Creation
The Big Idea
God alone is the Creator of all things. By His sovereign will, infinite wisdom and divine power, He created the heavens and the earth and all that exists, both visible and invisible, for His glory and according to His good purposes. We affirm that the creation account recorded in Scripture is true and trustworthy, revealing God as the intentional and personal Creator of the universe. Creation did not arise by chance, necessity, or any purely naturalistic process, but through the purposeful work of God, who continually
sustains all things by His power (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6-9; Acts 17:24-28;
Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 4:11).
WHAT?
• Supernatural Origin: God created the entire universe out of nothing by the power of His spoken word.
• Christ-centered Design: All things were created by Jesus Christ, through Him, and directly for His glory.
• Continuous Sustenance: Christ actively holds the entire universe together at this very moment.
SO WHAT?
• We build, but only God creates.
• If there is no personal God behind creation, then we are made up by irrational, impersonal forces that lack any transcendent meaning or higher, moral framework.
• If God did not create you, then you have no soul. Any sense of a personal identity is a farce. There is no “you” inside of you.
• If God did not create you, you have no free will.
NOW WHAT?
• See yourself as an ambassador of God on this planet.
ο Caring for the planet did not originate with modern- day liberals. God instituted loving concern for the land by writing special commands into the Old Testament Law. For example:
» Leviticus 25:1–7: Sabbath rest for the land
» Leviticus 25:23–24: The land belongs to God
» Deuteronomy 20:19–20: Do not destroy fruit trees
• See yourself as belonging to God.
• See everything in creation as God’s property. This includes:
ο Money/Sex/Power
ο Ask yourself this question: “What is God’s purpose for___________?”
• Spend time outdoors this week specifically praising God for His creative power