Of Creation
Westminster Confession of Faith · 4.1–4.2
4.1. Of Creation
It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.
Proof texts
- Heb. 1:2 — [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
- John 1:2, 3 — [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
- Gen. 1:2 — [2] The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
- Job. 26:13 — [13] By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
- Job. 33:4 — [4] The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
- Rom. 1:20 — [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
- Jer. 10:12 — [12] It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
- Ps. 104:24 — [24] O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
- Ps. 33:5, 6 — [5] He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. [6] By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
- Gen. 1 chap.
- Heb. 11:3 — [3] By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
- Col. 1:16 — [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him.
- Acts 17:24 — [24] The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Heb. 1:2 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 13 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- WSC Q9 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
- WSC Q10 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
Read alongside
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Leader's notes
A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): This Section teaches : 1st. That neither the world (the visible universe) nor anything therein is either, as to substance or form, selfexistent or eternal. 2d. That the one God, who is Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in the beginning created the elements of the world out of nothing, and brought them to their present form, and that the particular stages of this work which are recorded in Genesis were accomplished in the space of six days. 3d. That when finished by God all things were very good, after their kind. 4th. That the design of God in creation was the manifestation of his own glory. There is a very obvious distinction between the substances of things and the forms…
An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): By the word creation we are to understand the production and formation of all things. I use two words, because creation is twofold, — primary and secondary, or immediate and mediate. By the former, is meant the j)roduction of something out of nothing ; by the latter, the foi-mation of things out of pre-existing matter, but matter naturally indisposed for such productions, and which never could by any power of second causes have been brought into such a form. This section teaches us : — 1. That the world had a beginning. This will now be considered one of the most obvious truths that can be stated, but it is one that required to be confirmed by divine revelation. That…
4.2. Of Creation
After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it: and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.
Proof texts
- Gen. 1:27 — [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
- Gen. 2:7 with Eccles. 12:7 & Luke 23:43 and Matt. 10:28
- Gen. 1:26 — [26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
- Col. 3:10 — [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
- Eph. 4:24 — [24] and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Rom. 2:14, 15 — [14] For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. [15] They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
- Eccles. 7:29
- Gen. 3:6 — [6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
- Eccles. 7:29
- Gen. 2:17 — [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
- Gen. 3:8, 9, 10, 11, 23 — [8] And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. [9] But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [23] therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
- Gen. 1:26, 28 — [26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” [28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Gen. 1:27 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 12 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- WSC Q9 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
- WSC Q10 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
Read alongside
WSC Q9 · WSC Q10 · WLC Q15 · WLC Q16 · WLC Q17 · HC Q26 · HC Q27 · HC Q28 · BC 3.1 · BC 3.2 · SC60 2.1 · IAR 4.1 · IAR 4.2 · IAR 4.3 · IAR 4.4 · SHC 2.1 · SHC 2.2
Leader's notes
A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): This Section teaches : 1st. That, last of all the inhabitants of this earth, man was created immediately by God. 2d. That God created one human pair, from whom the entire human race has descended by generation. 3d. That God created men in his own image, (a) as possessing reasonable and immortal souls, (6) as endued with knowledge, righteousness and true holiness, and holding dominion over the lower creation. 4th. Tliat God furnished Adam with sufficient knowledge for his guidance, a law written on his heart and a special external revelation of his will. 5th. That while creating Adam holy and capable of obedience, and subjecting him to a special test of that obedience in forbidding him to eat of…
An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): Section II. — After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female,^ with reasonable and immortal souls/ endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image,° having the law of God written in their hearts,'' and power to fulfil it;*^ and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change-* Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; *° which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.^^ 4 Gen. i. 27. I « Eccl. vii. 29. ^…