23. Creation: The Heavens Are Telling the Glory of God!

Episode Summary

The Bible clearly declares that God is separate from creation, exists independently of it, and created it as a separate thing by his own will. God did not need to create the universe, it was a totally free Act of God, and he created for his own Glory as a demonstration and outworking of how magnificent he is.

The material world is still good and meant to be enjoyed with thanksgiving to God, despite the danger of misusing God's creation. Even after sin entered the world, everything created by God is still good, and nothing is to be rejected (e.g., 1 Timothy 4:4-5).

The Bible warns against idolizing God's creation, such as money, and instead encourages being rich in good works and generous.

Some possible ways to reconcile science and scripture include the idea that God created a "Grown-up" universe, the Gap Theory, and the day-age theory, which suggests that the word "Day" in Genesis 1 may not refer to a 24-hour period.

The main thing that Genesis chapter 1 is trying to do is not to provide a detailed chronological scientific account of everything that happened in the history of the universe, but to convey God's lordship over all creation.