Manslick Road church of Christ

In the Beginning, God

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1 ).

So begins the Bible. God’s existence is not argued, it is assumed. In subsequent pages of Scripture numerous evidences for God’s existence are suggested. At the top of page one, however, the fact is simply and boldly stated.

With this opening declaration, Almighty God immediately sets at naught numerous ideas about deity that have come to be prevalent among mankind. Among them are:

• Atheism, the belief that God does not exist. Genesis 1:1 begins with God.
• Polytheism, the belief that a number of different gods exit. It is interesting that Genesis was written in Moses’ day, an era in which polytheism saturated the minds of the world’s intellectuals. Yet Genesis 1:1 speaks of only one God.
• Materialism, the belief that physical matter is the only reality and everything that exists is made from or results from matter. Genesis 1:1 begins with a spiritual reality, God, who created matter.
• Naturalism, the belief that everything came to be as it is only through natural processes (e.g., evolution), without any supernatural involvement. Genesis 1:1 says God created.
• Pantheism, a belief that blends God and His creation: God is all and all is God. In effect, “nature” or the “environment” becomes God. Genesis 1:1 says God is separate from His creation.

The first verse of the Bible also declares God’s matchless power and wisdom. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom. 1:20 ). “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 ).

This initial statement of Scripture establishes one more vital truth: God’s ownership and rule of all, and our obligation to submit to Him. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers” (Ps. 24:1-2 ). As creator, God owns everything. Our “ownership” is but a stewardship of things entrusted to us during our lifetimes. As creator, God has the right to impose His will on creation. We are all subject to that will, regardless of whether we consent to it.

Genesis 1:1 provides the framework for life. It explains how we got here and implies our purpose. In the Preacher’s words, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth…” (Ecc. 12:1 ).