40 Days of Faith: Day 2

Hebrews 11:3 – By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

As the writer of Hebrews begins to look back at the lives of the Old Testament saints to encourage the believers of his day, he goes back to the very beginning of the Bible. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The very first sentence in the Bible is a sentence that must be received by faith.

Now, in the times in which we live, times described as modernity and post-modernity, we have many who both wrestle with and opine on the origin of the universe and the origin of life. If you do a search of theories of creation, you will find a variety of secular, philosophical, and theological views of creation.

Isn’t it interesting that the first thing the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us about faith as we begin to walk the hall of faith is about God as the Creator? Isn’t it also interesting that in the age of modernity, where science has been elevated as the highest truth, the various theories on the universe’s existence, and the origin of life, are often accepted as true while still unproven?  

The field of Cosmology that studies the origin of the universe and the field of Abiogenesis, the scientific study of the origin of life, both seek to answer fundamental questions about how the universe began and how life began from non-living matter, respectively. Many public-school textbooks and university level courses teach the Big Bang Theory of creation, and the Primordial Soup Theory of life’s origin, to scientifically explain the universe and life.

Yet, as you open the Scriptures, the Bible begins with a God who creates the heavens and the earth. As you continue into the story of creation, you then see God who creates man in his own image, placing the “imago dei” into the man. The secular view and the Christian view of the creation of the world and the creation of mankind are polar opposite viewpoints – one happening by random chance and the other by very intentional design.

So, why does the Bible begin with creation? Why does the writer of Hebrews open his discourse on faith with creation? And why are biblical creation and the scientific studies of the origin of the universe and the origin of life so hotly contested in our universities and on our social media platforms today?

First, I believe it is because all views of creation and the origin of life will ultimately be faith claims – a declaration of what you trust to be true about where the universe and life come from. It takes faith to believe that a human evolved from a tadpole, just as it takes faith to believe in an intelligent designer, who is so powerful that he spoke the world into existence from nothing that was seen.

Second, your view of creation is the beginning point of your worldview – your framework from which you view the world, establish your beliefs and values, and find meaning and purpose. Your belief about creation and the worldview that flows from it, requires you to consider why you were created, what your purpose is (or isn’t), how we should view others (as valuable because they were created in the image of God, or just a clump of cells that randomly came together), and how you view the purpose of government, society, family, poverty, and prosperity. In other words, your worldview helps you understand or make sense of life.

Consider Hebrews 11:3 again:
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Because we confess Christ as our Savior and Creator, it brings understanding to us about life. We believe that our lives are to be lived in light of His purpose, that He has a plan for us, and that we will stand before his judgment seat. But if there is no God, each of us can make up our own rules, choose our own truth, and do whatever pleases us, because we are here by random chance and there is no real purpose to our lives.

This is why what you believe about creation is so important. The beginning point of biblical faith is belief in God as creator and sustainer of all things and that in him is life.

• The Apostles Creed begins with this sentence: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
  Maker of heaven and earth.”
• The Nicene Creed begins: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.”

These are faith statements and from them flows a worldview that speaks of a life of redemption, purpose, and eternity.

What do you believe about the importance of God as the creator and sustainer of all things? Further, how does your view of creation inform your understanding of the world in which we live?

At the very beginning of Scripture, God invites us to trust that He is the Creator who spoke everything into existence. Faith begins here—believing that our lives are not accidents of chance but the result of His intentional design. If you know that God created you, then you also know He created you with purpose. Today, choose to see your life, your family, and even your challenges through the lens of God’s design. Let your understanding of Him as Creator reshape the way you see yourself and the world around you.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Creator of heaven and earth, and for forming me with intention and purpose. Help me to trust that my life is not random, but part of Your great story. Open my eyes to see the world through the lens of Your design and give me a deeper faith that believes in what I cannot see. May my understanding of You shape the way I live today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.