The sermon by Eric Bechler focuses on the biblical account of creation as described in Genesis, emphasizing that God created the world in six literal days for His glory, and it was very good. The pinnacle of creation was human beings, made in the image of God, male and female. The sermon highlights the distinction between humans and other creatures through their reasonable and immortal souls. The body returns to dust after death, while the soul returns to God. The sermon discusses the purpose of human creation, which includes taking dominion over the earth and glorifying God. It also explores the concept of the law of God being written on human hearts, enabling them to know right from wrong. This understanding is essential for obedience to God, made possible through Christ's work. The sermon concludes by challenging listeners to reject secular explanations of human origins and embrace the truth that they are uniquely created and loved by God.

This morning we continue our focus on the creation. Last week our focus was on God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, creating out of nothing all things. For His glory, He did it in six literal days and it was very good. The focus of our paragraph this morning is related to the living creatures God created, specifically man and woman. I'd like to summarize quickly the progression of what was created through the first six days.

In day one, Earth, space, light out of darkness. Day two, the firmament dividing the waters and creating the atmosphere. Day three, dry land and vegetation, grass, herbs, seeds, trees, and fruit. Day four, the sun, moon, and stars. Day and night.

Day five, fish in the waters, birds in the skies, day six, land animals, man as male and female in the image of God, and day seven, the Sabbath day. As the confession states here, after God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female. From Genesis 1.27, that Asa read, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And God created man, the male, from the dust of the ground. In Genesis 2.7, the first half of that verse, the Lord God forms man of the dust of the ground.

And after time, God saw that it was not good that man was alone. In Genesis 2 18, and the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate for him. So then he made woman from the rib of a man, Genesis 2 22. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman and brought her unto the man.

So God created man, male and female, and this was the pinnacle of his creation. The world was created, it was filled with plants, it was filled with animals waiting for man to take dominion and to fill the earth. As our confession continues he created them with reasonable and immortal souls rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created. We have here two parts to man, the body made from the dust of the earth and the soul, the soul being immortal. Upon death the body returns to the earth and the soul to God.

Here are some scriptures related to this. In Genesis 2-7, the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Ecclesiastes 12-7, then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. We have Jesus speaking to one of the thieves on the cross with him from Luke 23-43 and Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee, today thou shalt be with me in paradise as we read that part of the confession here the word reasonable is used it was Seemed odd to me but it makes sense but I just wanted to touch on what is reasonable. Reasonable and immortal souls mean.

No Webster describes this as governed by reason, thinking, speaking or acting rationally according to the dictates of reason. So it's not so much about being reasonable in terms of acceptable or agreeable. It's about being able or being intellectually capable to reason, to think, and to evaluate. This differentiates us from other creatures and makes us able to fulfill the purposes for which we were created. And the confession continues, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created.

Well what is that life for which we were created? In part to take dominion. In Genesis 26 and 27, God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And if we look to the catechisms we reaffirm our chief aim.

Our chief aim is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Our paragraph continues now describing the conditions or the basis of our creation being made after the image of God and knowledge and righteousness and true holiness. We can look in Genesis 5-1. This is the book of the generations of Adam, in the day that God created man in the likeness of God made he him. Genesis 9-6, whoso shedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he man Colossians 3 10 and have put on the new man Which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

And finally in Ephesians 4.24, in that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. The final part of our paragraph this morning highlights that the law of God is written on our hearts and confirms our liberty of will. The paragraph continues, having the law of God written in their hearts, in power to fulfill it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change. From Romans 2, 14 and 15, for when the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscious also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. We have a picture of that liberty of their own will from Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse 29.

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions, many evil schemes or evil devices. And Paul in his letter to the Romans talks about transgressing God's laws from 1.32, who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only to do the same but have pleasure in them that do them. In Romans 1, 18-23, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like the corruptible man into birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. I found a Q&A session with John Piper who was talking about the law of God written on our hearts and he makes a couple of comments here I'd like to share. What he means is not that every Gentile unbeliever in the world knows all 600 commands in the first five books of the Bible.

What he means is that all human beings have sufficient knowledge of what is right and wrong written on their hearts, so that their consciences can accuse them or affirm them. And at the judgment day they will not be held accountable for what they have no knowledge of, no access to, but they have access to many things about right and wrong. I think we're on the right track here in Romans 2.15, because if you look back into chapter 1, he has been teaching this very thing already. He says in Romans 1.32 that they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death. That is exactly what he just said in 2.15.

They know the ordinance of God. So here are two great lessons for us that made me glad this question was asked in the first place. Real obedience to God, even though imperfect, is made possible through the work of Christ for all who believe in Him. God does the decisive work of taking out the heart of rebellion and putting in the heart that loves the commandments of God. That is the glorious truth of having the law written on our hearts according to the new covenant in Hebrews 10.

Here's the second great truth. Every human being in the world, every child in your family, every person that you work with, everybody in your neighborhood has an inborn knowledge of God, according to Romans 1-21, and an inborn knowledge of the moral law of God in Romans 1-32 and 2-15. I really like his comments there on that. But back to the questions that we touched on last week. Do you believe this?

Do you really believe that God created all things out of nothing? Do you believe that the pinnacle of God's creation was the creation of man, and that he was created, that we were created in God's image. The world would have us believe that we come from a big bang, a primordial sludge, or some kind of crystal, I've even heard, that we evolved over millions of years. They would have us believe that we're nothing special. Don't be deceived.

Don't live the lie. You are not an accident. God loves you. God has created you. Unique from everyone, every person that's ever been born or that ever will be born.

You are special and you are unique. Amen.