For the Glory of His name

Chapter 4, section 1

It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Heb. 1:2; John 1:2–3; Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4), for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness (Rom. 1:20; Jer. 10:12; Ps. 104:24; 33:5–6), in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good (Gen. 1; Heb. 11:3; Col. 1:16; Acts 17:24).

Scripture Verses

Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,

Isaiah 45:12 I made the earth
and created man on it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.

Exposition

We learn from this section that the world had a beginning. This might be considered one of the most obvious truths that can be stated, but is one that has always required confirmation by divine revelation, due to man’s impudent mythologies.

This section also teaches us that Creation is the work of the Triune God. Often God claims this work as one of the peculiar glories of his Deity.

The work of creation is common to all three persons of the Trinity; it is ascribed to the father (1Cor. 8:6); to the Son (John 1:3); to the Holy Ghost (Gen. 1:2, Job 26:13). All three persons are one God. We must not, therefore, suppose that in creation the father is the principle agent, and the Son and Holy Ghost are inferior agents, or mere instruments.

We further learn that all things were created very good. Everything was good; for it was agreeable to the model which the great Architect had formed in His infinite mind from everlasting: it answered exactly the end of its creation and was adapted to the purpose for which it was designed.

Modern scientific dogma teaches that the universe is self-existent or eternal, that it was not created out of nothing, that the present form of the world is the result of a process of selection controlled, not by God, but by the “principle” of the “survival of the fittest” and that there is no “ultimate” reason for anything.

Evolution, we must always remember, is only a theory and a dogma. Although it has been believed and accepted for over a century, there is still not one single iota of “proof” that it is true.

There is only one truth because there is only one reality. Therefore, if the scriptures are true, they merely tell us what really is, was or will yet be. When by investigation men also discover what really is in the world of nature, they simply grasp another aspect of the same total truth; there cannot be any conflict between them.

By this I mean that the Bible must not be reconciled to our discoveries and scientific theories. But means, methods and outcomes of our experiments and discoveries as rational beings must conform to the sure knowledge and measure of all knowledge; the Bible.

“Science” has noted that various orders of life “formed” through process. But when it theorizes from this that life started by itself, and directed itself from stage to stage, it is not reasonable, scientific or true.

All of God’s works proclaim His almighty power, His unbounded goodness, and His unsearchable wisdom. His glory shines in every part of the material universe and man was made to contemplate it with an eye of intelligence, and must celebrate the praises of the omnipotent Creator who made it and made it “very good.”

Chapter 4, section 2

After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female (Gen 1:27), with reasonable and immortal souls (Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7; Lk. 23:43; Matt. 10:28), endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image (Gen. 1:26; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24); having the law of God written in their hearts (Rom. 2:14–15), and power to fulfill it (Eccl. 7:29): and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change (Gen. 3:6; Eccl. 7:29). Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:8–11, 23); which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures (Gen. 1:26, 28).

Exposition

Man was created by an immediate divine act in which matter and spirit were fused together and given existence as a living soul.

Since that time man has remained essentially the same, except for sin. This is important to point out, because man was created with essential intelligence; meaning that the image of man dragging his knuckles and living in caves is a myth. The Genesis account includes men building cities and advanced society with in a generation of their creation.

This does not deny development, but is a sharp contrast to evolutionary dogma; that man in the very beginning, lived on a mere animalistic level. God created man in His own image.

The bible does not define the image of God as “reason.” Angels are reasonable creatures, and do not bear the image of God. Handicapped humans might not be able to reason well, and yet they do bear the image of God.

What is the image? We have a true sense of right and wrong built into us, God having written His law on the heart – it is knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.

Man had knowledge in his understanding, righteousness in his will and holiness in his affections. His understanding was illuminated with all necessary knowledge. He knows God and His will; He knows himself, his relation to God, his duty to Him, and his dependence upon Him.

In the Godhead it is characteristically the Father to whom knowledge and purpose is attributed, the Son who dedicates all to the worship and delight of the Father and the Holy Spirit who carries into execution the determinations of the Divine being. In the complexity of human personality there is a reflection of this.

The image of God in man likewise consisted in the dominion assigned to him over the creatures, in respect of which he was the representative and vice-regent of God upon earth. God is the blessed and only potentate, and He gave to Man a delegated sovereignty over the inferior creatures.

When we were created, we had the true possibility of obedience, meaning that nothing in our nature hindered us in obeying. At the same time, being in a state of probationary innocence, we had the possibility of disobeying.

In addition to an innate sense of right and wrong, God had also commanded us to refrain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Until we disobeyed Him in this, we were content in fellowship with God, and we had dominion over the beasts of the earth.

Because of sin, this image has been marred, and so we have to grow back into that image as we grow up into Jesus Christ.

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