Genesis in Christian Perspective

MEMORY VERSE: “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.” —Hebrews 11:3

GENESIS 1:1; JOHN 1:1-3 ROMANS; 1:18-21; COLOSSIANS 1:15-17

THROUGHOUT the centuries the wise and learned have endeavored to pry into the secrets of creation and discover how the great universe came into existence. They have not been able to understand how out of nothing there came countless billions of worlds; myriad forms of life—plant and animal—and why law and order is displayed in it all. Try as they may, human wisdom has not been able to offer an explanation so simple, yet so profound and full of meaning, as that contained in the first verse of the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

This is a simple statement of fact. Few will deny that the heavens and the earth did have a beginning, and in these few words we are informed that the Creator was responsible for it. God does not attempt to tell us how the universe was created, for he knew that it would be quite beyond our ability to comprehend how the creative forces he put into motion had brought into being the countless millions of worlds, and sent them spinning through space under orderly control.

A proper translation of John 1:1-3 adds important information to Genesis 1:1. We quote: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was a god. The same was in the beginning with the God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” It is the Greek word “Logos” that is here translated “Word.” A “logos” in ancient times was one who spoke, or acted for another, and here we are informed that the great Creator had a Logos in connection with the work of creation.

This Logos, or Word, is later identified as God’s only begotten Son, meaning that he was the only direct creation of God, that all the other works of creation were accomplished by this only begotten Son, as the Logos, and under the Father’s power and direction. This accounts for the expression, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Note here the use of the plural pronouns “us” and “our.” It is the Creator speaking to his only begotten Son—the Logos, the Word.

Colossians 1:15-17 again identifies God’s beloved Son as having participated in the work of creation. We quote: “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

ROMANS 1:18-21

God’s human creation soon became marred by sin, and now for more than six thousand years his disfavor has been revealed against all unrighteousness in the death penalty which has continued to destroy generation after generation of humans. There are evidences of death all around us, and these remind us of that clearly stated truth of the Bible that “the wages of sin is death.”—Rom. 6:23

Paul speaks of the fact that God is “clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” Man in his fallen and imperfect state is unable clearly to see evidences of God in the works of nature. His heart has become darkened by sin and selfishness. However, the perfect Adam could read these evidences, and was without excuse, especially in that he disobeyed a direct command by God. His foolish heart became darkened, and the whole world has been walking in darkness ever since.

Our memory verse states a beautiful truth concerning those who are able to exercise faith in the invisible things of God.

Even though the beloved Son of God holds such a high position in all of God’s arrangements, the Father is still supreme. The worlds were framed by his command, even though he used the Logos to carry out his design.

QUESTIONS

Who was God’s associate in the work of creation?

To what extent is fallen man able to see God in his creative works?

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