Beginning at the Beginning

Introduction

Today I am starting a bible study. What better place to start then at the beginning... Genesis.

The book of Genesis lays the structure for all the major themes we find throughout the rest of the Bible.

Creation, Sin, Judgment, Sacrifice, Death, Law, Grace, Faith, Salvation and Family, to name just a few.

The two most important truths that we begin to discover in the Book of Genesis are the Character of God and the Attributes of God. If we start by laying a faulty foundation in either of these two areas then there is little stability, comfort, or security in our world view. When Christian teachers start allowing anything that is inconsistent regarding the character and the attributes of God to affect their interpretation of Scripture then a confusing, muddled, mixture of law and grace is the fruit.

When they know no better they think they are walking in a decent amount of clarity, but believe that they must accept several mysteries that just can't be understood in this life. That is a faulty foundation.

We are Beginning at the Beginning again to show that many of the things traditional Christianity describes as mysteries, are really nothing more than inconsistent thinking which begins to destroy the character and attributes of God. However, if our primary motivation is to uphold the character and attributes of God then a consistent and clear understanding of God's Grace is the fruit.

Traditional Christianity teaches that we must choose to cooperate with grace and that we are given just enough grace to help us make this choice. However, Scripture reveals something else.

Scripture reveals a grace so powerful, that when sin increases, grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20). A grace which is abundantly given to us by God so that we may have all sufficiency in everything, and may have an abundance for every good deed (2 Cor. 9:8). A grace which has been lavished on us (Eph.1:8).

The purpose of this study is not to cover every detail and every question ad infinitum. Instead, our focus is to once again lay a foundation. A foundation which upholds God's character and attributes, as well as clearly outlines His plan for the ages.

Let's begin...

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning...

Here are a few other powerful examples of beginnings:

But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. (Mark 10:6)

We see here that it appears Jesus thought the male/female relationship was the norm.

Next we have two very interesting examples:

for the devil sins from the beginning. (1 Jn. 3:8)

John the apostle says the devil sinned from the beginning.

he (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning (Jn. 8:44)

Jesus says the devil was a murderer from the beginning.

Traditional Christian teaching says the devil was created a perfect angel and through his own free will chose to rebel and sin. They get this idea from the following scriptures:

Isaiah 14:12-22 However, the first eleven verses of this passage make it clear these verses are talking about the king of Babylon.

Ezekiel 28:12-19 This passage is clearly telling us about the king of Tyre.

Why do traditional Christian scholars take these two passages which are clearly talking about two earthly kings and allegorize them so that they are describing the devil? Since they believe in everlasting torment God cannot be responsible for making the devil a sinner and murderer from the beginning. This would also make God a monster and be the one who is responsible for sending people to everlasting torment. Therefore, the devil had to have free will and decide on his own to sin and rebel. They believe this relieves God of any responsibility. But in doing this they seriously weaken the very foundation of God’s character and attributes. He is not truly sovereign. He is not Lord over Satan. He is not truly omnipotent (all powerful), because He is not powerful enough to make sure His will is done. He is not truly omniscient (all knowing), because He could not know this was going to happen. If He did then He would be responsible for allowing it to happen.

Here is the sure foundation:

God has temporarily subjected the creation to futility (Romans 8:20) and has temporarily bound up all men in disobedience (Romans 11: 32)

God is completely sovereign over everything, especially the devil. He is all powerful. Nothing can or will resist His will (Ephesians 1:11).

He is all knowing. I make known the end from the beginning (Isaiah 45:9-10).

Not only is He all knowing, but He is all causing:

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. (Prov. 16:4)

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things (Is. 45:7)

For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly , and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. (Josh. 11:20)

For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion . So then it is not of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of God that sheweth mercy . For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up , that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth . Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault ? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God ? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (Rom. 9:15-21)

God is the cause of All Things. God is truly sovereign. God is all powerful. God is all knowing. God is love. God establishes perfect justice, making all things right again. The complete character and all the attributes of God can be upheld when we see that He is completely victorious. Not one will be lost, even if they think they want to be. The outcome is that God will once again become All in All ( I Cor. 15:28). His will… will be done!