Creation

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." ~John 1:1-3 (KJV)

I really enjoyed the first half of the chapter on creation in Cornelius Plantinga's book Engaging God's World. In this chapter Plantinga describes the life of God within the trinity and God's act in creation.

I find the doctrine of the trinity to be extremely interesting. The very idea of three persons within the same essence or being is impossible to wrap the mind around. What is far more interesting to me, though, is God's relationship within the trinity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Plantinga describes it this way: "The persons within God exalt each other, commune with each other, defer to one another. Each person, so to speak, makes room for the other two." So God, who is worthy of all honor, praise, and glory, is humble and selfless, and we see this in the trinity. Just by way of comparison, by nature, if any of us was (hypothetically) worthy of all honor, praise, and glory (which we by no means are..), we would selfishly claim it for ourselves. God, however, is not this way; rather he gives himself to himself within the trinity, and then He also extends that gift of Himself to His people by way of His covenant promise. So now, we have God selflessly giving Himself to His people, and then we, only by His grace, selflessly give of ourselves to Him (but remember again that is only because He causes us to do it by His Spirit in us, if left to ourselves we would have none of it but would do the opposite.)


Next, Plantinga talked about the Creation. He did a tremendously good job describing the creation in all of its glory, and also of God's love for that creation. I like these words that Plantinga uses: "In creation we find creatures of wondrous particularity - each of them, and all of them, a display of God's inventiveness and love." The extent of God's inventiveness is infinite. That is entirely amazing! When I lay on my back and stare at the stars it always strikes me that God's depth is infinite. And when you think about that, and then think about the fact that God chose this cosmos with this time line of history, over all of the potential ones (I speak hypothetically again), you can see the scope of God's love. As it were, God chose this creation of His out of infinity! (and then on top of that He chose His people out from among the world!) God loves His Creation dearly, and all the more He loves His people! What an assuring thought!