Is Nature Sufficient To Know God?

Natural Revelation is where God has revealed Himself through nature itself. Two of the most popular passages that supports this:

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat (Psalm 19:1-6).

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).

We can stand in an open field and give praise to God for is awesome creation. I remember standing on my parents' ranch looking around and recalled an old worship song that says, "How can I say there is no God when all around creation calls." All of us can look at a beautiful sunset and praise God for it. Even some unbelievers will acknowledge that God made that.

The one question we should ask, is nature sufficient to know God? We see from Psalm 19 that nature points to God and in Romans 1 that God's invisible attributes are clearly shown. No where do we see that nature is a messenger of God. The writers of The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith wrote:

The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), not the wonder of nature. Yes, nature can point us to an Almighty Creator, but there is no substitute for the Word of God.