Foundations of Faith
CREATION (I)
After spending over a year considering issues of Christian living and spiritual growth, let us return to our study of the basic doctrines of Scripture. In a few months we will be taking up Biblical teaching concerning the end times. But before that let us go way back and consider what the Bible teaches about the beginning of time.
What majestic and powerful opening words are these for the book we call “The Bible”! But how can we know for sure that this description of God’s creation of “the heaven and the earth” wasn’t just the poetic expression of some ancient person’s imagination?
1. One answer to this question takes us back to the very first issues of GROWING (Feb93-May93) in which we considered many different evidences for the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. God does not give us permission to pick and choose the passages of Scripture that suit us (such as those about love and tolerance and how others should treat me), and reject others that speak of the infinite power of God and His authority over His created beings.
2. The Biblical account of creation is not confined to Genesis 1 and 2. There are at least 44 distinct references in 12 Old and 12 New Testament books to the creation of the world or universe by God:
Gen. 1,2; 5:1,2; 9:6; Exod. 20:11; 31:17; Deut. 4:32; 1 Chron. 16:26; Neh. 9:6; Job 33:4; 38; Psa. 8; 19:1-6; 33:6-9; 90:2; 96:5; 102:25; 104:2-5; 148:5; Prov. 8:27; Isa. 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:18; 51:13-16; Jer. 32:17; Amos 4:13; Matt. 19:4,5; Mark 13:19; Acts 17:28; Rom. 1:20; 11:36; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16,17; 1 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 1:2,3,10; 4:4; 11:3; 2 Pet. 3:5; Rev. 4:11; 10:6. (See also Assignment 10 for additional references.) (See Assignment 9)
3. There is evidence outside of the Bible that provides a measure of agreement with the teaching of Genesis 1. According to The New Encyclopedia Britannica (1987 edition), the writings of most ancient cultures of the world include accounts of the creation of the earth, and many of these refer to creation by a supreme being. Though the precise nature and characteristics of the creator deity differ from culture to culture, most speak of this deity as being all wise and all powerful, and having a definite plan of creation in mind (rather than creating on a trial-and-error basis).
4. A fourth, and probably most important, basis for accepting the truth of Genesis 1:1 is given to us in the New Testament:“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3). There is no way we can prove absolutely that the universe was created by a supreme being, so ultimately we must accept by faith that the testimony of the Scriptures is true. (It might be noted that neither can scientists prove that the universe was not created by God or that the universe evolved over long periods of time purely by chance; therefore the creed of most scientists is:“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by chance out of eternal matter.”)
1. Who brought everything into being? Why God did, of course! But the point of the question is to affirm the involvement of the entire Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-in creation. (See Assignment 10)
2. How did God do it? Did it require tremendous effort on His part? No, but “by the word of the LORD were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth…. He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa. 33:6-9). Notice how often in Genesis 1 we find the expression, “And God said, Let….” We find that same power residing in the Lord Jesus when He simply “speak[s] the word” to heal the centurion’s servant (Matt. 8:8, 13), “Lazarus, come forth [from the grave]” (John 11:43).
The fact that “God … rested on the seventh day” (Gen. 2:2) doesn’t mean that He was all tired out from His work of creation. Rather it signifies that the work of creation was complete.
3. When did God create “the heaven and the earth”? This very controversial question among Bible-believing Christians will be considered in a future issue of GROWING.
4. Why did God create the universe, the earth, and man? Some people have the idea that God created man because He was lonely. But given the eternal fellowship enjoyed mutually by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we can be sure that God was never lonely. Therefore, God did not need to create. This fact makes it all the more wonderful that God, in fact, did create man in His own image, and did make it possible for finite, sinful man to be brought into a close relationship with the infinite, personal, holy God by His grace. But more than this, we can be sure that God created all things for His own glory. “Bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; for I have created him for My glory” (Isa. 43:6, 7; also 60:21; 61:3). “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things:to whom be glory for ever” (Rom. 11:36).
5. What then? Once the work of creation was complete, did God retire and let the universe run by itself? Not at all:“For by Him [Christ] were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth … and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [or subsist, or hold together]” (Col. 1:16, 17). “God … has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son … by whom also He made the worlds … upholding all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:2, 3). God has not only put the universe together, He also actively keeps it from disintegrating into nothingness.
Running the Race
Assignment 9: In Job 38 the LORD asks Job a number of questions because Job has been questioning His goodness and justice. Find and write out three verses from this chapter that make a statement (rather than ask a question) about the LORD’s creative works.
Assignment 10: Write out a verse in Malachi 2 and one in 1 Corinthians 8 that speak of God the Father as Creator; a verse in John 1 that speaks of God the Son as Creator; and a verse in Genesis 1 and one in Job 26 that speak of God the Holy Spirit as Creator.