There has been much debate over the issue of creation. When you boil it all down, the issue falls into two categories: Is matter eternal, or was it created?
According to the passage above, matter cannot be eternal, in the sense of being timeless, for there is no before or after with that which is timeless. And if there is no before or after with matter, then it would be impossible for it to be one way before and another way after. Therefore, if matter changes at all, it cannot be eternal. Matter could not have existed forever, for if matter is bound to time, but has existed forever, then it would have an infinite past. But if matter has an infinite past, it could never have reached the present. If it has reached the present, the past cannot be infinite. Therefore, matter cannot be eternal, but it is bound to time, and it originated at some point in time.
How did matter get here? “In the beginning God created. . .” God is uncreated. He is eternal, timeless, and immutable. God created the universe out of nothing, that is, without the use of any existing materials, since there were no existing materials present when He created.
When science and biblical revelation collide and appear to be in conflict, biblical revelation must always win out since it comes from a timeless, infinite and eternal God.
Therefore, we hold true that there was a time when matter did not exist. It was not until, “God said, ‘Let there be. . .’” (Gen. 1) that matter had its beginning.
Now, let me throw this one out: When God rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2), did He rest from creating something out of nothing? We know that God still creates -- every person, animal, plant and insect that comes into the world for the first time is a creation of God. But God uses existing matter to create and form. Still, since God rested on the seventh day, did He rest from His work of creating something out of nothing?
I think not. Here’s why. When God created matter out of nothing, we could classify that as an absolute miracle! No possible way something created out of nothing could have taken place by chance.
Now then, is God still in the business of performing miracles? What is a miracle? “A miracle is a less common kind of God's activity in which He arouses people's awe and wonder and bears witness to Himself.”
What is a common kind of activity by God? To create something from something. What is a less common kind of God’s activity? To create something out of nothing. Therefore, a miracle is a less common kind of God’s activity, in which He still does, in order to arouse people’s awe and wonder designed to bear witness to Himself.
This is why it is vitally important to take literally the first miracle recorded in the Bible - “In the beginning God created (something out of nothing) the heavens and the earth.” If we cannot embrace this first miracle by God, then we have not only placed limits on God, but we also have to agree that history and the future has no purpose or plan. We all should embrace secularism, and eat, drink and be merry, for all is vanity.
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