DEFINITION

Creation is an act of God alone, by which, for his own glory, he brings into existence everything in the
universe, things that had no existence prior to his creative word.

SUMMARY
Creation is the act by which the Bible introduces to God. It is an act of God alone, by which, for his
own glory, he brings into existence everything in the universe, things that had no existence prior to
his creative word. In creation, we see God’s lordship on display in his control over all things, his
authority over all the universe, and his presence in every part of creation. The doctrine of creation
should elicit praise from all of his creatures and offers significant parallels to our redemption as well.
While significant questions are still disputed, such as the nature of the six days of creation, the age of
the earth, and the validity of evolution, Genesis is clear that God alone can take the credit for the
creation and continual upholding of all things that exist.

When Scripture first introduces us to God in Genesis 1:1, it presents us not with a definition of God or
a list of attributes but an act: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That act
nevertheless tells us much about who God is and how he is different from the world he has made.
Indeed, this verse presents us with the biblical worldview in a nutshell: Reality is twofold. Everything
must be understood within the context of a distinction between Creator and creature.

Therefore, it is misleading to understand the world, as did the Greek philosophers, as “Being” in
general. There are two distinct realities, and they cannot be mixed together or confused with one
another. All of our knowledge about the world is qualified by this distinction. There is divine being and
created being, different in their attributes, powers, actions, rights and obligations.

The term creation applies both (1) to God’s original act of bringing being out of nothing (ex nihilo)
(Gen. 1:1) and (2) to God’s subsequent actions bringing structure to created being (Gen. 1:2–2:3).
These two phases are sometimes called original and subsequent creation. A good definition of
creation, therefore, will embrace both of these: Creation is an act of God alone, by which, for his own
glory, he brings into existence everything in the universe, things that had no existence prior to his
creative word. Some have defined creation as “the continual dependence of everything on God,” but
such definitions fail to anchor the concept as Scripture does in the events of Genesis 1. Of course,
creation is indeed continually dependent on God, but this fact is best discussed under the headings of
providence, preservation, and concurrence.

What follows are some of the main contexts in which Scripture speaks of creation. These shall
introduce additional clarifications into the concept.