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Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed

Lesson 6

God the Father, and Our Creation

SUMMARY: God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father. By his sovereign power, He rules persons and things, guides and governs them with divine wisdom, and presides over the unfolding of the history of the world.

After having created the world, God conserves it by his Providence, and gives each man life, breath, and all good things.

I can therefore entrust myself to Him in all peace and confidence, not doubting that He will care for me each day, and guide me along a sure road to eternal life.

Knowing that all things come to me by means of his Fatherly hand, and that no person or thing can separate me from his love, I can be thankful in prosperity and patient in difficulty, because his power is often hidden under suffering and his blessing under trials.

Bible readings: Monday, Question 38: 1–2; Tuesday, Question 38: 3–4; Wednesday, Question 39: 1, 2; Thursday, Question 39: 3, and Question 40: 1; Friday, Question 40: 2–3; Saturday, Question 40: 4–5.

34. Why do you call God “the Father”?

I call Him Father because I believe that God is the Father of Jesus Christ, who was begotten by Him before all time. When He came into this world, God declared Him his own Son.

But I also believe that out of his love for Jesus Christ his Son, my Savior, God is also my God and my Father. Jesus Christ alone is the natural Son of God; we are not. He alone can say “My Father!” We may call Him Father thanks to Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus is the unique and “natural” Son of God; we are his children by adoption.

. . . God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who are under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons; and because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:4–6

For you have not received the spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12–13

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of his will. Ephesians 1:5

35. How do you understand the proposition “God is almighty”?

In calling God almighty, I do not mean that He has all power without exercising it, but that He holds everything in his hand and under his sovereign rule. I believe that He guides the world by his providence, that He causes all things to conform to his will, and governs every creature according to his good pleasure.

The power of God could not be inactive. I believe that it moves continually in the world, so that nothing happens without it and apart from the Divine will.

Bible Readings:

1. God nourishes his people from the height of heaven: Exodus 16:4–21.

2. The splendor of the power of God: Job 36:22 and 37.

3. The splendor of the power of God: Job 38.

4. The splendor of the power of God: Job 39.

5. The splendor of the power of God: Job 40.

6. The splendor of the power of God: Job 41 and 42.6.

36. What benefit to you is faith in God’s omnipotence?

It allows me to entrust myself to Him, and not to doubt that He takes care of me and everything I need, both in body and soul.

This faith in God’s omnipotence also allows me to believe that He will turn to good all the evils that may come to me on earth. For He is able to do it, being almighty God, and willing being a faithful Father.

And He said to his disciples “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! Luke 12:22–24

Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:9–11

. . . my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . . Genesis 50:20

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God. Romans 8:28

Bible Reading:

1. The Lord is great and worthy of praise: Psalm 145:13–21.

37. Why do you add that He is “Creator of Heaven and earth”?

Because God, the Eternal Father, created from nothing the Heaven and the earth with everything in them, and He upholds and governs them still by his eternal counsel and providence.

The expression “the Heaven and the earth,” means all creatures, because they are all either in Heaven or on earth.

God has shown Himself to us by his works. We must seek Him in them, because our understanding is not capable of “comprehending” God. Our world is thus like a mirror in which we can contemplate the invisible perfections of God to the degree that it is beneficial for us to know them.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts. Psalm 33:6

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Bible Readings:

1. The Creation: Genesis 1.

2. The heavens declare the glory of God: Psalm 19:2–7.

3. The excellent name of God: Psalm 8.

4. The Lord is clothed with splendor and majesty: Psalm 104.

Nevertheless, we must be aware of the fact that God did not create the world exactly as we now see it. God’s marvelous creation has been marred by sin, so that the world as we see it is on the one hand the product of his work of creation and on the other, the destructive work of sin.

Everything we see in the world that cannot be attributed to God must be attributed to sin. For example, death, which is the wage of sin (Cf. Gen.2:17; Rom. 5:12, 21; 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:56). Pests, parasites, microbes, the struggle between animals are the result of the destructive activity of sin on creatures created good and perfect (cf. Gen. 1:29–30; 3:17–18; 6:11–12; Dt. 28:15–62; Rom. 5:12–17, 8:20–22.).

38. Does the word “Creator” also therefore include the providence of God?

Yes, by calling God “Creator,” we do not mean that after creating the world, God today abandons it to itself, relinquishing care of it. On the contrary he preserves it right now, immediately, so that heaven, earth, and every creature exists each day only by his power.

God thus holds all things in his hands. He governs and rules all of them. Creation necessarily implies providence: “If He should determine to do so, if He should gather his Spirit and his breath to Himself, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.” (Job 34:14–15).

God said to Noah, “While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

. . . He did not leave himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. Acts 14:17

Bible Readings:

1. God directs the course of history: Acts 17:24–28.

2. God answers our prayers with works of power: Psalm 65.

3. The omnipresence and omniscience of God: Psalm 139:1–18 and Job 9:10–11.

4. God knows what we need: Matthew 6:25–34.

39. But what should we think of evil men, of unbelievers, and of devils? Do we say that they also are under his control?

Without guiding them by his Holy Spirit, God nevertheless holds them in check by his power. He “puts the brakes” on them, so that they cannot act without his permission. He constrains them so that they execute his will, and He brings good out of their evil, against their intent and their own will. Satan himself is bound so that he offers obedience to God.

Seeing that “He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25), it follows that no creature can do anything apart from his holy will.

Bible Readings:

1. God gives Satan permission to strike Job in his family relations, his goods, his health: Job 1:6–12 and 2:1–6.

2. God gives power to Pagan Cyrus to overwhelm nations, in order to accomplish through him his work of mercy and justice: Isaiah 45:1–8.

3. God reigns also over unbelievers: Job 12:13–25.

40. What use to you is this knowledge of the creation and of the providence of God?

It would be terrible unhappiness for us if unbelievers and demons, persecutors and rogues could act despite the will of God! Under those circumstances how could we have the least peace, that is, if we were exposed without defense to their evil plans?

But, when we know that God holds them in check so that they can do nothing apart from his will, and that no creature can separate us from his love or his protection, we can be patient in difficulty and very grateful in prosperity. In everything that comes or can come to us we continue to trust our faithful God and Father: because his power is often hidden under suffering and his blessing under trials. John Calvin said when he was dying, “You strike me Lord, but I am satisfied because it comes from your hand!”

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and he will do it. Psalm 37:5

The Lord gives, the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord! Job 1:21

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose . . . for I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28, 38–39

And not only this but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope. Romans 5:3–4

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2–3

Thou hast seen it, for thou beheld mischief and vexation to take it into thy hand. Psalm 10:14

Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and likewise many, even so, they will be cut off and pass way. Though I have afflicted, I will afflict you no longer. Nahum 1:12

In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Bible Readings:

1. God chastens us for our good, in order to make us participants in his holiness: Hebrews 12:4–11.

2. By faith, we never lose courage: 2 Corinthians 4:7–18.

3. God teaches us by suffering: Job 36:1–21.

4. Taste and see that the Lord is good!: Psalm 34.

5. Praise the Lord!: Psalm 148.