· Theology Proper ·

Lecture Thirty:  The Doctrine of Creation I

God the Creator

TH330 Systematic Theology I · Moody Bible Institute · Dr. Richard M. Weber

I. Introduction:  The Doctrine of Creation

“God created the entire universe out of nothing; it was originally very good; and he created it to glorify himself.”  (Wayne Grudem, Systeamtic Theology, 262)

II. Creation and the Trinity

A. The Work of the Father in Creation

The Father was the primary agent in creation.

B. The Work of the Son in Creation

All creation takes place through the Son.

John 1:3.  “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”  (Cf. 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2)

C. The Work of the Spirit in Creation

Grudem suggests that the Spirit was the life giving agent, the “filling” agent in creation.

Gen 1:2.  “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Ps 104:30.  “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.”

Job 33:4.  “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath (ruach) of the Almighty gives me life.”

The word used in creation also means “breath or wind”.

III. Creation Ex Nihilo

“Out of Nothing”

Ps 33:6, 9.  “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  … For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”

John 1:3.  “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

Gen 1:1.  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

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.”

Col 1:16.  “For by him all things were created:  things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”

Heb 11:3.  “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”  (Cf. Acts 4:24; 14:15; 17:24).

IV. The Purpose of Creation

A. Why Did God Create the Universe?

Isa 43:7.  “Everyone who is called by my name [has been] created for my glory…”

Ps 19:1-2.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.”

Rev 4:11.  “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things…”

B. How Does the Universe Accomplish God’s Purpose?

Jer 10:12, 16.  “But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.  … He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance – the Lord Almighty is his name.”

“One glance at the sun or the stars convinces us of God’s infinite power.  And even a brief inspection of any leaf on a tree, or the wonder of the human hand, or of any one living cell, convinces us of God’s great wisdom.”  (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 271)

John 17:5.  “[Jesus prays,] ‘Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.’”

Rev 4:11.  “…[Y]ou created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

1 Tim 4:1-5.  “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.  They forgive people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth.  For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”  (Cf. 6:17)

V. God’s Relationship to Creation

A. The Transcendence of God

B. The Immanence of God

Acts 17:25, 28.  “[God] is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  … For in him we live and move and have our being…”  (Cf. Eph 4:6; Job 12:10)

Col 1:17.  “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”  (Cf. Heb 1:3)

C. Other Views of God’s Relationship to Creation

1. Materialism

“God is the universe.” Carl Sagan, the universe is all that is, all that was and will be…

there is no metaphysical realm.

2. Pantheism

Everything in the universe is God.

They believe He is all that is.

“everything, the whole universe, is God, or is part of God.”

3. Dualism

God doing His thing…

Universe doing its thing…

They have both existed forever.

4. Deism

God is not involved in creation. He created, then stepped back.

Most of the founding fathers of the USA were deists…