Creation, pt 6

What follows are the last few paragraphs about the "nature" of creation, here dealing with that fact that it is different from God. To most of us, this is obvious. But, for ancient pantheists and some types of modern humanists, God IS the tree and the tree IS God. We would say that God is everywhere, including in the tree. Yet, if we destory the tree, it does not destroy any of God. Anyway, that's a little intro:

A final element descriptive of the nature of creation is that it is distinct from its Creator. As stated above, natural theology maintains that man can learn something of the Creator by examining his creation. Still, God is wholly distinct and different from any created thing, therefore limiting the degree to which man can find God in nature.

The attribute of distinctness, often referred to as transcendence, is another truth assumed throughout Scripture. Yet, the Bible makes clear that, because God is transcendent, he cannot be limited by his creation. Thus, through Jeremiah, God says, “Can a man hide himself in hiding places, so I do not see him?" declares the LORD. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.” Here, God reminds Judah that he is not limited by the laws of time and space that govern created things. Instead, he may be found simultaneously in all places, a confession of his omniscience. The author of Hebrews states more clearly, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Again, the emphasis is on God’s omniscience, though it is expressed in the fact that he is not limited by creation in any way.

Another important distinction between God and creation is that God is holy. His holiness means that he is entirely other, separate both by his general transcendence and by his inability to relate to sin. Isaiah 6 is a great example of God’s holiness and its effect upon man. Verses 1-4 illustrate the holiness of God, to which Isaiah responded in verse five with a confession that the combination of God’s holiness and Isaiah’s sinfulness would ruin the prophet. Not until God, through the agent of his angel, cleanses Isaiah’s sin does God begin to speak to Isaiah. The reader’s conclusion is that God is holy both in his general qualities and in his sinlessness.

The implications of God’s holiness and transcendence are very important throughout the Bible. Because of the social setting of the ancient world, God stressed that no creation possesses divinity. “God has a unique status, so that he alone is to be worshiped.” God’s people, then, should not imitate other nations who worship creation as if it is divine. When God gives the Ten Commandments to Moses, he says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” In other words, God does not want man to put creation, whether natural or man-made, on the same level as God. Thus, David expresses in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Creation should not be considered deity because its proper role is to reflect the glory of God. Only when creation functions in this way is it enjoyed as the wonderful workmanship God made it to be.

In the next section of the paper, I deal with the big "Why?" question. In case you're wondering, it gets a little more applicable from here forth, so let that be an encouragement if you care enough to keep reading.

-Matt