Chapter 4
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Work through what the church teaches, with the Scripture behind it close at hand. Tap a reference to read it right where you are. The creeds, confessions and catechisms here are historic and faithful, and good to read, but they are not all part of what this church professes.
To learn what we profess, see Our Beliefs.
1. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
John 1:2-3 KJV Read in context
2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Hebrews 1:2 KJV Read in context
2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Job 26:13 KJV Read in context
13By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power,
Romans 1:20 KJV Read in context
20For 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:
wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.
Colossians 1:16 KJV Read in context
16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Genesis 1:31 KJV Read in context
31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
2. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,
Genesis 1:27 KJV Read in context
27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
with reasonable and immortal souls,
Genesis 2:7 KJV Read in context
7And 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.
rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness;
Ecclesiastes 7:29 KJV Read in context
29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Genesis 1:26 KJV Read in context
26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 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.
having the law of God written in their hearts,
Romans 2:14-15 KJV Read in context
14For 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: 15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
and 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.
Genesis 3:6 KJV Read in context
6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,
Genesis 2:17 KJV Read in context
17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.
Genesis 1:26 KJV Read in context
26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 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.
Genesis 1:28 KJV Read in context
28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
King James Version (1769 text), public domain. Text from eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society.