Systematic Theology, part 17.

(Actually chapter 15 in the book) Today's topic: CREATION.

Some points are very clear in scripture and broadly agreed upon, other questions have many varying viewpoints among evangelical Christians.



This is the doctrine of creation: "(1)God created the entire universe out of nothing;(2) it was originally very good;(3) and he created it to glorify himself."

1. Several places in the Bible affirm that God is the one who created all things, and before that only he existed. By His will (Revelations 4:11) all things were created.
God not only made the earth, but he made the spiritual realms, i.e. heaven, angels, etc.

God created Adam and Eve specially, and as such, it would be hard for Christians to claim that they came about as part of a long evolutionary process.  Although humans are like animals in many ways, we are very different in the sense that we are created "in God's image."

God didnt just create the heavens and earth but also....Time:  God created time, whereas he lived in his own way (without time?) before.
 "The fact that God created time reminds us of his lordship over it and our obligation to use it for his glory." 


The trinity worked together in creation.  John 1:3 says that all things were made through Jesus.   The spirit of God is generally seen as completing, filling, and giving life to God's creation.

Creation is distinct from God yet always dependent on God.  He made everything and is above it all, yet creation is continually dependent on him for its existence and functioning.   God is IMMANENT (remains in creation.)
Job 12:10, In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Lots of other philosophies try to distort this beautiful relationship.
God is over creation, Christianity
The universe is all there is, Materialism (no God)
God is everything, Pantheism (for example Buddhism)
God and the universe eternally exist separately, side by side, Dualism. (for example, new age)
God is not directly involved in creation nowadays, Deism (sometimes nominal Christians).



2.  God created the universe to show his Glory.
What does creation show about God? It shows his great power and wisdom, far above anything that could be imagined by any creature.   But, God was NOT incomplete without the glory that he would recieve from the created universe.  The universe does not fulfill God.   God did however, create the universe to delight in it.
This explains why we take spontaneous delight in all sorts of creative activities ourselves. ....that is an amazing aspect of humanity, compared to other creatures, that we can create new things.

God delighted in his creation, and called it "good," as he created each day.  Even after sin entered the world, God's creation is still good and should be appreciated.



As scientists have made new discoveries, it has caused Christians to reevaluate what earlier generations thought the scripture had said.  So it is always important to look closely what Scripture actually says on a scientific issue, an not just what Christians through history have translated it to say.

We must remember, in the question of the age of the earth and such questions, that all pronouncements by scientists are at best educated speculation.

To come next time: principles by which the relationship between creation and the finding of modern science can be approached.

Systematic Theology, Part 16

Here is a continuation of Chapter 11,  The Character of God; his Incommunicable attributes.  (i.e. How is God different from us).

d.  The challenge from process theology. (At first reading, this sentence is all new to me!)

Well, it means, Does God process and change over time?  The Bible says no but new theological ideas say yes, anything living must process and change. Part of their motivation is that humans through history add to God's experiences, and thus we humans mean something to God and who he is.   This, according to Grudem, does not stand up to scripture. 

Wayne Grudem says, "Scripture is clear that our ultimate significance comes not from being able to change the being of God, but from the fact that God has created us for his glory and that HE counts us as significant." 

Hebrews 1 says, " You, Lord, did found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands, they will perish, but you remain; they will all grow old like a garment....they will be changed.  But you are the same, and your years will never end."  

e. God is both Infinite and personal.

God is not subject to us or creation, YET he interacts with us personally.  Wow, what a beautiful truth. 

Grudem points out that no other theological/religious system has a God image that is both personal and infinite, usually it is either/or. 

f. The importance of God's unchangeableness. If God could change, then he would either change for the better or the worse.  Either way, he would make us wonder whether there is something untrustable about him after/before changing.   He could ultimately change his plan for humanity, or if he could change, he could change into something totally evil.  And that is why we stand on the truth of the Bible that God doesnt change. 

3.  Eternity. God has not beginning, end, or "sucession of moments" in his own being, yet he sees events in time and acts in time.  Grudem says, " God knows all things, past, present, and future, and knows them all equally vividly." 

God is timeless in his own being.   God has a continually present existence, "I AM."  God sees events in time and acts in time. 

Will time stop in Heaven?  Although we will be in eternity, things will continue to progress...very interesting topic!

God is omnipresent.  God does not have any size or dimension, and is present everywhere, yet God acts differently in different places. 

God can be present to punish, to sustain, or to bless.  For example in the Old Testament, God made his presence known in the temple, and in the new covenant, there is no one place on earth that God has chosen as his particular dwelling place, for we can worship him anywhere.   The usual principle is that when God is "present" in scripture, it is to bless, and when he is "removed," it is because he removes his blessing. 

God's unity.  God is not divided into parts, yet we see different attributes of God emphasized at different times.   God is not a sum of a bunch of character traits, he is each of those things, unified and completely integrated whole person who is infinitely perfect in all of these attributes.  We must be careful to not overemphasize one characteristic, or set one aspect against another, as all are important. 

Systematic Theology, Part 15

Chapter 11,

The Character of God; his Incommunicable attributes.  (i.e. How is God different from us).


Lots of sermons, songs, etc, focus on one or another specific characteristic of God...yet knowing all his attributes in a good balance is vital for a healthy understanding of God.

Some attributes that only God has (called incommunable), are:
his eternity
unchangeableness
omnipresence..

Things that are communable (that we can have to a lesser degree):
love
knowledge
mercy
justice...etc.

What is God's name in Scripture?  "His "name" is equal to all that the Bible and creation tell us about God."

Several times in scripture, it is pointed out that we should honor God and his holy name, which is even one of the ten commandments in Exodus 20:7.

All sorts of descriptive names are used in Scripture about God, such as a torch, the sun, a lion, a hiding place, etc.

God does not have a body but is described metaphorically with eyes, ears, mouth, arms, foot, finger, etc.

"All creation in one sense or another, reveals something about God to us, and that the higher creation, especially man who is made in God's image, reveals him more fully."

Another reason Grudem points out the diversity of descriptions of God is that GOD made the universe so that it would show forth the excellence of his character.

Now, let's look at the incommunicable attributes of God closer:

1. Independance. God doesn't need us, yet we and creation can glorify him and bring him joy.
(Everything belongs to God, and God did not create us out of loneliness, because he had perfect love, fellowship, and communication in the trinity for all eternity.)
 
We and God are not just comparable like the ocean and a raindrop, the sun and a candle, but God's being is qualitatively different.   YET, God has created us and determined that we would be meaningful to him.  "That is the final definition of genuine significance."

2.  Unchangeableness.  Although God is unchangeable in his being, perfections, purposes, promises, yet he acts, feels emotions, and responds to different situations.


Psalm 102 speaks of how God laid the foundations of the earth, yet they will perish...but YOU are the same, and your years have no end.

Is God impassible? (That means he is passionless, emotionless)?  God does not have sinful passions or emotions, but he clearly rejoices, is grieved, burns with wrath, pities, loves, etc. ....

next time, more about God's incommunicable attributes!

Systematic Theology part 14.

Chapter 10, the Knowability of God.

It is necessary for God to reveal himself to us, so that we can know God.  Thus we need scripture if we are going to interpret natural revelation rightly.

"Hundreds of false religions in the world are evidence of the way sinful people, without guidance from Scripture, will always misunderstand and distort the revelation about God found in nature."



We can never FULLY understand God, he is infinite and we are finite.

Psalm 145: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is UNSEARCHABLE.

In terms of Gods knowledge, David says, "such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, i cannot attain it." Psalm 139

"We will never run out of things to learn about God, and we will thus never tire in delighting in the discovery of more and more of his excellence and of the greatness of his works."

"Thus, the prospect of a lifelong habit of regular Bible study, and even the prospect of a lifelong study of theology, should be a very exciting prospect to us."


Even though we cannot know God fully, we can know and stand firm in the truths of scripture concerning God. He is love, light, spirit, just, righteous, etc.

Jeremiah 9, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the Lord."