Illumination differs from revelation in that revelation refers to “God disclosing truth. Illumination is God enabling understanding” (Microsoft Copilot). As noted previously, illumination is not a term used in the New Testament. Technically, the term would be salvation (sozo). Soteriology is The Study of Salvation. The Old Testament reveals who and what and answers the question, Who is God and what has He promised? The New Testament answers the questions why and how salvation is received. Together, the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s plan regarding the need for salvation and His provision.
In God’s revelation, He alone provides the power to save. And He alone supplies the provision for this salvation, Christ Jesus. This is settled Scripture. Paul clearly states this:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor 15:3-4)
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, (2 Tim 2:8)
This brings us to two important terms and their cognates: faith (pistis, the noun; pisteuo, the verb) and persuade (peithia, the noun; peitheo, the verb). Pistis involves a relationship with God. Peitho refers to believing the content of what God promised and our acting upon it.
Their negative connotations are apisteuo, and apeitheo. The alpha privative, a, renders the terms negative: apistia, “unbelief,” and apeitheo, “unpersuaded.” An interesting note is that apeitheo, is transliterated into English as apathy. “Apathy (English) means lack of feeling, indifference, no concern. Apeitheō means to disobey, to refuse to be persuaded, to be stubbornly unyielding.” (Microsoft Copilot).
We are not saved by simply believing alone. If so, why did many walk away from Jesus in John 6:66? Why did James tell us “. . .the demons also believe, and shudder” in Jas 2:19? John wrote that those who believed have been born of God (Jn 1:12-13). Jesus explained, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (Jn 6:29) Both are in view in Heb 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Revelation was given over time (Heb 1:1ff.) and is complete; hence we need to understand the progress of revelation seen from God’s perspective. On the other hand, illumination, also progressive, refers to our understanding of God’s revelation but must be seen in the context of Scripture and the unfolding of history. Illumination will never be as complete as revelation.
God has “granted to us everything we need for faith and godliness.” (2 Pe 1:3) This refers to His revelation. Because of this, we need to “apply all diligence, in your [sic] faith. . .” (2 Pe 1:5–11). In this way we will experience the progress of illumination.