Chapter 4 What Is Creation?
Attached is a pdf of the study guide Chapter 4 of Grudem’s book.
Additional resources not included in the above pdf are given below.
The abandoned filling (gas) station in Oklahoma has a very interesting history as disclosed in the signage visible in the photograph given in the pdf:
A timeline of the Enlightenment is given below (attributed to Steven Hicks, 2004):
Perhaps the most public proponent in modern times of the powerful claims off the Enlightenment, certainly with respect to Cosmology, was the late Carl Sagan. His fingerprints and message are literally now drifting beyond our Solar System into the vast expanse of our Milky Way Galaxy on both NASA Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft. Below is the image he and his then wife created as a means for communicating with any alien encounter as to who we were and where we are. A simple search of the internet can find a full explanation of what all the imagery was to represent. Most clearly, at the bottom, is a picture of our Solar System, showing the pathway of the Pioneer spacecraft past Mars, Jupiter, and Venus before exiting. The various other markings carry very sophisticated indicators of where our Sun is located in the Milky Way and size perspective of the humans.
Sagan’s video series on the Cosmos is widely available and has been very influential in part because of his celebrity fame, good looks, and great oratorical skills. However, Scripture makes clear that all flesh is like grass, it withers and dies, and then comes the Judgment by God. It is perhaps useful, given Dr. Sagan’s visual fame, to glimpse him near the end of his days, at age 62:
His is our common earthly destiny. Only God knows whether we will share his eternal one, although Dr. Sagan never appeared to make a profession of Faith of any kind, let alone in the Atoning Work of Jesus Christ.
The Westminster Confession and Catechism are cornerstone documents of the Reformation, dating to about 1645. The first question and answer of the Long Catechism is especially relevant to our emphasis in Grudem’s Chapter 4 because it deals with the goodness of God and our eternal delight in Him. Below are some additional Scriptural references from that Catechism:
[1] Psalm 86. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
Isaiah 60:21. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
Romans 11:36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 6:20, 10:31. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s…. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Revelation 4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
2 Isaiah 60:21. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
Romans 11:36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
3 [2] Psalm 16:5-11. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 144:15. Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
Isaiah 12:2. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Luke 2:10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Philippians 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Revelation 21:3-4. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Finally, Stephen Charnock was a great Puritan scholar who wrote many works, all published after his death, that have greatly benefited the Reformed Faith for more than three Centuries. He is most uniquely regarded for his writings of the goodness of God. A mini-biography of his life (by William Symington) is attached below:
life-and-character-of-charnock