I like what you are saying here but I feel it would be more accurate for you specifically mention that the way the Christian does realate to God is directly through the Scripture. This Its revealed purpose and what is says of itself, also anything that can be known in specific Spiritual revelation is revealed solely in the Scripture. Another reason why this would be important is because to leave the “relational” knowing based on faith and without greater definition in detail would allow the pseudo-Christianities to also fall into this category of knowing God, even though what they believe is contradictory to the Scriptures in hundreds (literally) of points, and when asked what is there foundation for belief it will be one of emotional peace in combination with a sense of faith in a belief that is referred to as Christian, but contradictions the detailed definitions of “Christian” from which the only book in the world comes from, the Bible.

It then becomes a deception to allow the foundation for any belief to be based on emotions rather than provable truths. And incidentally, physics and biblical doctrines are perfectly harmonious whereas the laws themselves contradict often the emotive state of mankind to their detriment, and also do their self-made religions that for some reason they feel better about in giving the seal of authenticity to by saying they are ‘christians too’.

what is interesting about this, is their teachings are contradictory, as is the logic of the atheist, and in a belief system, where there are contradictory premesis’ the the belief system as a whole is unsound and their for cannot as a body of belief statements be true.

Ironically, Christianity, as defined by the Scripture, is the only belief system within religion that passes this test.

just some stuff to think about in your rigorous development.

I feel it should be obvious to a reader of the Bible that the purpose of the Bible is to define God and His purpose, ours, and all the philosophical questions man seeks to answer on his own through empirical reasoning.

The Bible itself says that its purpose is to reveal God, and that there is no other outside source except that which may be seen in the Creation in a general way. We are not left with a general revelation however in how we might interpret who God is because we do have the special revelation of Scripture.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (teaching; knowledge), for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2nd Tim 3:16

** What do you suppose the Holy Spirit means in the above verse when it mentions the word “complete”?

Another verse:
“Grace and Peace be mutliplied to you in the KNOWLEDGE of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord, as His Divine Power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the KNOWLEDGE of Him who called us by His Glory and Virtue,
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises (the Holy Scripture), that through THESE you may be partakers of of the diving nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2nd Peter 1:2-4

**Did you notice how the Holy Spirit writes through Peter defining that what may be known of God is the the KNOWLEDGE that is acquired from Scriptures, and that it is a Divine provision?

*** In response to your cultural and historical question regarding the time of the Disciples themselves, it was brought to their attention from John the Baptist and then the Christ that the Messianic Prophecies encapsulated within the Torah, and Tanach that what they had been waiting for had arrived, and the ministry of John the Baptist was to lead people out of apostate Israel, and declare the coming of the Lord, while the Ministry of the Lord was to reiterate what God had foretold in terms of Salvation and Redmeption (and to make Provision for it), as He preached the Kingdom of God, and simultaneously prepared His Disciples to take this message of fulfillment to all that would listen. In addition to this there was Saul converted to Paul who reached a huge portion of the world and who’s writing’s comprise the majority of the New Testament who’s ministry would be greatly characterized as reasoning from the Scriptures that Jesus of Nazareth was, and is, the Messiah that was foretold from the Garden of Eden and consecutively all the way through the Torah, Tanach, and into the New Testament era, thus Paul writes:
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures..” (1 Corinthians 15:3)

Notice that Paul himself is using the foundation of the Scriptures as to why Jesus is the Messiah, and as Paul also teaches..God Himself.
Thus,if Jesus is God Himself, and is by Holy Spirit the Author of the Word of God and IS the Word of God, as John 1:1 states:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Christianity is built upon the foundation of the Prophets, the Law and the Messiah, and all are defined in exclusivity from the Scriptures as men were carried along to write as the Holy Spirit moved through them.
Both Paul and Peter were both aware that they were not simply writing ethically, but were in fact being used to write Scripture as the Holy Spirit moved through them.

So, from the argument of relation to the historical timeline I feel that a more clear and direct question is necessary to adequately answer a question that will be of value in an epistemological sense for the Christian or non-Christian. The question of rhetoric from my point might be along the lines of at what point does the knowledge become inductively transforming so that the argument is completely laid to rest as it works exactly as it claim to in its correct application. (In respect to the Word itself and its bringing in to the human heart as a seed within soil)

I will leave off from this angle of the discussion at this time so as not to overwhelm you with Bible verses, but I would like to mention these are only a few that I might have chosen to use, and in actuality there are hundreds.

I would like to address another aspect of something you said in how we might deduce the characteristics, nature and purpose of God outside of the Scripture itself.
That mankind has done this is evident in our politic and religion historically. Ironically it has not brought much peace whether in agreeableness with men or within spiritual terms, which I refuse to believe to the contrary when murder and war mark the ways of those that seek to understand the Origins and Purposes of life outside of the Scripture. After 5000+ years of recorded history of constant war with less than a few hundred years of peace in totality on the earth it might be wise to re-think our methods.
Also, in terms of logical and clear thinking we might consider that the receiving of the Scripture as it claims itself to be, would in correct definitions have an objective quality to it, leaving us to reject or deny the specific and defined outline, laws, purposes and intent of God. It is clear to anyone that reads the Scripture that it is not a book of secrets but rather a book of revelation that have not been left to vague interpretation but are specific and redundant in what God has revealed as acceptable and what is not in terms of how we might define Him, ourselves, and our manner of life.
To compare and contrast to the method you might suggest takes us from an objective point of view to a subjective point of view wherein the the individual them self, and their disposition will seek to define for them self what is or is not true based on experience. This should be obvious as to why it is extremely unreliable, but if I may point out a main reason of obvious flaw within its logic.
1. The individual is not capable of ALL experiences to make a “complete” group of data from which to deduce what is and is not true. It might come close, but it would never be perfect, as the emotional bent and intelligence and myriad of combinations in which an event or phenomena might be defined are never not going to be without subjective analysis.

The easiest way we might explain it, a method I do use when sharing Christ with people is to reason that before we could ever agree on what may or may not be true about anything we must discern, discover, and decide what tools will we use to measure the validity and “truth” of anything.

This is more important than any aspect of any argument on any subject. With this being said, in terms of Laws, Laws of Physics and Laws of Morality as defined within the Scripture they can all be tested and proven while those who prefer outside sources of Revelation buy themselves some time in refusing to repent and submit to God their bodies, minds, and emotions to the process of renewal as they abide in…

The Word of God.

This is the most basic and short way I can explain this at this time, if you have questions are want to battle it a bit please feel free..because we are free. We are free men, and women to question and consider, and God has blessed us greatly with minds to consider His Creation and our selves and His Word..that we might see the Art in Him.

in Jesus Forever,
Charles