Genesis 1


"1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. "

Out of nothing, God created everything. Remember, with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).


Potential Discussion Questions

    • What all it means to be made "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27)?

If we are made in the image of God, then it means we have great potential. Since creation, no one has been put a bound to what humans can do. So do NOT WASTE your potential - especially now that we have God, who created the universe, in us, as Holy Spirit! Often we hear preachers complain that many of us are wasting our potentials. Matthew 25:14-30 confirms that God does not want us to blatantly waste our potential. In Genesis 1:27, God commanded "Be fruitful".

Also, we should never see people as products or piece of meet - people are made in the image of God!!

Racism has also no place in God's world as all people are made in the image of God!!

Finally do not be discouraged that we no longer have the great & perfect bodies that Adam / Eve had. We will have even better bodies in the future - the glorious resurrection bodies!


    • Reflect on God's creation - how marvelous & beautiful they are

For example, reflect on human brain:- how marvelous, complex, powerful, & beautiful it is.


    • How else are you encouraged by Genesis 1?

God who is infinitely powerful & rich, is also the most generous & caring. After creation, he blessed Adam & Eve bountifully. He created great opportunities for them. We can live worry free life (and not be stressed about how to make ends meet everyday) because of that! Matthew 6: 28-33:- "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. "

James 4:2-3 also reminds of God's generosity:- "You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."


Reflect on the fact that God who created heavens and earth is us Christians now!


    • How should we respond to Genesis 1?

Following up on answer to previous question "How else are you encouraged by Genesis 1?":-

So, one response we can have is that we can live a worry-free life and focus on always "seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33)". We should use our great potential (as noted earlier in question "What all it means to be made "in the image of God"") to partner with God in healing & redeeming the world. The fact that there is so much suffering, pain, & evil in this world, should always be spurring is to do so. And yes we should not blatantly waste our great potential, as also warned in Matthew 25:14-30. In Genesis 1:27, God commanded "Be fruitful".



    • How do you respond when someone claims that the creation story in Genesis 1 is not compatible with Science?

There are many ways to respond to this. There are many books one can read about this. I like these steps:- (1) First make a case for God (using reasoning such as http://devos20xx.blogspot.com/2016/12/can-one-prove-god-exists.html; "I believe after looking at facts it take more faith to not believe in God.") (2) Then try to reason how big and powerful God is (I believe the infinite complexity of God's creation confirms that God is infinite). This should lead to the conclusion that God is so big and powerful that with God indeed all things are possible (as claimed in Matthew 19:26). Hence for God to create as described in Genesis 1 is no-brainer!


BTW, when you study creation via Science, you learn how infinitely complex the reality is. I believe after looking at facts it take more faith to not believe in God.


MISC

    • In Genesis 1 & 2 we get a glimpse of how, originally, God intended creation to be - very good (Genesis 1:31) . Since then his creation has been marred with devastating consequences of sin - Now there is so much pain, suffering, diseases, evil in this world.
    • I believe God's creation confirms that God is infinite in all good ways (i.e., when we study His creation via science, we learn that creation has infinite complexity. We have not yet found any bounds on it's beauty.). God is infinitely powerful, rich, capable, and beautiful - we can sense these in His creation. God is infinitely loving - we can get a glimpse of this from historical records in the Bible - read in Bible how God faithfully pursued unfaithful people and died for them on the cross to save them.
      • Often you will hear people reject Bible after reading Genesis. They would say creation is so complex, how can it simply happen as described in Genesis 1? Well, that is one point of Genesis 1 I believe - it demonstrates that there is an infinitely powerful & beautiful God, with whom all things are possible.
    • Many think if they were rich or born to rich parents life would be great. As a Christian one is a child of the richest person in the universe.