I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      Nothing is more fundamental to the faith of Christianity than the message of Genesis 1:1 – "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

B.      However, it is commonly believed by many who claim to be Christians that the origins of the world are unimportant.  To them, all that matters is a general belief in Jesus.

C.      In this lesson, we will learn why belief in the Bible’s account of creation does matter so much to Christians.

II.      IT MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT OUR FAITH

A.      Any conviction we have about the origin of the world is held by faith.

                                                             1.      The Bible defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).

a.       Because we did not see the events of Genesis 1, we cannot believe in God’s creation by any means other than faith.  In other words, our faith is our assurance and conviction of that which we did not see, namely, God’s creation.

b.       Those who believe in any other explanation of the world’s origins ("big bang” theory, Darwinian evolution, etc.) also have a faith, for none of them witnessed the evidence of their beliefs either.  Science has not and cannot prove such origins.

                                                             2.      The Bible readily acknowledges that belief in God’s creation is by faith, for it says, "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible” (Heb. 11:3).

B.      The degree of faith we place in the Bible’s account of God’s creation is directly connected to the degree of faith we place in God Himself.

                                                             1.      The context of Hebrews 11 presents numerous examples of persons acting on faith in God.  This is to demonstrate what genuine faith in God truly is.

a.       The kind of faith defined by Hebrews 11 is the faith we must have to please God, for "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

b.       What was the degree of faith in God held by the persons described in Hebrews 11?  Was it fickle, doubting, uncertain, conditional, or dependent on man’s wisdom?  Certainly, it was none of these things, for the great "men of old gained approval” by their unwavering faith in God (Heb. 11:2).

                                                             2.      With that same degree of faith in God, we must hold to the Bible’s account of creation.

a.       Although Hebrews 11 is all about faith, the only specific articles of faith that apply directly to us are found in verses 3 and 6.

i.         Verse 6 says we must believe in God Himself, and verse 3 speaks of our understanding of God’s creation of the world.

ii.        Our faith in these two matters must be equally strong.  We cannot rightly claim to have faith in God while doubting His creation of the world.

b.       Just as Noah believed God and prepared an ark, Abraham believed God and left his home, and Moses believed God and joined with Israel, we must believe God and accept the Bible’s account of His creation.

c.        In such faith, there is no place for compromise or doubt.  If we don’t hold our faith in the Biblical account of God’s creation with the same level of conviction that Noah, Abraham, and Moses had, then our faith is not in the same category as theirs.

III.   IT MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD

A.      Faith in God and the word of God will forever be connected simply because of the principle of Romans 10:17 – "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

B.      For this reason, we cannot consistently claim to have faith in the God of the Bible while also doubting His word concerning the creation of the world.

                                                             1.      The Bible unequivocally declares that God created the world by His word in only six days.

a.       The account of Genesis 1 states the means of God’s creation (His word) and the timeframe (six days).  Nothing in the chapter suggests that this message is figurative in any way, so the only conclusion is that it intends to present real, historical events.  (In the next lesson, we will consider the Biblical record of six literal days of creation.)

b.       Notice the testimony of Psalm 33:6-9 – "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.  He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.  For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.”

                                                             2.      Therefore, belief in the Biblical account of creation is foundational to belief in the entire Bible.

a.       If the first chapter of the Bible is unreliable, then the whole Bible is unreliable as well.

b.       If the Bible is unreliable, then our faith has no foundation, for "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).

IV.    IT MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT JESUS

A.      Jesus Christ, who is central to the gospel message of salvation, is also central to the Biblical account of the world’s creation.

                                                             1.      In the Genesis account of creation, God is described in the plural.  Not only is the word "God” translated from a plural Hebrew noun (elohiym), but also God says of Himself, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26).

                                                             2.      The Bible reveals the plural nature of God’s existence as Father, Son, and Spirit.  Specifically, it was the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was God’s creative force for making the world.

a.       Notice John 1:1-3 – "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

b.       John 1:14 then says that "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Truly, "the Word” was Jesus Christ.

c.        Paul also speaks of Jesus in this way in Colossians 1:15-17 – "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

d.       Similarly, Hebrews 1:1-3 says, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.  And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

                                                             3.      Not only this, but also Jesus Himself testified of the Genesis account of creation in Matthew 19:4, when He said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female?”

B.      Therefore, belief in the Biblical account of creation is not only a matter of how the world came into existence, but it is also a matter of whether Jesus is the Son of God.

                                                             1.      If the Bible cannot be trusted on the matter of the world’s creation, then it cannot be trusted on the matter of Jesus being the Son of God.

                                                             2.      One cannot consistently claim to believe in the Christ of the Bible and yet reject the Biblical record of creation.  If he does, then his faith is unfounded, weak, subjective, and unbiblical.

V.      CONCLUSION – IT MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT PURPOSE

A.      The Bible’s account of creation tells us who God is and who we are.

                                                             1.      Knowing that God is our Creator naturally tells us of His power and authority over us.  By this belief, we understand that God has the right and the power to rule.  He is sovereign.

                                                             2.      By this, we also know that we are made in His image.  We have a blessed likeness to God that no other creature owns.  Indeed, we are "fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14).

B.      Without this knowledge, we cannot understand the purpose of our lives on the earth.

                                                             1.      The creation account allows us to know that we are here for God’s glory.  He has given us the purposes of populating and ruling over God’s earth (Gen. 1:26, 28) fearing Him, and keeping His commandments (Eccl. 12:13).

                                                             2.      If God didn’t create the world, then our lives are without purpose and meaning.  Creation matters!