The Doctrine of Creation

God's Creation: Setting the Stage for Redemption

  • Creation is the beginning of God's interaction with humanity.
    • Creation.
    • The fall.
    • Redemption in Christ.
    • Consummation and the Kingdom of God.
  • Creation serves as the scene for redemption.
  • God's story begins and ends with "Shalom."
    • Wholeness, perfection, the way things should be.
  • Restoration: God putting right what has gone wrong.

Theological Reading of Creation Texts

  • Theological reading focuses on what the passage tells us about God, the world, and humanity.
  • Key passages:
    • Genesis 1:1-2:3: God creates in six days and rests on the seventh.
    • Genesis 2:4-25: Another account of creation.
    • Hebrews 11:3: By faith, we know that God created from nothing.

Genesis 1:1-2:3

  • Verse: “In the beginning”.
  • Genre: Poetry.
    • This does not negate its truth.
    • Evidenced by stanzas, e.g., "God said let there be…and there was evening and there was morning."
  • Theological questions:
    • What does the passage tell us about God?
      • God is eternal.
      • God is all-powerful.
      • God transcends everything.
      • Creation through speech demonstrates God's power.
      • God said, let us make man in our image.
    • What does the passage tell us about the world and humanity?
      • God created the world good.
      • Humans are created good and given the responsibility of caring for the world.

Genesis 2:4-25

  • Prose: A narrative form.
  • Differences from Genesis 1:
    • Different order of creation.
    • Animals are created after humans as opposed to before the male and female.
    • Account of God creating man from dust and woman from man's rib.
  • Theological consistency:
    • Reiterates God's power and majesty.
    • Emphasizes God's tender care for the world.
    • God creates a beautiful garden and places man in it.
    • Humans are created to be in relationship with God.

Hebrews 11:3

  • God created from nothing
    • Reiterates God’s power
    • Tells us that everything has it's origin in God

Why Did God Create?

  • Scripture doesn't explicitly answer this question.
  • Possible reasons:
    • For God's pleasure, enjoyment, and glory.
  • Reasons God did NOT create:
    • Not out of necessity.
      • God doesn't lack anything.
      • The world depends on God, but God doesn't depend on the world.
    • Not out of loneliness.
      • God is a perfect community of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
      • God is love and desires relationship, but isn't lonely.
    • Not unintentionally.
      • Creation is intentional, not an accident or overflow of divine power.

Significance of God Calling Creation Good

  • Implications for our understanding of creation:
    • We are not trying to escape the created world.
      • Humans are part of it.
      • God intended for us to be in the world and to care for it.
    • God's plan is not to destroy it.
      • God will recreate it, a new heaven and earth.
    • It is our responsibility to care for the world.
      • We are to steward and maintain its beauty, abundance, and flourishing.

Core Christian Beliefs About Creation

  • Seed level (essential beliefs):
    • God created.
    • The created world is good.
  • Flesh level (beliefs that matter to many):
    • How long creation took.
    • Whether "days" in Genesis 1 are 24-hour days or longer periods.
  • Skin level (matters of opinion):
    • Personal preferences or interpretations about the details of creation.
  • Christians can disagree on flesh and skin level beliefs without violating Christian fellowship.