Creator Revealed (Part 4)

Here is the 4th part of a series of blogs discussing the idea that,  who God is - is revealed to us generally in His creation.  This is based on a section of Marc Driscoll's book Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe, specifically found in Chapter 3, God Makes: Creation.

If you haven't already done so, you should read on how God is revealed in creation to be, 

(part 1)   - 1) a single Being, and 2) the perfect unity of three in that One

(part 2)   - 3) eternally uncaused, 4) living and active, and 5) independent

(part 3)   - 6) transcendent, and 7) immanent;

Each of these discussion is somewhat progressive and building to understanding the others, so again they are worth reading in order.  Especially if you still see some of them as contradictory to the others OR don't even have a clue what might be meant by these terms.

In this portion, we'll take a look at how God is revealed by creation to be, 

8) personal, 9) powerful, and 10) beautiful. 

Here's Driscoll's bit on it...

Let's flesh all that out some!

Consider that God is not just a mere person only but truly personal and really the personality that all else extends from and responds to. The Lord is truly a unique being and unimpressionable by any other. Instead, His impression remains upon His creation, fingerprints and tell-tale signs of His distinct nature are to be seen throughout creation.  Yet, He neither requires such expression or appreciation of it to define His existence.  Look at the orderly design of creation, look at the consistency of nature, 'consider the Heavens' and know that they all declare not just the majesty and glory of the Lord - but who He is.  It is one thing to know about someone, fact/figures as such as this can also be done about a thing - it is an entirely different thing altogether to actually know someone as in the continuing expression of their personality to yours.  Thankfully this interaction with God which is made so only generally by creation, is more  specifically accomplished by the revelation of God's Word and His Son, and personally even to intimacy by the indwelling personality of God's Spirit working within each believer.

The very unique character of God is shown not just as a faceless power as a part creation but rather as powerful in His expression and work in creation and us.  There is a very clear difference between the electricity as a force, what the electricity does in its working, even how it works, and ultimately that it even is able to do this by its very nature.  As a being who needs not for anything else to be powerful and is able to do as He will, the Lord is the very definition of powerful.  His powerful nature is exhibited by the creation of that which was not brought out of nothing by His sheer command. Even more than this, His power is not spent, diminished or extinguished in that process OR even separated from the creation.  It is this very power and glory that constantly sustains the creation and will one day bring about its end. True power is in this, that the Lord can and does as He desires even now within creation without limitation.  This is unlike those within creation who are steadfastly held by its otherwise immutable laws.  How then can this be any different in our lives as believers except that His power is the only power that works for our good, according to His plan.

He is not just beauty alone, as if a thing to be beheld and judged from the limited view of any one particular eye.  Rather He is the very definition of beautiful from which the existence of the great variety in expressive forms springs forth.  When we express creatively and artistically, we are merely exposing and mimicking the majestic work of God first expressed by Him in the very act and artistry of creation.  We are copying the same forms and methods, colors and sounds, already available through creation - but He provided these very things from a divine imagination relying on nothing else.  More than this then is that He is expressing that very essence and mastery of the beautiful as He creates within each of us a a renewed heart, mind, and soul which can more purely reflect that ultimate beauty of His glory.

The greatest expression of this personal, powerful, and beautiful nature of God is of course found in the incarnation of such as the Christ.  The very direct connection of the Almighty personality to creation is found in the pierced hands reaching out from eternity into our very lives.  The most powerful expression of His desire for a personal relationship is shown in taking on Himself the sins of all and overcoming death and hell for any who will but believe on this power for their salvation.  So, the truly beautiful life is expressed in seeking and living out the revelation of the Creator as shown in His creation, read and heard from His Word, and with the Holy Spirit guiding and directing.