What does Genesis 1:1 teach about how God created the universe?
Genesis 1:1 teaches that in the beginning God called out of nothing both heaven and earth. The universe did not originate from pre-existing matter; God Himself brought it into being. This creation is linked to the Word, who was with God and was God, showing the Son's involvement.
Les explains that Genesis 1:1 is the foundation: "in the beginning, God called out of nothing, heaven and earth." He connects this with John 1:1, where "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:14 says "the Word was made flesh" and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Les then points to Colossians 1, where Paul writes of the Father delivering us from darkness and translating us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image, that which can be seen and touched. So Genesis 1:1's creation of heaven and earth is tied to the Word, the Son, Christ.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
More Questions
What happened between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?
Les teaches that something terrible happened between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, causing an interruption, and that God had to destroy it with a flood.
How does the New Testament describe the creation event found in Genesis 1?
The New Testament treats the same creation event as Genesis 1, and John uses the same 'in the beginning' language that Moses used.