Creativity
Notes
Transcript
Image of God: Creativity
Image of God: Creativity
“Image of God” carries with it idea of being a representative or steward of.
Also implies ways that we are similar to God: we reflect God’s attributes which aid us in our work as God’s stewards.
God has tons of different words we can use to describe him but they all fit into two categories: incommunicable attributes and communicable attributes. incommunicable attributes are things that can describe God and God alone; they are what make God, god and us not. These include self-existence of God, immutability of God (never changes), infinity of God (forever, always perfect, not subject to limitations).
Communicable attributes are things we share in; they are found in some resemblance in man and found perfect in God. They include wisdom, goodness, love, grace, mercy, holiness, justice. longsuffering, etc.
One of the communicable attributes is “create”
God is known as a creative being right; he made everything.
God is a creator, the latin word creare—creare ex nihilo “something out of nothing”
Humans can create things but we can only use things already created: trying drawing a picture using no paper, no canvas, no wall and use no marker, pencil, crayon, pen, etc. You have to use something to create something
Inside of man is the desire and the ability to make things; we are called to make things
What is creativity? <draw on board>
drawing, painting, photography, building things, music, writing, speaking, etc.
I would define it as the desire and ability to make things
Who has ever been around a little kid; especially as they get into 2, 3, 4, 5 years old? What are their favorite toys to get or play with? Legos, blocks, Lincoln logs, etc. They want something that they can put together—they want to create something. It may be the most crooked, deformed looking toward or block but they love it because they made it.
All the way back in Genesis 1 we see God give Adam two tasks: work and keep the Garden (implying not only food production but developing beauty as well.
And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Adam as also told to name the animals, a creative act because in Hebrew a beings name was thought to reflect its nature and so Adam would study and animal and be creative in naming it.
We see beauty and creativity in scripture time and time again. In Exodus we hear of the Tabernacle and it furnishings and the priests garments as be elaborate and ornate. In Isaiah and Revelation we hear of the beauty of the throne room of Heaven. In Revelation 21 we hear of the beauty of the new Jerusalem
“See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
We are all able to make artistic deigns in some capacity and to therefore able to reflect God’s own nature. We are using materials God has given us and using the skills he gave us to create something.
We create with more than just our hands, correct? What is another way we create?
Language—what role does language play in scripture?
From Genesis 1— God spoke; through Revelation what John is in the throne room and they declare, they speak, a Lamb who is worthy of breaking the scroll; we create with words. The very nature and being of God is revealed to us through words—through His Word.
We also have creativity in music. Music is all throughout scripture as a way to declare the greatness and glory of God. They celebrated with song, they weeped with song, they sang in prison and together as a church. Psalms is the longest book and includes praise, lament, please for help, introspection, prayers of repentance, etc.
Creativity includes all aspects of our life; in our home, work, school, etc.
The reason is simple: part of our nature as image bearers of God the Creator is to be sub-creators, and to carry out our original mandate which God gave us in the Garden, to create culture as a function of our stewardship of the world. Creating is an act of worship and it is a testimony of the goodness and grace of God. It also is a means of common grace—God did not create us as robots and even unbelievers can create things that are profitable and worth while.