What is the creation story in the Bible?

"The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." —Genesis 1:2 (NLT)

The creation story in the Bible is found in the first book, Genesis, in chapters 1 and 2. It's the story of how God created everything in our known universe.

The fact that we have an intelligent Creator is proof that we're not accidentally generated spawn—that we were created with a purpose. And that our sovereign God doesn't start anything without a plan.

Before the Beginning

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." —Genesis 1:1

The very first line of the Bible tells us that God existed already at the beginning of our existence's story. While it can be hard to understand, God had no beginning. He was never born. He has always existed.

The creation story also makes it clear that God has always existed as God the Father (Genesis 1:1), God the Son (Colossians 1:16), and God the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2). This is one of the ways we can understand the triune nature of God.

God's Plan for Creation

Have you ever gone through a "shelter-in-place," fire, tornado, or other emergency drill at school? If so, you probably realize schools do this so everyone has a clear plan to follow in the event of an emergency and to avoid confusion. God always has a clear plan because He's not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). And He proved it in the way He created everything. Take a look:

• Day 1: God creates water (Genesis 1:2), then He creates time by beginning a measurable and predictable pattern of light (day and night) (Genesis 1:3-5).
• Day 2: God creates the earth's atmosphere (Genesis 1:6-8).
• Day 3: God creates dry land and plants, then separates the seas (Genesis 1:9-13).
• Day 4: God creates stars, planets, sun, and moon (Genesis 1:14-19).
• Day 5: God creates life for the skies and sea (Genesis 1:20-23).
• Day 6: God creates all other animal life as well as humans (Genesis 1:24-31).
• Day 7: God stops His work because His creation design is complete and good (Genesis 2:1-3).

Notice that God created the two great needs of life on day 1: water and light. And He didn't create animals before He created the plants they would need so they could survive. God is a great God who plans even the smallest details so everything He creates may be fulfilled and thrive in its existence.

Can creation & evolutionary theory* coexist?

Becoming a Christian in my teenage years required me to really look at everything through new eyes of faith. In switching to a Christian worldview, one of the challenging areas for me was the idea of evolution*. My teachers had taught me for years that everything came about by one big, disorganized accident. Over time, I've realized that's not what Scripture says at all.

Some people support the idea of "theistic evolution," meaning that they believe God used an evolutionary process to make everything. The problem is that there can be no friendship between the theory of evolution and an intelligent Creator. Evolution is a theory that exists to explain everything without God.

Looking at the creation story of Genesis 1-2, we discover that God was actively and intentionally involved in every step. Creation says that all types of primates were created, and humans were also created. Adam and Eve didn't develop from a separate species (Genesis 2:7; 2:22). Similarities in physicality and likenesses do not equal ancestors—but rather a common Designer. And He is a Designer who found the perfect way to create each living thing.

Being Created Means We Have Purpose

"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." —Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Genesis 3 tells of how Adam and Eve's actions invited sin into their hearts. But that didn't change anything about God's plan. Remember, God intentionally created every single thing and was aware of everything that would happen. He made the universe, our planet, and even YOU with a purpose.

He knew Adam and Eve would allow the serpent to deceive them. He knew humankind would continue to run from Him. And yet, because He loves us despite our tendency to sin, He had a plan in place to restore our relationship with Him (John 3:16-17). This is what we call the gospel of Jesus.

God knows every part of His creation—from a tiny sparrow to every person who has, does, and will ever exist (Matthew 6:26; Jeremiah 1:5). He knows you right now, and He created you to have a relationship with Him. He knows you're not perfect, and He sent His Son to offer humanity forgiveness. His ultimate purpose for your life is that you would be saved from your sin (1 Timothy 2:3-4), live a life of purposeful joy and fulfillment, and to spend eternity with Him forever.

"Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?" —Matthew 6:26 (NLT)

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* To be clear, we are NOT refering to MICRO-evolution, which is evolutionary change within a species or small group of organisms, especially over a short period of time. Micro-evolution is a proven and observable fact of nature. This article concerns the origin of LIFE from the beginning—whether living things originated from an intelligent Creator or if they developed out of a primordial soup over a span of billions of years.