In Genesis 1:1, the very first verse of the Bible, we see something amazing about our God. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Our God is a creator God. He is the reason we have everything that exists, everything we have seen and everything we have yet to discover. He is truly an awesome God. As we continue to go through the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2 we see so many unique and important things about His creation, especially in regard to mankind. One of those important things to notice can be found in Genesis 1:27. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” God made mankind in His own image. Out of all of His creation mankind was special. God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath of life. (Genesis 2:7). God then took a rib from Adam’s side and made woman. (Genesis 2:21-22). Mankind was so special to God and God had a plan and a purpose for His special creation.
When God formed mankind He gave us all free will. He gave to us the ability to make choices. He also gave mankind law. (Genesis 2:15-16). God wanted His creation to choose Him. He wanted us to love Him and keep His commandments. But God knew what mankind would choose. In Genesis 3:6 we see Adam and Eve eating of the tree in the midst of the garden, the very same tree that God had told them not to eat. Adam and Eve had sinned against God, and as God had told them in Genesis 2:15-16, they deserved death.
But you see, God had a plan before the foundation of the world to send His Son to pay the price for our sins. (1Peter 1:19-21). Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of our sins and rose from the grave giving us an opportunity to rise up in Him. (Romans 5:8, Romans 6:3-6).
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus gives us the opportunity to be born again, John 3:1-21, and have our sins washed away. (1Peter 3:21). As those that have been saved from our sins we need to realize that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10). We are to be working for Christ everyday of our lives. If we stumble and fall along the way and find ourselves living in sin we have the opportunity to go before God confessing and repenting of our sins, knowing that He will forgive us. (1 John 1:9). In Christ there are so many blessings. It is great to know that we have been clearly and cleanly created in Christ Jesus.
Derek Broome