CH101B: The God of Creation

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 "So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,so that we could be made right with God through Christ."

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NIV Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers, Inc. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530. All rights reserved.

NLT New Living Translation, Handbook of Bible Application Notes and Life Application Study Bible Notes are copyright 1996, used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights  reserved. 

Nouns and pronouns referring to deity are capitalized throughout the text of these textbooks unless they are included within a direct quotation, in which case the original capitalization is retained.

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"Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 
Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple."      
1 Corinthians 3:10-17 NLT 

 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

Gen. 1:1-2 

1. He is creative 
2. As the Creator, He is distinct from His creation 
3. He is eternal and in control of the world. 

1. Since God the Father chose to create us, we are valuable in his eyes 
2. We are more important than the animals

 Genesis 1:1 makes the simple statement that God created the heavens and the earth is one of the most challenging concepts confronting the modern mind. The vast galaxy we live in is spinning at the incredible speed of 490,000 miles an hour. But even at this breakneck speed, our galaxy still needs 200 million years to make one rotation. And there are over one billion other galaxies just like ours in the universe.

Some scientists say that the number of stars in creation is equal to all the grains of all the sands on all the beaches of the world. Yet this complex sea of spinning stars functions with remarkable order and efficiency. To say that the universe "just happened" or "evolved" requires more faith than to believe that God is behind these amazing statistics. God truly did create a wonderful universe.

 God is love, and love is best expressed toward something or someone else—so God created the world and people as an expression of his love. We should avoid reducing God's creation to merely scientific terms. Remember that God created the universe because he loves us. 

 God the Father is revealed in the Bible as an infinite, eternal, self­ existent Being who is the First Cause of all that is. Never was there a moment when God did not exist. As Moses affirms, "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God" (Ps 90:2). In other words, God existed eternally and infinitely before creating the finite universe. He is above, independent of and prior to all that has been created in heaven and on earth (Col 1:16).

God the Father is revealed as a personal Being who created Adam and Eve "in His own image" (Ge 1:27). Because Adam and Eve were created in God's image, they could respond to and have fellowship with God in a loving and personal way.

God the Father is also revealed as a moral Being who created everything good and therefore without sin. After God had finished creating and was surveying what he had made, he observed that it was "very good" (Ge 1:31). Since Adam and Eve were created in God's image and likeness, they were also without sin. Sin entered human existence when Eve was tempted by the serpent, or Satan (Ro 5:12; Rev 12:9).

God the Father is omnipresent, He is present everywhere at the same time. The psalmist states that no matter where we go, God is there (Ps 139:7-12; cf. Jer 23:23-24; Ac 17:27-28); God observes everything that we do.

God the Father is omniscient, He knows everything (Ps 139:1-6; 147:5). He knows not only our actions but also our very thoughts (1Sa 16:7; 1Ki 8:39; Ps 44:21; Jer 17:9-10). When the Bible speaks of God's foreknowledge (Isa 42:9; Ac 2:23; 1Pe 1:2), it means that He knows all things possible as possible, all things certain as certain, all things contingent as contingent, all things future as future, all things past as past, all things foreordained as predestined certainties (cf.1Sa 23:10-13; Jer 38:17-20). Biblical fore­ knowledge does not entail philosophical determinism. God remains free to make decisions and alter His purposes in time and history, according to His own will and wisdom. In other words, God is not a prisoner of His own fore knowledge. 

God is omnipotent, He is all-powerful and has ultimate authority over all things and all creatures (Ps 147:13-18; Jer 32:17; Mt 19:26; Lk 1:37). This doesn’t mean, however, that God uses all His power and authority at all times; for example God has the power to destroy all sin, but He has chosen not to do so until the end of history. In many cases, God limits his power, channeling it through His people (2Co 12:7-10); in these cases, His power is dependent on our degree of availability and submission to Him.

God is transcendent, He is different and independent from His creation (see Ex 24:9-18; Isa 6:1-3; 40:12-26; 55:8-9). His being and existence are infinitely greater and higher than the created order (1Ki 8:27; Isa 66:1-2; Ac 17:24-25). He dwells in perfect and pure existence, far above what he has made; He Himself is uncreated and exists apart from creation. Transcendence does not entail, however, that God is incapable of living among His people as their God. (Lev 26:11-12; Eze 37:27; 43:7; 2Co 6:16).

God is eternal, Hhe is from everlasting to everlasting (Ps 90:1-2; 102:12; Isa 57:15). There was never a time, either in the past or the future, when God did not or will not exist; He is not bound by human time (cf. Ps 90:4; 2Pe 3:8) and is, therefor best described as "I am" (cf. Ex 3:14; Jn 8:58).

God is unchangeable, there is no change in God's attributes, in His perfections or in His purpose for humankind (Nu 23:19; Ps 102:26-28; Isa 41:4; Mal 3:6; Heb 1:11-12; Jas 1:17); this doesn't mean, however, that God never alters His temporary purposes in response to the actions of humans. He may, for example, alter His intentions of judgment because of the sincere repentance of sinners (cf. Joh 3:6-10). Furthermore He remains free to respond to the needs of human beings and to the prayers of His people. The Bible often speaks of God changing His mind as a result of the diligent prayers of the righteous (e.g., Nu 14:1-20; 2Ki 20:2-6; Isa 38:2-6; Lk 18:1-8.

God is perfect and holy, He is completely without sin and absolutely righteous (Lev 11:44-45; Ps 85:13; 145:17; Mt 5:48). Adam and Eve were created without sin (cf. Ge 1:31) but with the capability of sinning. God, on the other hand, cannot sin (Nu 23:19; 2Ti 2:13; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18). His holiness also includes His dedication to carrying out His purposes and plan.

God is triune, He is one God (Dt 6:4; Isa 45:21; lCo 8:5-6; Eph 4:6; lTi 2:5), who has manifested Himself in three divine persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (e.g.,Mt 28:19; 2Co 13:14;1Pe 1:2). Each person is fully divine, equal with the other two; yet they are not three Gods, but one.

 Many characteristics of the one true God, particularly His moral attributes, bear similarity to human qualities; however, His attributes all exist to a degree incomparably greater than they do in us. For example, even though both God and humans possess the ability to love, no human is able to love to the degree and intensity that God does. Moreover, it must be stressed that our ability to exercise these characteristics is related to our being created in God's image  (Ge 1:26-27); in other words, we are like Him, not He like us. 

God is good (Ps 25:8; 106:1; Mk 10:18). All that God originally created was good, an extension of His own nature (Ge 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31). He continues to be good to His creation by sustaining it on behalf of all His creatures (Ps 104:10-28; 145:9) He even provides for the ungodly (Mt 5:45; Ac 14:17). God is especially good to His people who call on Him in truth (Ps 145:18-20).

God is love (1Jn 4:8). His love is a selfless love that embraces the entire world of sinful humankind (Jn 3:16; Ro 5:8). The chief expression of that love was his sending of His only Son Jesus to die for sinners (1Jn 4:9-10). In addition, God has a special family love for those who through Jesus are reconciled to Him.

God is merciful and gracious (Ex 34:6; Dt 4:31; 2Ch 30:9; Ps 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13); he does not cut off and destroy humanity as our sins deserve (Ps 103:10), but offers forgiveness as a free gift to be received through faith in Jesus Christ (Ps 103:11- 2; Ro 6:23; lCo 1:3-4; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 2:11; 3:4-5).

God is compassionate (2Ki 13:23; Ps 86:15; 111:4). To be compassionate means to feel sorrow for someone else's suffering, with a desire to help. Out of His compassion for humanity, God provided forgiveness and salvation (cf. Ps 78:38); likewise, Jesus, the Son of God, showed compassion for the crowds when He preached the gospel to the poor, proclaimed freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, and released the oppressed  (Lk 4:18; cf. Mt 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34; Mk 1:41)

God is patient and slow to anger (Ex 34:6; Nu 14:18; Ro 2:4; 1Ti 1:16). God first expressed this characteristic in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve's sin, when He did not destroy the human race as He had a right to do (cf. Ge 2:16-17). God was also patient in the days of Noah, while the ark was being built (1Pe 3:20). And God is still patient with the sinful human race; He does not presently judge so as to destroy the world, because He is patiently giving everyone the opportunity to repent and be saved (2Pe 3:9).

God is truth (Dt 32:4; Ps 31:5; Isa 65:16; Jn 3:33). Jesus called Himself "the Truth" (Jn 14:6), and the Spirit is known as the "Spirit of truth" (Jn 14:17; cf. 1Jn 5:6). Because God is entirely trustworthy and true in all He says and does, His word is also described as truth (2Sa 7:28; Ps 119:43; Isa 45:19; Jn 17:17). In keeping with this fact, the Bible makes it plain that God does not tolerate lies or falsehood of any kind (Nu 23:19; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18).

God is faithful (Ex 34:6; Dt 7:9; Isa 49:7; La 3:23; Heb 10:23); God will do what he has revealed in his Word, carrying out both His promises and His warnings (Nu 14:32-35; 2Sa 7:28; Job 34:12; Ac 13:23,32-33) . God's faithfulness should bring unspeakable comfort to believers and great fear of judgment to all who do not repent and believe in the Lord Jesus (Heb 6:4-8; 10:26-31).

 God created all things in "the heavens and the earth". 

The word "created" (Heb bara’) is used exclusively of an activity that only God can do. It means that at a specific, moment God called into existence matter and substance that had no prior existence.

The Bible describes God's creation as formless, empty and covered with darkness 

(Ge 1:2). At that time the universe and the world did not have the ordered form it has now. It was empty, barren of all living creatures and void of all light. After this initial stage, God created light to dispel the darkness (Ge 1:3-5), gave form to the universe (Ge 1:6-13) and filled the earth with living things (Ge 1:20-28).

The method God used in creation was the power of his word. 

Over and over it is stated, "And God said . . ." (Ge 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26). In other words, God spoke the heavens and the earth into being; before God's creative word went forth, they had no prior existence (cf. Ps 33:6,9; 148:5; ISa. 48:13; Ro 4:17; Heb 11:3).

The entire Trinity, not just the Father, had a role in creation. 

• The Son Himself is the powerful Word through whom God created all things. In the prologue to John's Gospel, Christ is revealed as the eternal Word of God    (Jn 1:1). "Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made" Jn 1:3. Likewise, the apostle Paul affirms that by Christ "all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things were created by Him and for Him" Col 1:16. Finally, the author of the letter to the Hebrews asserts emphatically that by His Son, God made the universe (Heb 1:2).
•     Likewise, the Holy Spirit had an active role in the work of creation. He is the “power” and is pictured as "hovering" over the creation, preserving and preparing it for God's further creative activity. The Hebrew word for "Spirit" (ruah) may also be translated as "wind" and "breath." Thus, the psalmist affirms the role of the Spirit when he states: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath [ruah] of his mouth" Ps 33:6. Also, the Holy Spirit continues to be involved in sustaining creation (Job 33:4; Ps 104:30).

 God the Father had specific reasons for creating the world. 

God created the heavens and the earth as a manifestation of His glory, majesty and power. David says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands"  (Ps 19:1; cf. Ps 8:1). By looking at the entire created cosmos from the immense expanse of the created universe to the beauty and order of nature we cannot help but stand in awe of the majesty of the Lord God, our Creator.

God created the heavens and the earth in order to receive back the glory and honor due Him. All the elements of nature-e.g., sun and moon, trees of the forest, rain and snow, rivers and streams, hills and mountains, animals and birds--shout out praise to the God who made them (Ps 98:7-8; 148:1-10; Isa, 55:12). How much more God desires and expects to receive glory and praise from human beings!

God created the earth in order to provide a place where His purpose and goals for humankind might be fulfilled. 

    (a) God created Adam and Eve in His own image so that He could have a loving, personal relationship for all eternity. God designed humankind as a triune being (body, soul, spirit), possessing mind, emotion and will with which they can respond to Him freely as Lord and worship and serve Him out of faith, loyalty and gratitude. 

    (b) God so desired this intimate relationship with the human race that, when Satan succeeded in tempting Adam and Eve to rebel against and disobey God's command, He promised to send a Savior to redeem humankind from sin's consequences (see Ge 3:15,). In this way God would have a people for His own possession who would enjoy Him, glorify him, and live in righteousness and holiness before Him  (Isa 60:21; 61:l-3; Eph  1:11-12;  lPe 2:9).  

   (c) The culmination of God's purpose  in creation  is recorded in the book of Revelation, where John describes the end of history with these words: "He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God" Rev 21:3.