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The First Gospel Truth in Contrast

One God, One Creator

To represent God and the rest of reality, monism draws one, all-inclusive circle.  Theism draws two circles: a smaller circle represents everything except God, and a larger circle represents God himself.  Christians do not believe that God is his creation. God had no beginning.  Creation did.  Even if we could understand all there is to know about creation, we would not fully discover God.  The Bible warns us not to worship the creation, but to worship and serve only the Creator.  The starting point of Gospel truth is that God the Creator, in the three persons of the divine Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is the one and only God, and that all which is not God was created by Him.

The Christian faith maintains a separateness between God and His creation.  We will never become God, and God remains the sovereign Lord.  God says to Israel, “You thought I was altogether like you” (Ps. 50: 21) and reminds them: “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Is. 55:8).  Of course, Christians do become united to God, in a personal relationship, but neither abandons their identity in the union of deep love.

Unlike monism, the Christian faith can explain why human beings are people and not rocks; why we can sing, love, paint and write poetry.  God is personal and made men and women to reflect his personal nature.  When we listen to God’s written word of revelation we discover the path he opens for us to become united to him in eternal love.

A friend related this story. “I once stood before a glorious, shimmering waterfall with someone who believes God is too great to be personal.  We both had an overwhelming sense of worship as we stood awed by the sparkling wall of water that hung half-frozen in the crisp air.  They said, “You have a very comfortable position as a Christian.””  And they were right.  Christians are at home in the universe. God made us.  God made everything else, and he put us here to know and please Him.

The church acknowledges God’s supreme position in its confession “to God alone be the glory.”

Gospel Truth Number One: Questions

How do you know, from the Bible, that God is separate from what He made? (See Gen. 1:1; Job 41: 10-11; Ps. 24: 1-2; 30: 1-6; 10-12)

How can we acknowledge God’s distinct character in our church worship and in our daily lives? (See Prov. 3: 5-6; Rev. 4:11; 5: 12-13)

If we are not a part of the earth, why should we be concerned about it? (See Gen. 1: 28; Hos. 4: 1-3)