The How and Why of Creation

Bible Basics for the Family The Doctrine of Creation

Next Week . . .

Handout . . .
“ Perspectives on Genesis One”

BIBLICAL BASIS For the Doctrine of Creation The “How” and “Why”

How Did God Create?
Ex Nihilo— “Out of nothing .” Two phrases speak of how God created:
By the word of the Lord (Psalm 33:6; Psalm 148:5)

Psalm 33:6
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

Psalm 148:5
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.

How Did God Create?
Ex Nihilo— “Out of nothing.” Two phrases speak of how God created:
“ By the word of the Lord” (Psalm 33:6; Psalm 148:5)
“ God said ” (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, etc., 2 Corinthians 4:6)

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9 …
“ Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”
“ Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters...’”
“ Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place . . .’”

2 Corinthians 4:6
“ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Why Did God Create?
Not because He needed to create:
Not because He was lonely
( Note : God desires our love; He does not depend on our Love)
Not because He was imperfect (God is perfect in His attributes)

So Why Did God Create?
Because He wanted to create (freely)
Two Purposes :
For God’s Glory
For Our Good

Why Did God Create?
To declare His glory (Psalm 19:1; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).

Psalm 19:1
“ The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork”

Colossians 1:16
“ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him .”

Revelation 4:11
“ You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Why Did God Create?
To declare His glory (Psalm 19:1; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
To provide our good (1 Tim. 6:17; James 1:17)

1 Timothy 6:17
“ Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.”

James 1:17
“ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

What Difference does it Make?
Every difference in the world!
It makes a difference with respect to our concept of God
It makes a difference with the way we view ourselves

If God is the Creator He must be:
Infinitely powerful
Immeasurably wise (to create this whole universe and all its parts, including its design, laws and structures)
A great artist (“Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree”);
Totally generous , since the all-sufficient, perfect Being couldn’t have created out of a need (e.g., boredom or loneliness).

If God is Creator then:
We owe our very existence to God which means we have no rights over against God.
We owe God everything . Nothing is our own—no part of our time, or our money, or even our thoughts.
Our existence is meaningful .

Psalm 139:13-18
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Psalm 139:13-18
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

The How and Why of Creation

by fbchenderson on Dec 12, 2006

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The How and Why of Creation — Presentation Transcript