Connecting the Dots: Why Creation Matters

I’m excited to kick off a new blog series called “Connecting the Dots,” diving deep into the core beliefs of the Christian faith through systematic theology. If that term sounds a bit fancy, don’t worry—it’s just a way of taking a single topic from the Bible, like the Godhead or baptism, and exploring all of Scripture to determine what we believe about it. We’re starting with the doctrine of Creation and wrapping up later with the New Heavens and New Earth. So, let’s get started!

Now, you might’ve heard some Christians say, “I don’t need theology; I just want to love Jesus and worship Him.” I get it—loving Jesus is the heart of our faith. But here’s the thing: doctrine isn’t just stuffy head knowledge. It’s what helps us know who we’re worshiping and how to live for Him. If we don’t understand God accurately, our worship and our lives might miss the mark. So, yeah, getting our doctrine right is huge!

The Mind-Blowing Universe We Call Home

Let’s pause for a second and think about the universe. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, has over 100 billion stars. That’s billion with a “b”! The sun, our closest star, is 93 million miles away, and the next closest star? It’s 4.2 light-years away—meaning light, zooming at a speed that could circle the Earth seven times in a second, takes over four years to reach us. The Milky Way itself stretches 100,000 light-years across, and it’s just one of maybe a trillion galaxies out there.

Now, flip to the tiny stuff. The DNA in one of your cells, if stretched out, would be six feet long, yet it fits in a space smaller than a grain of sand. Your brain has more neurons than stars in the Milky Way. Your skin? It replaces itself every 27 days, shedding 30,000 dead cells every minute. And your heart generates enough electrical energy to drive a truck 20 miles. Mind. Blown.

This world is so vast and complex, it’s hard to wrap our heads around it. But here’s what some folks want you to believe: all of it—trillions of galaxies, Earth’s perfect conditions for life, the intricacies of your body—just happened by chance. Nothing exploded into everything with no cause or design. As Frank Turek puts it, “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist.”

But Genesis 1:1 tells a different story: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That one verse sets Christianity apart, declaring that one eternal God made everything—physical and spiritual—for His glory.

What Creation Tells Us About God

Theologian Gregg Allison sums it up well: “Creation is God’s mighty act of bringing the universe, this world, and us into existence, all for His glory.” Unlike other beliefs, Christianity says God didn’t create because He was lonely or needed us. He’s eternal, existing forever in perfect relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He made everything out of His own good pleasure, and that means He gets to define who we are and why we’re here.

Think about it like this: I have a clothing brand, Victory Apparel. I created it, so I own it and I decide its purpose. The clothes don’t get to say, “Nah, I’m gonna be something else.” In the same way, we’re God’s creation, so He sets our purpose. A lot of people today think they can decide their own meaning, but that’s like the clothes running the brand. The doctrine of Creation reminds us that God’s in charge, and that’s a good thing.

Key Truths About Creation

Christians sometimes debate things like young earth versus old earth. Those are worth discussing, but let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Here are the big truths we need to hold onto about Creation:

1. The Triune God Made Everything from Nothing

Genesis 1:1 says God created “the heavens and the earth,” a phrase that means everything. The Hebrew word for “created,” bara, means He made it all ex nihilo—out of nothing. No pre-existing materials, just God’s powerful word. Hebrews 11:3 backs this up: “The universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

And guess what? Creation wasn’t a solo job. The Father spoke it (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son was the agent (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16), and the Spirit sustained it (Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4). Even Genesis 1:26 hints at this teamwork: “Let us make man in our image.” This Trinitarian reality shuts down false teachings like Mormonism or Jehovah’s Witnesses.

2. God Created for His Glory, Not Need

Some folks think God created because He was in need or lonely. That’s not the case! As Trinity, God is perfectly complete, loving and glorifying Himself forever. He created to show His glory, not to get it. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Everything exists to reflect His awesomeness, and He made it all because He wanted to.

3. Creation Makes Christianity Unique

If Genesis 1:1 isn’t true, the rest of the Bible falls apart. A random universe means no purpose—just cells that exist today and vanish tomorrow. But if God created with intention, everything changes. He sets what’s right and wrong, brings order to chaos, and gives us purpose. In addition, unlike “gods” of other religions, our Creator is both beyond us and knowable, revealing Himself through Jesus (John 1:18).

4. We’re Accountable to Our Creator

Because God made us, we must answer to Him. The gospel starts here: created by God, for God, accountable to God. Romans 3:23 says we’ve all fallen short of His standard, and Romans 3:19 shows we’re accountable. The law reveals our sin, but Jesus lived perfectly, died for our transgressions, and reconciles us to God. Without Creation, the gospel doesn’t make sense.

5. God’s Good Creation Will Be Restored

Genesis 1 calls Creation “very good.” Sin messed it up—think earthquakes, diseases, wars, death. But God’s not finished with His creation. Romans 8:18-25 says Creation groans for redemption, and one day, God will make all things new. Believers will receive new glorified bodies, and we’ll live forever with Him in the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21:3). That’s our hope!

Living in Light of Creation

The doctrine of Creation isn’t just a minor doctrine—it’s life-changing. A loving Creator made us with purpose, revealed Himself through Jesus, and promises to fix what’s broken. So, let’s live for Him and share this hope with others. As we “connect the dots” in this series, I pray we’ll grow to love and share this truth more every day.