The Doctrines of Creation and Man

Chris Patton
October 2, 2022
Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:18-28
Sermon Recap PDF

Genesis 1:26–28

[26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

[27] So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

[28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)

Genesis 2:18–25

[18] Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” [19] Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. [20] The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. [21] So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. [22] And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. [23] Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”

[24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. [25] And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. (ESV)

Introduction

• Review this post from Ligonier Ministries.

God is Creator Lord

In the beginning, the triune God freely created out of nothing the universe and everything in it by the word of his power, all for his own pleasure and the display of his glory. God declared the entirety of his creation to be very good – Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith

“creation establishes God’s lordship over all things….” – footnote in section 4 of the Statement of Faith

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. — Psalm 24:1–2 (ESV)

Created In God’s Image — Male and Female

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. — Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

• It is in God’s original created design of male and female that human beings gloriously reflect the image of God.

Men and women are both made in the image of God and are equal before him in dignity and worth. Gender, designated by God through our biological sex, is therefore neither incidental to our identity nor fluid in its definition, but is essential to our identity as male and female. — Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith

• Commend 2017 Nashville Statement

Marriage and Singleness

• Section 4 of the Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith gives a biblical perspective on gender. It also provides biblical perspective on marriage and singleness as well.

Men and Women: Equal In Dignity, Value and Worth

Men and Women: Distinct in Role and Function

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” — Genesis 2:15 (ESV)
“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” — Genesis 2:18 (ESV)
….for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. — Genesis 2:20 (ESV)

Husbands are to exercise headship sacrificially and with humility, and wives are to serve as helpers to their husbands, willingly supporting and submitting to their leadership. Together these complementary roles bring joy and blessing to each other and display the beauty of God’s purposes to the world. – Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith

Single men and women are no less able to enjoy and honor God and no less important to his purposes. They also are to give expression to God’s image in distinct and complementary ways, flourishing as his image bearers and bringing him glory in their singleness. – Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith

Questions for Discussion/Application

• Consider taking time, before the discussion, for each person to silently read for themselves section 4 of the Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
• In reading the Statement of Faith, is there anything that immediately stands out to you or encourages you that you want to share with the group?
• Take a few moments and discuss the Ligonier post mentioned on Sunday. What are your thoughts on what is said in this article?
• What does it look like, practically for us as believers to speak the truth with clarity and courage regarding these matters, yet also with grace and love? What challenges do we face as we seek to do so?
• What does it look for Christians, practically, to pursue biblical masculinity and femininity?
• How can pursuing biblical masculinity and femininity help us to be a light in these times?
• Consider taking time to pray for two things (1) Our example: That we as believers would adorn the gospel with a godly example of pursuing biblical masculinity and femininity (2) Our witness: That we would be faithful to proclaim the good news of the hope of the gospel to all around us and that we would be faithful to speak the truth with love.