Creation
b. Then He decreed to permit the fall of man. c. Next He decreed to elect a certain number of the fallen and justly condemned race to eternal life, and to pass the others by, consigning them to everlasting destruction for their sin. d. Finally, He decreed to provide a way of salvation for the elect.
This is the order officially adopted by the Reformed Churches in the Canons of Dordt.
Questions for Review:
How is predestination related to the decree of God in general? Who are the objects of the decree of predestination? How should we conceive of the predestination of the angels? In what sense is Christ the object of predestination? Which are the parts of predestination?
In how many different senses does the Bible speak of election? What is election as distinguished from reprobation? What does the decree of reprobation include? What Scripture proof is there for the doctrine of reprobation? Does this doctrine involve injustice on the part of God? What is the difference between Infraand Supralapsarianism?
References for Further Study:
Berkhof, Reformed Dogmatics, I, pp. 93–111; Hodge, Outlines of Theology, pp. 214–236; Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, I, pp. 415–462;
Girardeau, The Will in its Theological Relations; Dijk, Om't Eeuwig Welbehagen, pp. 265–456.
CREATION
A. Creation in General. The discussion of the decrees naturally leads on to the consideration of their execution, which begins with the work of creation. Creation is the beginning and basis of all divine revelation, and also the foundation of all ethical and religious life.
The doctrine of creation can be learned from no other source than Scripture and can be accepted only by faith.
1. THE IDEA OF CREATION. The word "creation" is not always used in the same sense, and as a result the definitions of creation vary. It may be defined as that act of God by which He produces the world and all that is in it, partly without the use of pre-existent materials, and partly out of material that is by its very nature inadequate, for the manifestation of His glory. Though it is often ascribed to the Father, it is also clearly represented as a work of the triune God, Gen.
1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4; Ps. 33:6; 104:30; Isa. 40:12, 13; John 1:3; 1 Cor.
8:6; Col. 1:15–17. Moreover, it was a free act of God and not a necessary act. He is the self-sufficient One, and therefore did not need the world. His production of the universe was not dependent on an inherent necessity in the divine being, but only on a perfectly voluntary decision of His sovereign will. This must be maintained over against all sorts of pantheistic theories. The Bible clearly teaches that God created all things, according to the counsel of His will, Eph.
1:11; Rev. 4:11. By His creative work He gave the world a separate existence, distinct from His own being, so that the universe cannot be regarded as itself God or even a part of God. At the same time He constituted the world so that it is always dependent on Him and must be upheld from day to day by His almighty power. He is never distant from, but ever present in His entire creation, Ps. 139:7–10;
Jer. 23:24.
2. THE TIME OF CREATION. In speaking of the time of creation the Bible employs the ordinary language of daily life. It begins with the
very simple statement: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," Gen. 1:1. The "beginning" to which this statement refers is the beginning of all temporal things, and even of time itself.
It would not be correct to assume that time was already in existence when God created the world, and that He at some point in that existing time, called "the beginning," brought forth the universe. The world was created with time rather than in time. Back of the beginning mentioned in Gen 1:1 lies a beginningless eternity.
3. THE MANNER OF CREATION. In the strictest sense of the word "to create" means to bring forth something out of nothing or without the use of pre-existent materials. The expression "to create or bring forth out of nothing" is not found in Scripture, but only in one of the apocryphal books, namely, II Macc. 7:28. Some have interpreted it to mean that the world came into existence without a cause. But this interpretation is wide of the mark. The expression simply means that in the work of creation God did not make use of pre-existent materials. The world could not come into existence without a cause.
God Himself or, more specifically, the will of God, should be regarded as its cause. Scriptural warrant for the doctrine that God created the world without the use of pre-existent materials is found in such passages as Ps. 33:9; 148:5, and Heb. 11:3, which is the strongest Scriptural expression. The statement found in Rom. 4:17 does not speak of the work of creation, but may yet be brought to bear on the subject under consideration. It should be borne in mind, however, that the expression, "to create" does not always mean to bring forth something out of nothing. It may also mean to bring forth something out of some pre-existent material which is by its very nature unfit. God created the body of Adam out of the dust of the ground, and the body of Eve out of a rib of Adam.
4. THE FINAL END OF CREATION. The question of the final end of God in the work of creation has frequently been debated. There are especially two answers that have been given to this question: a. That the Happiness of Man is the Final End. Some of the early
Greek and Roman philosophers, the Humanists of the days of the Reformation, and the Rationalists of the eighteenth century, found the final end of creation in the happiness of man. The best form in which this theory is stated, is to the effect that God could not make
Himself the end of creation, because He is sufficient unto Himself and has absolutely no need of His creatures. And if He could not make Himself the end, then this can be found only in the creature, and ultimately in its supreme happiness. But it would seem to be perfectly self-evident that God does not exist for the sake of man, but man for the sake of God. The creature cannot be the final end of creation. Moreover, it can hardly be said that everything in creation ministers to human happiness. b. That the Declarative Glory of God is the Final End. According to Scripture the true end of creation is not found in anything outside of God, but only in God Himself, and more particularly in the manifestation of His inherent excellency. This does not mean that God created the world primarily to receive glory from His creatures in adoration and praise, but especially to manifest His glory. The glorious perfections of God are seen in the entire creation. But this final end includes other subordinate ends. The manifestation of the glory of God in nature is not intended as empty show, a mere exhibition to be admired by the creature, but also aims at promoting their welfare and perfect happiness. It seeks to attune their hearts to the praises of the Creator, and to elicit from their souls the expressions of their gratefulness, their love, and adoration. This doctrine is abundantly supported by Scripture, Isa. 43:7; 60:21; 61:3;
Ezek. 36:21, 22; 39:7; Luke 2:14; Rom. 9:17; 11:36; 1 Cor. 15:28; Eph.
1:5, 6, 12, 14; 3:9, 10; Col. 1:16.
5. SUGGESTED
SUBSTITUTES FOR THE DOCTRINE OF
CREATION. Those who reject the doctrine of creation naturally resort to some other theory as to the origin of the world. Three theories deserve brief mention here: a. The Dualistic Theory. This theory is to the effect that both God and matter are eternal. Original matter is frequently represented as the rude material out of which God formed the world. On this view God is not the Creator but merely the Framer of the universe. There are serious objections to this theory, however. It involves the impossible, namely, that two eternals, and therefore two infinites, exist alongside of each other. Moreover, matter shows clear traces of composition and arrangement, and therefore cannot be regarded as self-existent. b. The Emanation Theory. According to this theory God and the world are essentially one, and the world is a necessary emanation or outflowing out of the divine being. This idea is characteristic of all pantheistic theories. The objections to this view are very serious. It applies to God a principle of change, of growth, and of progress, which characterizes only the finite and imperfect. It robs God of the power of self-determination, and men of their freedom and of their moral and responsible character. And in addition to that, it makes
God responsible for all that transpires in the world, the evil as well as the good. c. The Theory of Evolution. The theory of evolution is sometimes spoken of as if it could be a substitute for the doctrine of creation.
But this is clearly a mistake. Evolution presupposes something that evolves, and this must be in the last resort either eternal or created, so that the evolutionist must choose between the theory that matter
is eternal and the doctrine of creation. Some seek to escape the difficulty by adopting what they call theistic or creative evolution.
But this is really a contradiction in terms. It is neither the Biblical doctrine of creation, nor a consistent theory of evolution.
B. The Spiritual World. God created not only a material but also a spiritual world, consisting of the angels, which calls for a brief consideration at this point.
1. THE EXISTENCE AND NATURE OF THE ANGELS. All religions recognize the existence of a spiritual world. Many prominent philosophers even admitted the possibility of the existence of a world of angels and sought to prove this by pure reason. This is quite impossible, however, and therefore modern liberal theology has largely discarded the belief in such spiritual beings. The Bible assumes the existence of angels throughout and ascribes to them real personality. They are represented as having intelligence, 2 Sam.
14:20; Matt. 24:36, and a moral character, Jude 6; Rev. 14:10.
Moreover, personal actions are ascribed to them: they love and rejoice, Luke 15:10, desire, 1 Pet. 1:12, contend, Jude 9; Rev. 12:7, worship, Heb. 1:6, talk, Zech. 1:9; Luke 1:13, come and go, Gen. 19:1;
Luke 9:26, and so on. Some have ascribed to them airy or ethereal bodies, but this is quite contrary to Scripture, which clearly represents them as pure spiritual beings, Matt. 8:16; 12:45; Luke
7:21; 8:2; 11:26; Acts 19:12; Eph. 6:12; Heb. 1:14. They do not marry, Matt. 22:30, are invisible, Col. 1:16, have no flesh and bone, Luke
24:39, and can be present in great numbers in a very limited space, Luke 8:30. Some of them are represented as good, holy, and elect, angels of light, 1 Tim. 5:21; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Rev. 14:10; 2 Cor.
11:14; and others as fallen from their original estate, and therefore evil, John 8:44; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6.
2. THE ANGELIC ORDERS. Besides the general name "angels," there are several specific names which point to different classes of angels: a. Cherubim. The Bible repeatedly speaks of cherubim. They guard the entrance of paradise, Gen. 3:24, are represented as looking down on the mercy-seat, Ex. 25:18, and constitute the chariot on which God descends to the earth, 2 Sam. 22:11; Ps. 18:10. God is said to dwell between the cherubim in tabernacle and temple, Ps. 80:1; 99:1;
Isa. 37:16. They reveal the power, majesty, and glory of God, and guard His holiness in the garden of Eden, in tabernacle and temple, and at the descent of God to the earth. b. Seraphim. A related class of angels are the seraphim, mentioned in Isa. 6:2, 3, 6. Like the cherubim, they are also represented symbolically in human form. In distinction from the latter, however, they stand as servants round about the throne of the heavenly King, sing His praises, and are ever ready to do His bidding. While the cherubims are the mighty ones, they may be called the nobles among the angels. While the former guard the holiness of God, they serve the purpose of reconciliation and thus prepare men for the proper approach to God. c. Gabriel and Michael. There are two angels which are mentioned by name in Scripture, namely, Gabriel and Michael. The former is mentioned in Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26. Some regard him as an uncreated being, and even suggest that he might be the third person in the Trinity; but the passages referred to show this to be an untenable position. Evidently it was his special task to convey divine revelations to men and to interpret them. Michael is mentioned in Dan. 10:13, 21; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7. Some regard his name as a designation of the second person in the Trinity, but this position is
also untenable. In view of Jude 9, where he is called the archangel, and of Rev. 12:7 it would seem that he occupies a unique place among the angels. We see in him the valiant warrior fighting the battles of Jehovah against the enemies of Israel and against the evil powers in the spirit-world. d. Principalities, powers, thrones, dominions. These names, found in Eph. 1:21; 3:10; Col. 1:16; 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22, also serve to designate angels. They do not point to different kinds of angels, but simply to the fact that there are differences of rank and dignity among the angels.
3. THE SERVICE OF THE ANGELS. The angels are represented in Scripture as praising God day and night, Job 38:7; Isa. 6; Ps. 103:20;
148:2; Rev. 5:11. Since the entrance of sin into the world, they are "sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation," Heb. 1:14. They rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, Luke
15:10, watch over believers, Ps. 34:7; 91:11, protect the little ones, Matt. 18:10, are present in the Church, 1 Cor. 11:10; 1 Tim. 5:21, learning from her the manifold riches of the grace of God, Eph. 3:10;
1 Pet. 1:12, and convey believers into the bosom of Abraham, Luke 16:22. They also frequently mediate the special revelations of God,
Dan. 9:21–23; Zech. 1:12–14; Acts 7:38, communicate blessings to His people, Ps. 91:11, 12; Isa. 63:9; Dan. 6:22; Acts 5:19, and execute judgments upon His enemies, Gen. 19:1, 13; 2 Kings 19:35; Matt.
13:41.
4. THE EVIL ANGELS. Besides the good there are also evil angels, who delight in opposing God and destroying His work. They were created good, but did not retain their original position, 2 Pet. 2:4;
Jude 6. The special sin of these angels is not revealed, but probably consisted in this that they exalted themselves over against God and
aspired to supreme authority. Satan, who was evidently one of the princes among the angels, became the recognized head of those that fell away, Matt. 25:41; 9:34; Eph. 2:2. He is represented as the originator of sin, Gen. 3:1; John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 John 3:8; Rev.
12:9; 20:2, 10. They also possess superhuman power, but employ this in cursing God, in battling against Him and His Anointed, and in destroying His work. They seek to blind and mislead even the elect, and encourage the sinner in his evil way.
C. The Material World. Besides the spiritual there is a material world, and this is contemplated here in relation to God, that is, as a work of God and as a revelation of His divine perfections.
1. THE NARRATIVE OF CREATION. The story of creation was revealed to Moses or to one of the earlier patriarchs. If it was preMosaic, it must have passed in tradition, oral or written, from one generation to another, and was finally penned by Moses under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. a. The Original Creation. Some regard Gen. 1:1 as the superscription or title of the whole narrative of creation. But in that case there would be no account whatever of the original creation, nor of the creation of heaven. For that reason it is better to regard Gen. 1:1 as the record of the original and immediate creation of the universe, called in Hebrew fashion "heaven and earth." In this expression the word "heaven" refers to that invisible order of things in which the glory of God reveals itself in the most perfect manner. The second verse describes the original condition of the earth (comp. Ps. 104:5,
6). b. The Completion of Creation in Six Days. Some assume that the days of which Genesis 1 speaks were long periods of time, corresponding with the periods of Geology. They find that Scripture
allows and even favors this interpretation, since (1) the word "day" sometimes denotes an indefinite period, Ps. 50:15; Eccl. 7:14; Zech.
4:10; (2) the sun was not created until the fourth day, so that the length of the previous days could not be determined by the earth's relation to the sun; and (3) the seventh day continues up to the present time, and is therefore already more than six thousand years long. However, the fact that the word "day" may denote a period of some length, does not prove that it is so used in Genesis 1. Neither does the absence of the sun prove that the days previous to its creation were long periods. And the seventh day of Gen. 2:2, 3, the day which God hallowed, does not continue up to the present, but terminated thousands of years ago. The literal interpretation of the word "day" is favored by the following considerations: (1) The Hebrew word yom (day) primarily denotes an ordinary day, and should be so understood unless the context demands another interpretation. (2) Genesis 1 would seem to shut us up to the literal interpretation by its repeated "and there was evening and there was morning." Each day had just one evening and one morning. If these days were the long periods of Geology, there must have been interminable nights of thousands of years. What would become of all vegetation during the long 'nights following the third day? (3) In Exodus 20:9–11 Israel is commanded to labour six days, because
Jehovah made heaven and earth in six days. This would seem to imply that the word "day" should be taken in the ordinary sense. (4)
The last three days were certainly ordinary days, for they were determined by the earth's relation to the sun. And if they were ordinary days, why not the others? c. The Work of the Separate Days. The work of God on the separate days was as follows:
1) On the first day light was created, and by the separation of light and darkness day and night were constituted. This does not conflict with the idea that the sun and the stars were created on the fourth day; for these are not themselves lights, but light-bearers. The account of each day's work closes with the words, "and there was evening and there was morning." The days are reckoned from morning to morning. After twelve hours there was evening, and after another twelve hours there was morning.
2) The work of the second day was also a work of separation: the firmament was established by dividing the waters above and the waters below, that is, the clouds and the seas. Notice that the Hebrew word for "firmament" does not denote a solid vault, as some claim, but is equivalent to our word "expanse."
3) The work of separation is continued on the third day in the separation of the sea and the dry land, cf. Ps. 104:8. In addition to that the vegetable kingdom of plants and trees was established. By the word of His power God caused the earth to bring forth flowerless plants, vegetables, and fruit-trees, each yielding fruit according to its kind. God evidently created the different species of plants, and each one of these could reproduce only its kind. The doctrine of evolution, of course, denies both of these assertions.
4) On the fourth day, sun, moon, and stars were created as lightbearers, to serve a variety of purposes: to divide day and night, to serve as signs of weather conditions and of important future events, to determine the succession of the seasons and of days and years, and to function as lights for the earth.
5) The fifth day brought the creation of birds and fishes, the inhabitants of the air and of the water. We should notice that these, too, were created after their kind, that is, the species were created.
6) Finally, the sixth day is marked by the climax of the work of creation. The higher classes of animals were created. They did not naturally develop out of the earth, but were clearly brought forth out of it by the creative fiat of God. The whole creative work was crowned by the creation of man, made in the image of God. His body was formed out of the dust of the earth, while his soul was an immediate creation of God.
7) God rested from His labours on the seventh day. This means first of all that He ceased from His creative work, but also that He took delight in what He had accomplished. His rest was like that of an artist who finds profound satisfaction in the contemplation of his production. He rejoiced in the works of His hands, and radiated good-will towards His creatures.
2. THE DOCTRINE OF CREATION AND THE THEORY OF
EVOLUTION. Some seem to think that the theory of evolution might take the place of the doctrine of creation in explaining the origin of the world. But this is clearly a mistake, for it offers no such explanation. Evolution is development, and all development presupposes the existence of something that develops. That which does not exist cannot develop into existence. For the explanation of the origin of the world, the evolutionist must either resort to the theory that matter is eternal, or to the doctrine of creation. We should distinguish between two forms of the doctrine of evolution: a. Naturalistic Evolution. Naturalistic evolution assumes that from the simplest forms of matter and life all existing species of plants and animals (including man), and also the various phenomena of life, such as sentiency, intelligence, morality, and religion, developed by a perfectly natural process, purely as the result of natural forces resident in nature. It should be borne in mind, however, that this is
as yet only an unproved assumption, and one that fails at several points. It cannot explain how the inorganic changed into the organic, nor how the brute changed into a rational, moral, and religious being. Some evolutionists themselves admit that it has failed to produce a single example of one species producing another distinct species. Moreover, it is absolutely in conflict with the narrative of creation as to the origin of species and of man, as to the original condition of man, and as to his fall in sin and consequent deterioration. b. Theistic Evolution. Due to the failure of naturalistic evolution to give an adequate explanation of things, some Christian scholars take refuge in what is called "theistic" or "creative evolution." This postulates God as the almighty Worker back of the whole process of development. It amounts to this that God created the world by a process of evolution, a process of natural development, in which God does not miraculously intervene, except when this is absolutely necessary, as in the origination of life and of man. The very fact that it has a certain religious appeal makes this theory a dangerous hybrid. As a matter of fact it is no more in harmony with Scripture than naturalistic evolution. It, too, teaches that it took God millions of years to create the world, that God did not create the various species of plants and animals, that man at least on his physical side descended from the brute, and that there was no fall in the Biblical sense of the word.
Questions for Review:
What is creation? Was creation a free or a necessary act of God? How is God related to the world? What is meant by "the beginning" in Gen. 1:1? Is the word "create" always used in the same sense in Scripture? How can we prove that God created the world without the use of pre-existent material? What two views are there as to the final