Biblical Doctrine of Creation-Genesis 1:1-2

          The Bible is a theological issue and not a scientific issue. Theology used to be called the queen of the sciences. The big problem with the theory of Darwin was that they tried to take theology and make it a scientific issue. Science is based on observation and replication. The Bible is a supernatural series of events and we only have 1 record of it. The Bible is not theory. It is God’s authority on life and origins. You either accept it, reject it, but you can’t change it. Gen. 1:1 is an announcement and without an explanation. Just because we may not understand it doesn’t negate it.

Question is, in order to begin, “Do you believe the Scriptures?” Not “Do you understand all the Scriptures?” Have you talked to someone who experienced a miracle or a healing? Having their answer doesn’t tell you how the miracle or healing came to be. The blind man (John 9:25) experienced a healing but did not know how to explain it. He said, “I once was blind but now I see.”

1.  What does the Genesis account tell us about the quality of creation?

     Six times God saw what he had made and said “it was good.” One time “very good” (summarized for emphasis) Genesis 1:3, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 and very good in v. 31.

a. It was exactly according to His plan. 

b. It tells us that God is not the author of evil. Creation and matter was not inherently evil. Sin enters the picture later and is a spiritual thing and resides in men and fallen angels (Job 4:18)

2.  What does the Bible say about creation apart from Genesis?

Job tells the story of his life in three parts: his blessings, his loss of his blessings and his greater blessings. In Job 38-40, after Job’s three friends gave him bad advice, God answers Job using a literary method of sarcasm. He shows Job how little humans know about creation. Note these verses 4-9. 165 passages in the NT refer to Genesis and every NT writer refers to Genesis. 

3.  What is God’s purpose in creation? 

If there is not God, then life really has no ultimate purpose.

1. God didn’t create the universe because He needed it. God is independent of needs.
2. God didn’t create the universe in order to promote the happiness of His creation. We are not the center. God is the center and glory belongs only to Him. Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
3. God did create the universe for His glory. Even when sin enters in Gen 3, God’s purpose doesn’t change. Even sin doesn’t stop His creation from giving glory to God. Worship-If He is the creator, then He is to be worshiped. Isa 46:9-10 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.”

Psalm 95:6   Idolaters kneel before gods which they themselves made; we kneel before a God who made us and all the world. Ps 95:6 “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;” Psalm 69:34, Isa 43:7. Psalm 148 speaks of praise to God from angels, sun, moon, shining stars, highest heaven and waters above the sky. Ps 148:5-6 “Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created. He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.” When the devil came to tempt Jesus, what he wanted was “worship” (Matt. 4:9, Luke 4:7).

      4.  Why did God do this?  He created to redeem. 2 Cor 4:6  draws an analogy with “light out of darkness” (Gen 1:1-2) as a picture of what God does for the sinner. 2 Cor 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Concluding thoughts

1. Biblical creation is a faith issue.

2. Biblical creation deals with the main things. 

3. Biblical creation reflects the glory of God.