Creation

In the beginning, it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,¹ for the demonstration of the glory of his eternal power,² wisdom, and goodness to create, or make out of nothing, the world and all things in it, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days and all very good.³

After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female.⁴ He created them with reasonable and immortal souls,⁵ making them fit for that life to God for which they were created. They were made in the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.⁶ The law of God was written in their hearts,⁷ along with the power to fulfill it. Yet there remained a possibility of transgressing God’s law since they had liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.⁸

Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,⁹ and while they kept this command they were happy in their communion with God and had dominion over the creatures.¹⁰

1. John 1:2–3 He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Hebrews 1:1–2 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 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. Job 26:13 By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. ↩︎
2. Romans 1:20 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. ↩︎
3. Colossians 1:16 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. Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. ↩︎
4. Genesis 1:26–27 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.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ↩︎
5. Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. ↩︎
6. Ecclesiastes 7:29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. Genesis 1:26 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.” ↩︎
7. Romans 2:14–15 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. 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. ↩︎
8. Genesis 3:6 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. ↩︎
9. Genesis 2:16–17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 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.” ↩︎
10. Genesis 1:26 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.” Genesis 1:28 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.” ↩︎