WHY CREATION IS IMPORTANT
CREATION REVEALS WHAT GOD IS LIKE AND HOW HE ACTS
Romans 1:20
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse”
The debates will continue. Biblical creationist will argue the validity of their perspective while evolutionist, theistic evolutionist, progressive creationist, etc., will do the same. Certainly, there is no problem with having an honest debate on the subject. However, while the debates go on, regardless of one’s theological beliefs, the questions that need addressed are these: Why is there so much emphasis placed on creation in the Bible? Why were the prophets and apostles so emphatic about declaring God as the Creator of all things? Why is creation important?
Creation and God as the Creator of all things is a common thread that weaves its way throughout the Bible, beginning with the first verse. Creation was a priority message as the Holy Spirit moved within the hearts of those who wrote the Bible (2 Peter 1:20-21). For example, before Moses presented some of the great theological foundations to our faith (sin and the fall of man, judgment and redemption, Satan and angels, etc.), he was moved by the Spirit of God to present God as the Creator of all things. He declared, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Then, he gave the order of creation and details about creation in Genesis Chapter One. God then validated what Moses said when He engraved the Ten Commandments in the stone tablets with His finger. God used the six days of creation to establish the basis for the Sabbath as a day of rest (Exodus 20:9-11). God said, “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:11). Besides Moses: Amos, Asaph, David, Ethan, Ezekiel, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Job, the Levites, Malachi, Nehemiah, the Psalmist, Solomon, Zechariah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and the writer of Hebrews all declared God as the Creator of all things. God as the Creator became the hallmark for their teaching. We cannot read the Bible without understanding that God is the Creator of all things.
As we read the Bible we discover that creation reveals God’s existence. Creation reveals what God is like and how He acts. Creation reveals God’s absolute authority over all things and ownership of all things. Creation gives Jesus (who is the Creator of all things, thus the owner of all things and Lord over all things) the authority to forgive sin. For many, like the psalmist, creation and God as the Creator was part of their worship and praise of God. To have a proper understanding of the Bible and of God we must understand the importance God has placed on creation and the reason He has done so. The following examines these points more thoroughly.
CREATION REVEALS GOD’S EXISTENCE
When the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome, to prepare the way for his visit, he wrote a doctrinal thesis – The Book of Romans. He presented doctrines such as the origin of sin, the universality of sin, justification, propitiation, faith in Christ, salvation through Christ, union with Christ, spiritual gifts, respect for government, etc. However, before writing about those doctrines he began with creation. In Romans 1:20 he said, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Why did Paul begin with creation? The answers is simple: Creation reveals God’s existence. Creation provides the evidence for God’s existence to those who have questions about God’s existence and are searching for answers. Paul understood that if people did not believe that there was only One true and living God who created all things, then the Christian faith and the great doctrines of our faith would be meaningless. Therefore, one of the first messages that Paul gave made it very clear that the evidence for God’s existence can be seen in creation. As a result, people are “without excuse.” In the Greek language, the phrase “without excuse” is the word “anapologētos” which literally means “without apologetic” or “without defense.” The evidence for God’s existence is all around us in creation. Therefore, the one who claims there is no God or Creator cannot defend that position. The evidence is to overwhelming.
For example, before Paul went to Rome, he went to the Greek City of Lystra. As he preached the gospel, in Acts 14:15, he encouraged the people of Lystra to turn to the “living God” who was the Creator, “who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them.” Then, in verse 17, Paul indicated that creation, the “rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,” gave evidence for God’s existence. God “did not leave Himself without witness.” The evidence for God’s existence was clearly seen. The apostle understood this and so should we. It cannot be denied. Take a moment. Stop and observe. Think about it. The complexity of things like the hydrologic system and cycle that produces rain, as well as the abundance and vast variety of fruits and vegetables are not here by accident or some random process. They are part of God’s provision and creation. They are given by God for our survival and nourishment. They are, as Paul pointed out, a testimony to God’s existence.
CREATION REVEALS WHAT GOD IS LIKE AND HOW HE ACTS
As Paul mentioned, in Romans 1:20, creation reveals God’s “invisible attributes, His eternal power and His divine nature.” In short, God’s attributes tells us what God is like, while His divine nature tells us how He will act. Let me illustrate. When we buy a new car, the salesperson will tell us about the car’s attributes, what it is like, such as the air bags, antilock brakes, safety rating, etc. Therefore, the nature of this new car, how it will act, is that it will be safe. What the car is like and how it acts (its performance) are intertwined. The same is true with God. God’s attributes (what He is Like) and His divine nature (how He will act) are intertwined. They cannot be separated. You cannot have one without the other. They work in harmony with each other.
For example: One of God’s attributes, what He is like, is that He is truth. We are told in Psalm 31:5, that the “LORD” (Yahweh) is the “God of truth.” In John 14:6, Jesus, the second person of the Godhead, is referred to as “the truth.” In John 14:17, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, is referred to as “the Spirit of truth.” Therefore, God’s divine nature, how He will act, is that He will always be truthful. He will always speak truth. In John 17:17, we are told, as Jesus prayed to the Father, “Your word is truth.” What God says is always true. He cannot lie. Therefore, what God says about creation in the Bible is truth. To accept anything less would be a rejection of God and His Word.
Of course, there are many other attributes that show us what God is like, such as His love. We are told in 1 John 4:8, “...for God is love.” John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” In Romans 5:8 we are told, “But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s divine nature (how He acts) will always be in harmony with His attributes (what He is like). He is love, therefore what He does will always be a result of His love.
In Psalm 19:1, David said, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” In this case, the “glory of God” refers to God’s eternal, intrinsic attributes, what He is like. The heavens show us what God is like, His power, His wisdom, His infinite knowledge, His greatness, etc. As Asaph said, in Psalm 50:6, “And the heavens declare His righteousness.” The Psalmist wrote, in Psalm 97:6, “The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the people have seen His glory.” As the apostle Paul said, when it comes to the evidence for God’s existence and God as the Creator of all things, people “are without excuse.” The evidence is “clearly seen” and everyone has seen it.
CREATION REVEALS GOD’S ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER ALL THINGS AND OWNERSHIP OF ALL THINGS
In 1 Chronicles 29:11-13, king David said, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name” Nothing falls outside of God’s authority, control and ownership. Not people. Not money. Not governments. Not leaders. Not wars. Not weather. Not economies. Not the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. God is the Creator of all things, therefore He is the owner of all things and has absolute authority over all things.
In Haggai 2:8 we read, “‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts.” In Psalm 50:10-12 God said, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.” Since God owns all things, He has absolute authority over all things. Therefore, He has the authority to establish principles by which we are to live and the boundaries in which we are to live. He has the authority to establish the doctrines of faith. He has authority to establish the means by which we are redeemed or judged. He has authority over nations, their rulers and boundaries. He has authority over all of His creation included you and me to do as He pleases.
This is very significant when we come to the New Testament. Because, in the New Testament Jesus, as God manifested in the flesh (Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 2:9) and as Creator of all things (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2) has authority over all things. In Matthew 28:18 we read, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on the earth.’”
In Colossians 1:16-17, as Paul presented the preeminence of Christ he began by introducing Jesus as Creator. He said, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Then, in Colossians 2:10 we are told, “...and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority...” Paul not only presented Jesus as Creator, but also His preeminent position of power and authority over all creation. This includes His authority to forgive sin.
THE CEATOR HAS AUTHORITY TO FOGIVE SIN
Creation gives God and the Son of God the authority to forgive sin. In the Gospel of John before Jesus was introduced as the Savior of the world (John 1:29 and John 3:16) the apostle John introduced Him as God the Creator. John 1:1-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” Then in John 1:14 we read, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” As we have already seen, when Paul preached the gospel to the people of Lystra for the first time, in Acts 14:15, he encouraged them to turn to the “living God” who was the Creator, “Who made the heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them.” When Paul preached the gospel to the men at Athens, Greece, for the first time in Acts 17:22-23, he began by introducing God as Creator, “...the God who made the world and all things in it.” God as Creator became the foundation upon which Paul presented the gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly to the Gentiles. In Revelation 14:6-7, we see God’s last call of grace to the world before the return of Christ in judgement. We see the eternal gospel preached on earth by an angel. “And I saw another angel flying in midheaven having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgement has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.’” The supernatural creation of all things by Jesus Christ is foundational to the gospel message. It gives Him the authority as the Owner and Lord over all things to forgive sin.
It is important to understand that man does not have the authority to forgive sin. As Mark 2:7 states: “...who can forgive sin but God alone?” This being the case, then it is important to establish that the Redeemer is God Almighty. What better way to accomplish this than to introduce the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, as God the Creator of all things.
Since Scripture declares that God the Creator is our Redeemer, Isaiah 44:24, it is not surprising that Satan would be very active in attacking creation and the authority of God’s Word. Creation verses evolution is not just a spiritual battle, it is a spiritual war. If people begin to doubt that Jesus is God the Creator and the accuracy of Genesis Chapter One, then they can easily conclude that Jesus is not God the Redeemer. This is exactly what is taking place in our society today. People’s reasoning is this: If creation is false and since Jesus is declared to be the Creator, then His claim to be the Redeemer must be false also.
God has established creation as an integral part of the gospel. If creation is disproved, then the logical conclusion is this: There is no God or Creator, the redemptive work of Christ upon the cross is in vain and the need for a Savior is foolishness and should be abolished. The authority of the entire Word of God would be in question and eventually rejected. God has placed a great deal of importance on creation, as should we.
CREATION IS ONE OF THE BASIS FOR WORSHIP
When the evidence is properly observed, it becomes clear that Jesus Christ is God the Creator and Redeemer. Therefore, He deserves our worship and praise. When we see the throne of God for the first time, in Revelation Chapter Four, we not only see the twenty-four elders worshipping Him who sits on the throne, but also why they worship in verse 11. It says, “...for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.” As Nehemiah said, “You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their hosts, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You” (Nehemiah 9:6). The heavenly host bows down to worship their Creator. Should we do anything less?