Gen. 1:1,21,27 Is. 40:25,26 Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:15,16

Essential for eternal life, Jn. 17:3-5 Essential to true worship, Jn. 4:20-24; Acts 17:22-25 Essential to morality, 1 Pet. 1:13-16 Essential to offset atheism, false gods (Hinduism, Islam, Mormonism) false doctrine, ignorance

“Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Ps. 90:2). Who made the stars? Did they make themselves; one make another, or did a father star baby stars? Stars had no will – they were caused!

Something cannot come from nothing Something exists Therefore – something always was Non-intelligence cannot create intelligence Intelligence exists Therefore what created it was intelligent Everybody believes something is eternal!

Some say – for the sake of His creatures, others say – for His own sake Both: to manifest His glory (Ps. 19:1), and to be glorified (Is. 43:7) Best answer – He wanted to Ps. 115:3 – “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” Rev. 4:11 – “You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

“It seems clear from Scripture that God wants to receive glory from the moral creatures made in his own image, and that this is the primary purpose for creation… God’s highest purpose in creation – to be glorified – is fulfilled in the highest way through the creation of persons in his own image, personal beings who can acknowledge God’s glory as manifested in his works…” (pg. 126,127).

God chose to make man in His own image, Gen. 1:26,27 He could have made a robot – with no choice, but He didn’t! Who am I, and why am I here? Cannot be answered separate from creation God is a Being with choice – So am I!

“Unless we know God as the Creator of all things, we do not know the true God” (Cottrell, p. 95) Gen. 1:1; Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16 From nothing – nothing comes, but we begin with God, Heb. 11:3 Rom. 4:17 – The Word had only to speak, Ps. 33:6-9

God loved Jesus before the foundation of the world, Jn. 17:24 God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, Eph. 1:4 Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1:20 Ps. 90:2; Prov. 8:22-31

“The idea that God is the Creator of all things is the indispensable foundation on which the other beliefs of the Christian faith are based” (p. 143). Foundation of worship, Ps. 33:6-9; 95:6; Rev. 4:11 Foundation of ethics, Jer. 11:7; Jn. 14:15