The Greatest of God’s Creation; Genesis 1:26-31

Sermons

Bro. Tim Baker
First Baptist Church Festus/Crystal City, MO
Genesis 1:26-31

Download: June 8, 2008 AM Audio, mp3

I.God’s Creation
A.The Work of the Trinity
1.God - Elohyim
2.Holy Spirit –enveloped, surrounded, and guarded over it. 1.2
3.Christ
John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
NASU

Col 1:15-17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 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. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
NASU
B.God systematically created to sustain
1.Day One – God created light and called light day and
darkness night.
2.Day Two – Made the expanse in the midst of the waters
(Atmosphere).
3.Day Three – Dry land (earth), gathered water (seas), plants,
vegetation, trees, etc…
4.Day Four – Moon, sun, stars, etc…
5.Day Five – Birds, anything in the water, etc…
6.Day Six – Every living creature on the earth; Man We must understand that animals and man were created on the same day.

II.The Greatest of God’s Creation
A.Man was created differently 1.26a
1.First time the plural pronoun “us” is used, which signifies the Trinity more forcefully.
2.Indicates they were communicating and consulting one another within the Trinity.
3.Signifies clear purpose and perfect agreement.

B.Man bears the image of God 1.26b …in Our image, according to Our likeness…
1.Not in physical form, God is Spirit – John 4.24; Luke 24.39… “a spirit does not have flesh and bones.”
2.Rather, in spiritual characteristics
a.Self-conscious, morally aware, able to truly have a relationship with one another.
b.Man possessed the ability to reflect the attributes of God (creative, enjoy beauty, love of diversity as seen through the creation)
c.Man could reflect God’s justice, righteousness, holiness, truth, and goodness.
d.Man has intellect, emotions, rational, ability to solve problems.
e.Personhood – we are involved in relationships, capable of fellowship, conversation, have friendships, participate with others, thus God created Eve for Adam so that he would have a companion or help meet.

C.Man was given different priorities
1.Exercise dominion over every living thing. 1.26b
2.He was placed in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it, keep it, and enjoy the fruits that God made specifically for him to enjoy. 2.15-16
3.To be blessed by God. 1.28

III.The Chief End of Man

God Himself has never existed as a single, lonely, solitary, or “cut off” individual. Rather, He has always existed in the fullness of family-like being (cf. Eph 3.14-15: “Father…of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named”). Or, as the great St. Athanasius used to say in the fourth century, “the Father has never been without His Son.” The amazing mystery of the origin of personality is that the one God exists as three persons in one being or “substance” (or “reality”). The one “substance” or being of God inherently involves personhood.
Douglas F. Kelly, Creation and Change (Fearns, Ross-shire, U.K.: Christian Focus, 1997), 220.

Man was created to have relationships, particularly with God and also has an eternal soul, which no other part of creation possesses.

Westminster Catechism

What is the chief and highest end of man?

Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever.

A. Adam failed God’s command 3.17
B. God gave the gift of salvation

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Posted by Valerie on June 8, 2008