TEXT: Doctrinal, Multiple Texts
INTRO: “Is God the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the Universe and does He still rule it today?” In the entire survey, this is the only question that deals with the doctrine of God. We will use a short exegesis of part of the Creation account found in Gen. 1.
Doctrine of God Series available; 417-844-9970.
I.DID GOD CREATE THE UNIVERSE?
READ Gen. 1:1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”
A.) 1.) Lessons: a.) It means that God was self-existent. b.) It means God was transcendent (over and beyond all other things.) c.) It means God created “exnihlio” Latin for “out of nothing.”
2.) Scripture: a.) Neh. 9:6, “You alone are Yahweh. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them. “ b.) Ps. 90:2, “Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God.” c.) Is.1a,2a, “This is what the Lord says, “Heaven is My throne and earth is My footstool. . . . My hand made all these things, and so they came into being.” d.) Rom. 4:17, “[Abraham] believed in God, . . . . [Who] calls things into existence that do not exist.” d.) Eph. 3:9, “[Paul speaks of the mystery] “hidden for ages in God who created all things.” f.) Heb. 1:10, “In the beginning, Lord, You established the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands.”; g.) Heb. 11:3, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.”
B.“God”, 1.) LESSONS: a.) God is omnipotent/all-powerful. b.) God is omniscient/ all-knowing. c.) God is Relational and complex. “God”= ”Elohim,” (plural form of “El”. “a plural of majesty,” Vs.1:26, “Then God (again, Elohim) said (He said, 1st person, singular), ‘Let us make man in Our image according to Our likeness.” d.) Trinitarian God (1 Being, 3personalities).
- ) SCRIPTURE: a.) Ex. 20:11, “For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and everything in them in six days.” b.) Col. 1:15-17, “[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, For everything was created by Him in heaven and on earth, the visible and invisible . . . . all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and by Him all things hold together.” c.) Rev. 3:7, {Jesus said}, “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says. . . .”; d.) Rev. 10:6, “[The angel] swore an oath to the One who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, the sea and what is in it.”
II. HOW DID THE CREATION DEVELOP INITIALLY?
A. vs. 2, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”
1.LESSONS: a.) When God created from water. T God created material to be used to finish creation. b.) The Holy Spirit is also at work with God the FATHER AND THE SON. The Trinity is revealed. (See Jn. 14, 16; Acts 2ff)
b.) Gap Theory
III. WHAT WAS THE CREATION PATTERN?
READ VSS 3-4. Then God said “Let there be light” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day’ and he called the darkness ‘night.’ Evening came and then morning; the first day.”
- 1.) LESSONS: a.) God created by edict, He “spoke “ into being. That is, it was His Word that brought into being. Jn. 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.”
b.) The first step in creating life was “light” or energy. See Big Bang Theory.
c.) Light had specific purposes: separate darkness (the unfinished, chaotic, etc.) reveal truth and reality (that which is better, true, etc.). All this occurs on the 1st day.
“Yom”= Day or age? Creationists and other
d.) Creation definitely follows a pattern, 6 series of events, each of which allow the next to exist. Thus, God is a God of order.
e.) God purposely creates in order to sustain life. In vss. 26-27, He creates humanity in His own image, indicating a plan to relate to them corporately and independently.
2.) SCRIPTURE: a.) Matt. 18:15-17, Church order and discipline for restoring an errant believer. b.) Rom. 13, obedience to an orderly government. c.) 2 Cor. 14:33, (Paul speaks of order in worship)“since God is not of disorder but of peace.” d.) Eph. 5:22ff, call to an orderly marriage.
CONCLUSION
God exists, creates all things, He is all-powerful, all-knowing, orderly, and able to sustain creation and develop a personal relationship with people.