”Maker of Heaven and Earth” and the Grace of Creation

Genesis 1:1-2:3 - The creed declares God to be "maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible," and thus declares the natural outflow of who God is as life-giving Father almighty. In considering God as creator, we are pushed to consider Him as loving provider of free gifts of grace. A sermon by Cameron Heger. [Part 4 of our series "The Nicene Creed: The Ancient Theology of the Triune God"] Questions for reflection: 1) Cameron mentioned that God has always been trinity, Father (and Son and Spirit), and almighty, but that He was not always "creator." What does this tell us about Him? 2) Theologian T.F. Torrance once wrote, “Far from grudging the creation’s existence and reality beyond himself, God freely brought it into being out of his sheer liberality, in order to lavish his love upon it.” Is this how you think of God as creator? Why or why not? 3) How does Genesis 1 speak of the overflowing love of God in its depiction of creation? 4) How does this creator God relate to His now fallen, sin-stained creation? 5) How does the Christian doctrine of creation help us avoid worshipping creation OR abusing/denigrating creation?