally centered in Jesus;

(b) That all angelic thought and ministry are centered in Jesus;

(c) That all Satanic and demoniacal hatred and subtilty are directed at Jesus;

(d) That all human hopes are, and human occupation should be, centered in Jesus;

(e) That the whole material universe is held together by Jesus; and

(f) That the entire written word is centered in Jesus.