Creation of the World Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Know how the Bible describes the origin of all things and who it was that made our world. (Genesis 1:1 and 2; John 1:1-3)

   Answer: Gen 1:1: 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.' Jn 1:1-3: through the Word (Christ), all things were made. God is the Creator. — Gen 1:1 is the opening verse of the Bible. 'Created' (bara in Hebrew) means to create from nothing - exclusive to God. Jn 1:1-3 identifies Christ (the Word, Logos) as the creative agent. Col 1:16 and Heb 1:2 confirm that everything was made 'by Him and for Him'. Trinitarian doctrine: the Father planned, the Son executed, the Spirit sustains.

2. Understand what Hebrews 11:3 teaches about how God created the universe, even without using visible or pre-existing matter.

   Answer: Heb 11:3: 'by faith we understand that the universe was formed by the word of God, so that what is seen came from what is invisible'. Creation ex nihilo (from nothing). — Ex nihilo (Latin 'from nothing') is classic Christian doctrine - God did not use pre-existing material. He creates by His word: 'God said... and it was so'. A contrast with pagan myths (primordial chaos). Scientifically, the concept aligns with modern physicists: the universe had a definite beginning. Romans 4:17 reinforces it: 'who calls into being things that were not'.

3. Know the way in which God created all things. (Psalm 33:9)

   Answer: Ps 33:9: 'for He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm'. God created by the spoken word - the divine fiat. A direct command, an immediate effect. — 'Fiat lux' (Gen 1:3) - God said 'let there be light' and there was light. The doctrine of the divine fiat: command === instantaneous effect. In Gen 1, 'God said' is repeated 10 times before each creative act. Ps 148:5 confirms it: 'He commanded, and they were created'. There is no gradual process - creative omnipotence is manifested in the direct word of God.

4. State what order God gave to the first human beings He created. (Genesis 1:27-28)

   Answer: Gen 1:28: 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish, the birds, and the animals.' The cultural mandate to procreate and care. — The cultural mandate - the first divine command to humanity. It includes: procreation ('be fruitful'), expansion ('fill the earth'), responsible dominion ('subdue it' = cultivate/care for, Hebrew kabash). It is not predatory exploitation - Adam tended the garden (Gen 2:15). The biblical basis for environmental stewardship and human responsibility over creation on planet Earth.

5. Explain how long God took to create the world and everything in it. (Genesis 2:1-2; Exodus 20:11)

   Answer: Six literal 24-hour days. Gen 2:1-2: on the 7th day He finished and rested. Ex 20:11 confirms it: 'in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth'. The 7th day = the Sabbath. — The SDA Church (Seventh-day Adventist Church) position: creation in 6 literal consecutive days, the basis of the biblical Sabbath. Ex 20:11 (the 4th commandment) links the Sabbath directly to creation. 'Evening and morning' (Gen 1:5,8...) defines a 24-hour day. Biblical geology explains fossils by the flood (Gen 6-9), not by long geological ages. Adventists believe in literal creation.

6. Memorize and state which things were created by God on each of the six days of creation. (Genesis 1)

   Answer: Day 1: light. Day 2: the firmament (sky/waters). Day 3: land/seas/plants. Day 4: sun/moon/stars. Day 5: fish/birds. Day 6: land animals + humans. — The structure of Gen 1 organizes creation into 6 days with parallelism: days 1-3 separate (light/darkness, sky/waters, land/sea) and days 4-6 fill (luminaries, fish/birds, animals/humans). The 7th day: rest (the Sabbath). Each day ends with 'And God saw that it was good'. On the 6th day: 'very good'. Fundamental for memorizing the sequence.

7. Share with a friend how Paul expresses the total dependence that we all have on God. (Acts 17:28)

   Answer: Acts 17:28: 'in Him we live and move and have our being'. Paul says that we depend totally on God for life, movement, and existence. Share it with a friend. — Paul's speech at the Areopagus in Athens, quoting Greek poets (Epimenides and Aratus) to connect with the pagan philosophers. It shows God as both immanent (near) and transcendent (creator). Radical dependence: breathing, heartbeat, and continuous movement. Col 1:17 reinforces it: 'in Him all things hold together'. Practical application: daily gratitude for being alive.

8. During a campout or hike, choose three elements of nature that, in your understanding, represent God as Creator, and present a practical application of each one to the group.

   Answer: On a campout, choose 3: a tree (firmness/the roots of faith), a river (constancy/life in Christ), a mountain (stability/refuge in God). Present a practical application. — The activity connects created nature with spiritual lessons (biblical parallelism). A planted tree = Ps 1:3. A river of living water = Jn 7:38. A mountain = Ps 121:1. Others: a star (light in the world, Mt 5:14), a bird (God's care, Mt 6:26), a rock (Christ our rock, 1 Cor 10:4). Presenting orally to the group trains Christian witness.

9. Learn and sing, individually or with your unit, a hymn that speaks about creation or about the Creator.

   Answer: Sing a hymn about creation: 'How Great Thou Art' (SDA Hymnal 9), 'How Great You Are' (SDA Hymnal 12), or 'I Surrender All' (SDA Hymnal 250). Present it individually or as a unit. — 'How Great Thou Art' is the most-sung hymn worldwide about creation - written by Carl Boberg (Sweden, 1885). SDA Hymnal = the Adventist Hymnal. 'How Great You Are' highlights divine greatness. Singing as a unit strengthens unity and collective worship. You can use an instrument (guitar/keyboard) or sing a cappella, according to the abilities available in the club.