Doctrinal Standards WSC #8-9
Q. How does God carry out His decrees?
A. God carries out His decrees in creation and providence.
Q. What is creation?
A. Creation is God’s making everything out of nothing by His powerful word in six days – and all very good.
Memory Verses
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)
Study Passage: Genesis 1:1-25
Support Passages: Hebrews 11:1-6; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:11; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 33:6-12
Bible Story: Genesis 1; the six days of creation.
Thoughts
- God has always existed and He created everything out of nothing. When He created He created everything “very good” which means without sin. God is not the author of sin.
- God carries out His plans or decrees by creating then taking care (providence) of what He created. Our God is not the god of the Deist who created and then withdrew from creation. The God of the Bible has created with a purpose and is always actively implementing that purpose.
- The fact that God has personally created you and has given you a purpose provides meaning to our lives.
Discussion Questions
- What does decree mean?
- What does providence mean?
- Contrast what the world teaches with what the bible teaches concerning origins.
- The world and Bible explain the origin of life completely differently. Why is this? (Think worldview of God and man).
- Which came first, God’s decrees or creation?
- Why does it matter which one came first?
- What does it mean that God created everything good? Why is this important?
- If everything comes from something, where did God come from?
- How can you use the fact that everything comes from something to prove a constant being called God (look up first cause or cosmological argument)?