larshaukeland

001 Purpose in creation

Purpose in creation

Txt: Gen. 1:1-2:3

I. The state of disorder (v. 2)

A. CONFUSION

“The earth was without form”

– no order

– nothing in harmony

– no perfect thing

– the carnal mind is enmity against God

– spiritual things are foolishness

B. EMPTINESS

“and void”

– utterly unable to produce any good

– life and fruitfulness are the gifts of God

Rom. 7:18

“In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing”

– man is utterly void apart from the moving Spirit

Job 14:4

“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?”

C. DARKNESS

“and darkness was upon the face of the deep”

– there can be nothing but darkness till the light is

sent forth

– we would have been in darkness until now had

not God commanded the light to shine forth

2 Cor. 4:6

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

II. The work of the spirit (v. 2)

“The Spirit moved”

– the earth may move, but it’s own motion could not mend it

– it must be moved upon

– regeneration is not the outcome of the movements of the natural heart

– not evolution, but creation

2 Cor. 5:17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new  creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

– born, not of the will of man, but of God; born of God

John 6:63

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

III. The power of God’s Word (v. 3)

“God said, and there was”

– He spake, and it was done

– the Word of God is quick and powerful

– this Word, this mighty, moving, re-creating energy is in the Gospel of Christ

– it is the power of God unto salvation

John 11:43

“Lazarus, come forth”

– His Word was with power

IV. The divine separation (v. 4-5)

“God divided the light from the darkness”

– the Word of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is working in the “new man,”

– divides between soul and spirit

– divides between spiritual and carnal

2 Cor. 6:14-18

“What communion hath light with darkness?”

V. the manner of fruit bearing (v. 11)

“Yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself”

– fruit-bearing is the outcome of the light and the moving of the Spirit

– the result of a condition, not an effort

– of what we are, not what we do

– the fruit of Christ in us will be Christ-likeness

– fruit after His kind, and with seed in itself

– reproductive

VI. The position of the lights (v. 15)

“In the firmament to give light unto upon the earth”

– the light must be above the earth if they are to shine upon it

John 17 (Matt. 5:14)

“Ye are the light of the world”

– not of it – lifted above it

– seated in the heavenlies to shine upon it

VII. The image of God (v. 27)

“God created man in His own image”

– the climax of His creative power: His own likeness

– it is so in the new creation

Col. 3:10

“After the image of Him that created him”

– the great work of the Holy Spirit is to renew the soul after the image of God

– both God and man will be satisfied when we are perfected in His likeness

VIII. The crown of honor (v.28)

“God gave him dominion”

– power and authority come when we have been made like Him

– in the kingdom we shall reign with Him

Rev. 20:6

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”