Welcome to Defenders, the teaching class of Dr. William Lane Craig. Today, the Doctrine of Creation, Part 3.

For more information and resources from Dr. Craig, go to reasonable faith.org.

We've been looking at the scriptural data concerning Creatio X. Nihalo, and we saw that the Old Testament teaches the doctrine that God is the

almighty creator of everything that exists other than God. And we find this same doctrine repeated in

the New Testament. For example, in Romans chapter 11 and verse 36, Romans 11 and verse 36,

Paul, after quoting from Isaiah chapter 40 in verses 13 and 14, declares, for from him and through him and to him are all things. Here Paul says that all of

reality finds its source in God, it is sustained by God, and exists for God. God is the source,

the sustainer, and the goal of all reality outside himself.

In Romans chapter 4 and verse 17, Romans 4 17, Paul speaks of the God of Abraham as the one who gives life to the dead and who calls into existence the things that do not exist.

And that second phrase, I think, is so striking.

God is the one who calls into existence things that do not exist. That is a statement of creation out of nothing.

Also, we find this doctrine in Hebrews, Chapter 11 and verse 3. Hebrews 11 and verse 3. The author of

this epistle says, by faith, we understand that the world

was created by the word of God so that what is seen was made out of things which do not

appear. Now, the wording there is very interesting, rather awkward. The writer wants

to affirm that God has created everything, and yet there is no stuff out of which God created

all things. So in effect, what he is saying is, God has created all things, but he did not create things out of things that appear.

And thus implies creation out of nothing. In Revelation, chapter 4 and verse 11, we read that the beatified in heaven are said to sing to God these words,

Worthy art thou our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power.

For thou didst create all things, and by thy will, they existed and were created. Revelation 411. So the New Testament, like the Old Testament, thinks of God as the creator of everything that exists apart from himself.

But undoubtedly, the most notable contribution of the New Testament to the doctrine of Creatio X. Nihalo,

is that it describes creation out of nothing to the pre-incarnate person of Jesus Christ.

...