Creation Theology

Introduction: Need for Creation Theology

NOTE: Footnotes can be read by clicking on the number in the body of the text.

As I continue to study at this ‘seasoned’ point in my life, I am more convinced than ever that good biblical exegesis, regardless of the specific text, is best done when viewed as part of the whole biblical narrative—beginning with creation. When viewed this way, the character of God and his original intent for us is the driving force that shapes our study.

The opening chapters of Genesis establish that, by nature, God is relational and he is also love. As the crowning act of creation, man was formed in his image, and with that the stage was set for the ultimate relationship—God and man. He gave man a responsibility, a helper to complete him, and an earth to subdue and sustain him. With the disobedience of Adam and Eve, God’s original plan for mankind and their relationship veered off course. ¹ Gen 3:16-19 describes the post fall world—a world never desired by God. With few exceptions (i.e. Enoch, Gen 5:22), God’s apex of creation continued to drift away from its creator. Man took multiple wives (Gen 4:19), offered improper sacrifices (Gen 4:2-5; Heb 11:4) and committed murder (Gen 4:8). Gen 6: 5-6 records the extent of man’s wickedness:

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thought of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made humans beings on the earth and his heart was deeply troubled.

Jesus and Creation Theology

After the flood and through Abram God began to unveil a new plan to redeem and bless fallen man (Gen 12:1-3). For the next 2000 years God’s redemptive plan unfolded until the “time” was right (Gal 4:4) to send his son as the redeemer and savior of his lost creation. Succinctly stated, the Bible is actually a love story of God for mankind. This is reiterated by the life and words of Jesus, and nearing the end of his ministry he prayed,

Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began (John 17:5) ²

God’s love for his creation is further illustrated when Jesus, referencing the future judgement, declared some were going to an inheritance that had been prepared “since the creation of the world” (Matt 25:31-34). ³

Marriage/Divorce and Creation Theology

With the creation of Adam and Eve, God also created the first family—a man and a woman for life. The importance of a return to the creation ideal is best seen in Jesus’ teaching about marriage. Because of sinful man God made divorce concessions, but that was never his ideal. When asked about these concessions (Deut 24:1-4), Jesus responded with the original intent of the Creator in the Garden of Eden (Matt 19:4-6). He followed his quoted response with the interpretation, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” Jesus concluded with the application of the interpreted text: “Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ⁴

Paul and Creation Theology

Nowhere is the importance of creation better seen than in the writings of the most influential follower of Jesus in the first century—the apostle Paul. The creation theme permeates his directives to churches and individuals alike seeking to follow Jesus.

Paul used creation as a basis for Christian character:

Creation took place in Christ (Eph 2:10) and resulted in one being a “new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Paul taught baptized believers began a new life (Rom 6:4). God did not redo one’s old nature but created something brand new and fresh (καινότητι). As God had created the world out of nothing (ex nihilo), he did the same for mankind.
The “new self” was “to be created to be like God” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10).
Being “holy and blameless” was connected to “creation of the world” (Eph 1:4).

Paul used creation as the basis for conduct: ⁵

When Paul dealt with the false teaching on celibacy, he declared God created foods “to be received with thanksgiving” (1 Tim 4:3) because everything God created was good (1 Tim 4:4).
As Paul dealt with the false teachings of Galatia concerning their demand that Gentile believers be circumcised, he said “what counts is the new creation” (Gal 6:15).
When Paul wanted to stress the importance of inheritance for everyone in Gal 3:28, he used creation. Paul declared inheritance was possible for all people (Jew/Gentile), all social levels (slave/free), and is not limited to sex (male/female). Note: Instead of using the words for man and woman, Paul chose to use creation terminology, male and female (ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ). These are the terms that appear in the ancient Greek translation (LXX) of Gen 1:27 (arsen kai thēlu). There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female(ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ) (Gal 3:28 NIV 2011).
When Paul wanted to condemn the Gentile way of life, creation was his basis. ⁶ Paul said the “wrath of God” was being revealed and added “since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities” were clearly seen so people were “without excuse” (Rom 1:18-20). Paul’s reference to “birds and animals and reptiles” in Rom 1:23 is matched in Gen. 1:30. The Gentiles were accused of serving created things rather than the Creator (Rom 1:25). As he did in Gal 3:28, Paul used the words for male and female ⁷ in Rom 1:27 rather than the words for men and women. ⁸
When Paul wanted his readers to appreciate what God had provided for them, he used the creation of the world as his marker (Eph 1:4) and urged his readers to show their appreciation by living a life of the “chosen.” ⁹
When Paul addressed a “very religious” audience, he based his preaching on the God “who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:22-23). It was this God who “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts `17:30).
As Paul dealt with the relationship of men and women in the assembly, he used creational language to solve the issue. Paul summarized the creation of man and woman in 1 Cor 11:8-9.

For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman from man.

After Paul made a comment about angels, he returned to an emphasis on creation. Prefacing his comments with “in the Lord,” he took the relationship of man and woman back to creation and closed his thoughts by declaring “everything comes from God” (1 Cor 11:11-12).

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man or man independent of woman. For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman; but all things come from God. (New Revised Standard Version)

But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God. (New Living Translation)

However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. (New American Standard Bible)

The text communicates mutuality and equality in the relationship between a man and woman rather than a hierarchical one. ¹⁰

Even though Paul did not use the word “creation” as he addressed the financial needs of the saints in Jerusalem, ¹¹ he wrote:

Now he who supplies seed for the sower (reference to creation) ¹² and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul opposed the heteron, ¹³ a different gospel that they were accepting (Gal 1:6-9). In 5:1, he began describing how they should conduct themselves as people who had been freed from slavery. At the close of this section he connected three important concepts: cross, creation and rule. The cross had provided the “new creation.” He closed by telling his readers to follow this “rule”—cross and new creation.¹⁴ The text reads:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule…¹⁵ (Gal 6:14-16).

For Paul, restoration was a return to the original plan of God, hence he maintained a strong emphasis on creation as his guide. Paul believed God had the power to make a “new humanity” out of two (Eph 2:15), to make people new in attitude (Eph 4:23), and to have a “new self, created to be like God” (Eph 4:24).

Paul also emphasized “time” as he discussed creation. In 2 Tim 1:9, ¹⁶he explained grace had a place “before the beginning of time.” In Titus 1:2, he explained God had provided the hope of eternal life “before the beginning of time.”¹⁷

When the people of Lystra wanted to make sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas because they saw them as gods, Paul again returned to creation:

Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from those worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. (Acts14:15).
Evidently Epaphras (Col 1:7) had given Paul information about the immaturity of the church in Colossae (Col 1:28). They had been doing right for the wrong reasons. In an effort to remedy this situation, Paul encouraged them to focus their hearts on Jesus (Col 3:1-3). As a foundation for his direction, Paul established the importance of Christ (Col 1:18-23) and emphasized that he was even a part of creation (Col 1:15-16).¹⁸

Paul used creation to demonstrate God’s concern for every aspect of man
Not only did Paul use creation in teaching conduct and character, he used it to show God’s concern for both the spiritual and physical wellbeing of mankind (Rom 8:18-25). Romans 8 stands in stark contrast to Romans 7. Whereas Romans 7 deals with indwelling sin (7:17, 20), Romans 8 deals with indwelling spirit (8:11). In the middle of explaining the indwelling spirit, Paul expresses anticipation that mankind will be released from its decaying physical nature (8:21). Even though his reference to a liberated creation (earth) was illustrative of the Christian’s walk (“in the same way” 8:26), it teaches the importance of all aspects of mankind.

Paul used creation to illustrate God’s justification of man
The prayers of Paul supply the best information as to his purpose and execution of his ministry. His words in Eph 1:17-19 vividly illustrate this. Paul wanted his readers to understand the hope that was connected to their calling, the riches of their inheritance, and the great power for all believers. God wanted to restore what was lost in the fall. At the heart of God’s plan to reconcile with his creation was the redemption of mankind through the death and resurrection of his son. Paul’s mentioning of “his mighty strength” (Eph 1:19) is just a reflection of Isa 40:26—and a direct link to creation,

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

When dealing with the church as the manifold wisdom of God and an expression of God’s eternal purpose, Paul declared God “who created all things” (Eph 3:9). The same phrase was echoed by John in Rev 4:11. ¹⁹

Because God is interactive he wants to walk again with his people as he did in the garden of Eden. As a result of the creative power of God (Eph 2:15), Christians have been forgiven, transformed, set free from the bondage of Satan (Col 1:13), and possess a new identity through Jesus. Through the creative power of God, Christians become what God wanted for all his creation—to be like him. Being translated into the kingdom is the restoration and the fulfillment of what was lost in the fall. The good news of Jesus offered not only liberation, but transformation (2 Cor 3:18). Christians are the recipients of God’s “imputed righteousness” through their entrance into Christ through baptism.

The emphasis on creation in connection with Christians is undeniable. Christians are “renewed in the knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Col 3:10). They are a “work of creation” (Eph 2:10), are “a new creation” (2 Cor 5:17), and are “created to be like God” (Eph 4:24). Paul affirmed the reconciliation of man back to God (the creator) in one body by the cross (Eph 2:16)

Reading the Bible and Creation Theology

Beginning with Jesus’ emphasis on the importance of creation (Matt 19:4-6) to John’s reference to creation (Rev 13:8), the New Testament is filled with the importance of returning to God’s original intent for mankind (Gen 1:27). If we view the word of God through the lens of creation, most likely the 21^st century church will have a better grasp of the paths God desires his followers in the present age to follow.

Conclusion

The creation story in Genesis provides the best insight in the entire Hebrew Bible and New Testament into the mind of God. In these few passages the character and purpose of God are vividly revealed. Genesis 1-2 tells of a God who was kind and gracious toward his creation. He created a place where he and his created “image” could live and walk together. When man sinned, God did nt give up on him, but provided an avenue of redemption and justification. God showed both grace and renewal in the stories of Adam, Cain, Noah and the tower of Babel. From Gen 3:16 onward the story of his determination to redeem mankind unfolds. Through his unending love, divine power, the sacrifice of part of himself, he will, in time, restore the apex of his creation to a new “Eden” (Rev 22:1-5).