I. Creation as such.
A. It is creation by the Triune God: The Father by the Word through the Spirit.
B. The purpose of Creation:
1. “As it seemed good unto Him.”
a. Creation is according to God’s good pleasure–He is free to create or not to create as He wills.
b. Creation is a revelation of the perfections of God.
c. We behold the glory of His Name in Christ Who is the center of all creation. (Cf. Prov. 16:4; Ps. 19:1; Is. 43:7; Col. 1:19, 20)
2. God gives to every creature its “shape, form, and several offices…”
a. Creation shows that all things are fashioned by the hand of God.
b. Particularly the moral, rational creation has “offices” in which to serve God.
3. This creation is continually preserved by the Severeign God (cf. next article).
II. The creation-day:
A. Negatively:
1. Theories which conflict with the Scriptural account:
a. Evolution which teaches the development from the lower to the higher form as a
thing of chance or accident.b. “Theistic” evolution: same as evolution with the suggestion that God directs the way in which all things evolve.
c. Period-theory: the days of Gen. 1 are long periods of time.
2. The above theories are based upon a “Uniformitarian Principle.”
a. Man supposes that all things in the past can be explained in light of what is to be observed today.
b. Thus one is pointed to the decay of radioactive materials; the fossils; the light of stars; etc.
B. Positively:
1. According to Scripture:
a. “Day” in Scripture almost always means a standard day–and always does when preceded by a number.
b. “Evening and morning” always means the beginning and end of a normal day.
c. II Pet. 3:8 emphasizes God’s eternity and can not be used to determine the length of creation days.
d. The week was also a part of the creation–emphasizing idea of labor with rest.
2. Scripture also shows that all things did not always exist as they do now:
a. The creation itself was a calling of those things which were not as though they were (Ps. 33:9)
b. The curse after the fall resulted in great changes–including physical death.
c. The flood must have greatly affected the earth.
d. Scripture reveals that there will be an increase of natural disturbance and judgment as the end draws near (Cf. Rev.).
3. Scripture teaches that faith only can understand the creation of the worlds (Heb. 11:3).
III. The creation of the angels:
A. The good angels are created as “God’s messengers and to serve the elect.”
1. We do not know when the angels were created. On the basis of Job 38:4-7 some maintain this was on the first day of creation.
2. The angels are given various names, probably indicating their rank and place in the angelic world: cherubim, seraphim, thrones, dominions, powers, etc.
3. The angels serve the elect: Luke 9:26; Heb. 1:14; Ps. 103:21, etc.
B. The evil angels:
1. Satan was possibly created as head of the angel world; his sin was likely pride. (I Tim. 3:6).
2. These evil angels are “enemies of God” and seek the ruin of the church.
3. They are judged worthy of eternal perdition by their own wickedness.
C. The article rejects the errors of Sadducees and Manichees.
Worksheet
A. Supplementary reading:
1. Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 9, 10.
2. Westminster Catechism, questions 15, 16.
B. Proof-text (for creation): Hebrews 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
C. Questions for study and consideration:
1. Out of what were the heavens and earth made? (H.C.)
2. What is the advantage for the Christian to know that God created all things? (H.C.)
3. How does the Westminster Catechism explain the creation of the world? Of angels?
4. What definition could you give for “create’?
5. Did God create everything out of nothing?
6. What was created on each day? Is there an order in creation?
7. On what day was the sun created? How would this disprove the “period-theory”?
8. Can you find anything in Scripture indicating the cause of the angels’ fall?
9. How must one explain the “scientific facts” which appear to prove a very old earth?
10. Is the question of the length of time of creation a matter of indifference?