Creation, pt 7

What should be clear so far is that God created all things, physical and spiritual, and he made them good and orderly, though not divine. In the midst of this discussion, the purpose of creation has becomes apparent, though it deserves a more thorough examination.

Scholars have proposed several models to try and understand why God created. Emanationists describe creation as an overflow of the God’s nature. He did not make an intentional choice to create; rather, it flowed forth from his being in the same way that a joyful person tends to spread that joy to others. Unfortunately, the emanationist tends to leave the will and personality of God out of the process, making creation little more than a glorious accident.

Others, who highlight God’s personality and relational nature, suggest that God created so that he could give expression to the attributes of his goodness that require a recipient. In other words, God needed man so that he could demonstrate grace because, even within the Trinity, there would be no one who needed undeserved forgiveness. This view has two problems, however. First, God seems to be incomplete. In Acts 17, Paul asserts that God is unlike the pagan gods because he needs nothing from man. Thus, while creation certainly allowed God to express previously unexpressed qualities, it is dangerous to assert that he needed man to complete him. Second, such a view glorifies sin. Before Adam and Eve sinned, they did not need forgiveness. Therefore, God must have been waiting and hoping for their failure, so that he could finally demonstrate his grace. Yet, if God longed for man to sin, would this not limit his holiness in some sense?

The best model, then, may be that of a novelist who writes for his own pleasure. Like a novelist, God creates something from nothing, using nothing more than his own artistic creativity. God, like the novelist, is outside of his creation and can do with it as he pleases. Creation does not complete God but is simply an expression of his artistry. Yet, creation does not freely flow from his nature; instead, it is the intentional act of a personal God. Thus, God could have chosen to never create the world because it was not a necessity for him to do so.

Nevertheless, no model of creation is complete because the fullness of the transcendent God’s purpose for creation remains unknowable. Thus, Deuteronomy 4:32 says, “Indeed, ask now concerning the former days which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and inquire from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything been done like this great thing, or has anything been heard like it?” The answer is certainly a resounding, “No!” There is no adequate analogy or model that expresses the greatness of God’s work in creation.

For the blog readers, this may be a frustrating conclusion to a section seeking to understand a "why?" question. Yet, in a way, it can hopefully be encouraging as well. As a young child, you don't want a parent who is on your level of very limited knowledge and understanding. No, you want a parent who is much wiser, even if it means you can't understand all that they do. Likewise, if we could fully wrap our heads around the purposes of God, then He would not be much of a God. Keep in mind, of course, that this does not eliminate the need for and value in putting some mental elbow grease into deep theology like this. It may seem irrelevant to think through why God created, but I promise that it will shape your whole theology of life's purpose, sin, and grace (especially if you get Creation wrong). Furthermore, it's a pretty obvious question that a lost person might want to ask you someday. "So, you're telling me God made all things, but why exactly did he create?" Then you can say, "Well, it's not because he needed to or accidentally created. Actually, He just thought it would be a really good thing for him do so, and the great part is how much he loves all that he created."

-Matt