“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:1-4
I love reading this passage because in many ways it is not only an account of creation but also a pretty cool symbolic account of the re-creation story (ie the gospel).
“The earth was formless and void.” Our lives are aimless and empty apart from God’s life.
“. . . darkness was over the surface of the deep . . .” Our hearts are full of darkness apart from His light.
God speaks into the darkness, “let there be light!”
And there is light.
“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature”. Genesis 2:7
God breathed his breath of life into the first man he created. According to the gospel, he also breathes his new life into us.
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”” John 20:22
“If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. . . And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” Romans 15:44-49
The gospel is not only a message of forgiveness but newness (Romans 6:4).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
God created us in his image. That image was damaged when we decided that ruling ourselves was a better idea than enjoying the beautiful life God had given to us. Christ ended the hostility between humanity and God and made it possible for us to live as image bearers again.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them”. Gen 1:27
We do not live in a perfect world, like Eden. But because Christ died and rose and breathed his breath of life into us again, sin and darkness have no power over us anymore. We are children of light, filled with the spirit of our Creator, enabled and empowered to live in the way we were intended to live from the beginning.
“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14
