God the Creator and Creation

Week 3

Creation

God as source

What Does the Bible Say?

Genesis 1-3

Days of creation

Genesis 1 compared to 2

Genesis 1 Genesis 2

God called Elohim God called Jehovah

Vegetation happened on 3rd day

Man created before vegetation

Male created with Female

Male created alone

God Rests No Sabbath

All is very good Sin disrupts creation right away

2 Interpretive Lenses

Modern, Literal, Empirical2nd Temple Canonization

500

TempleRestored------------Scripture

Canonized

Events of Old Testament

JEDP

ehovah (Yahwist)

lohist

euteronomist

riestly

Judaism becomes a religion

of the Text

What is Myth?

Does not mean “untrue”Is not in direct contrast to “history”Is a poetic and symbolic story that deals

with issues beyond the scope of history in order to give formational ideas about the universe to a community of people.

Contemporary Issues

Darwinism vs. Creation Science The Problem: the subject of creation falls

outside the realm of empirical science. Both systems are

theological/philosophical/mythical and require equal amounts of faith

Could there be a contemporary theology of creation that values the authority of scripture while acknowledging the validity and limitations of empirical science?

Implications of Creation

God Creates in the Beginning There is only one God, who alone is Creator

and Ruler of Everything The Creator is powerfully above and

independent of the created world but also lovingly present and at work in it.

Bodily-physical life is good Temporal life is good Nothing in the world is to be feared Nothing in the world is to be worshiped

Discussion

If a child should ask you, “Where did I come from?” how could you answer in a way that is both honest about the biological facts of life and faithful to what Christians believe about God the Creator of all life?

BREAK

Providence and Evil

Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Willing but not able?

Able but not willing?

Both able and

willing?impotentmalevolent

Whence is evil?

-- David Hume

Why does God not prevent evil?

Not all evil is evil

Natural evilMoral evil

The Problem of Pain

Pain is a protective signal

Much pain stems from not flowing with nature

Love and a physical world brings with it the potential for pain.

The Nature of Moral Evil

rebellion against God indifference or enmity toward

our fellow humans self-destructive contradiction of what

we ourselves were created to be.

So Where Did Evil Come From?

An Evil God in Struggle with the Good God? Dualism – not biblical

God “Himself”? Evil is, by definition, anything that goes against God’s will and nature,

therefore God cannot be the author of it. Human Bodily Influences?

All creation is good. Leads to dualism. Social Influences?

Society is humanity. Simply pushes the question back one step. Free Will?

“If true…it comes from the rebellious, hostile, self-destructive thoughts, attitudes, and desires that are in our hearts before we choose, whose influence over us is so powerful that it is they and not our “free” wills that determine how and what we choose. The problem of evil is precisely where these thoughts attitudes, and desires come from that enslave our wills.”

Fallen Angels? Literal? Symbolic?

Guthrie’s Conclusion

…we are driven to the conclusion that there is no explanation for the origin and reality of evil in God’s world…

(pp. 181-182)

Discussion

How would you respond to someone who lost a loved one due to cancer and ask you, “Why does God let this happen to me?”

BREAK

Human Beings

Who Am I and Why Am I Here?

Why is it important to understand the nature of humanity?

Always remember that every piece of theology is interrelated. Your view of

humanity will impact your view of God, Jesus, the atonement, and eternity.

What are some current views on the nature of humanity in the world?

Man as machine Man as animal Man as a Sexual Being Man as Economic Being Man as Pawn in the

Universe Man as a Free Being Man as a Social Being

What does the Bible Say about the nature of Humanity?

Examine Genesis 1-3

Three Big Questions

What is the Image of God?What is the Constitution of the

Human Being?What is Original Sin, and how

did it affect humanity?

Image of God

Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Image of God

1 Corinthians 11:7 (NIV)A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God

Image of God

James 3:9 (NIV)With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.

Image of God

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Image of God

Romans 8:29 (NIV)For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Image of God

Ephesians 4:23-24 (NIV) to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Image of God

Colossians 3:10 (NIV)and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

3 Models for the Image of God?

Substantive

Relational

Functional

What Does the Bible Say about the body and soul?

Old TestamentNephesh – soul or livingRuach – breath, wind, spiritLeb – heart, inner seat of personSacar – fleshNo separation between material and

immaterialNo talk of life after death

What Does the Bible Say about the body and soul?

New TestamentPresence of Greek dualismPsyche – soul or livingpneuma – breath, wind, spiritkardia – heart, inner seat of personsarx – flesh2 Cor. 5:1-10 – ‘absent from the body’Central theme of resurrection

What is the relationship between the material and immaterial aspects of being human?

Trichotomist

Dichotomist

Monist

As a creature, created in the image of God, I am…

Intended and invited to fellowship with the “dance of God.”

A unique individual that brings a positive contribution to the community.

An intrinsic part of a larger community, dependent upon that community.

A steward given responsibility to care for the rest of God’s creation and live in harmony with it.

The Summary…

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

(Matthew 22:37-39)

Group Discussion

Where does our soul come from? Do you believe the immortality of human

soul? Is our human soul also created by God?

When?

Sin

How did it all go wrong?

What is Sin?

Love God with all your heart Sin is anything that rebels against or replaces God

as the center of my full devotion Love your neighbor

Sin is anything that devalues or abuses my fellow human or creature, setting myself up as superior.

As yourself Sin is the denial that I am a valid, loved, and vital

part of God’s good creation. Sin is not defined by external behavior but by

the intent of the heart.

What is “Original Sin?”

Investigation of Romans 5:12-21

Romans 5:12-21 (NIV)

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. 20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

ἐφ ᾡ πάντες ἥμαρτον ἐφ ᾡ πάντες ἥμαρτον

Views of “Original Sin?”

Sin? What Sin? - Pantheism

PelagianismAugustine

Seminal Headship

Federal Headship

Discussion

Do you agree with Augustine’s teaching of Original Sin? Provide biblical and logical reasons for your stance on this matter. How did I inherit Original Sin from Adam?