God the Controller of the Universe – SS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

God is the controller of the universe because He created everything, sustains it and has supreme power over it.

Behavioural objectives

1. Explain why man is the highest point of God’s creation.
2. State the responsibility God gave to man.
3. List ways in which creation shows the nature and sovereignty of God.
4. State the lessons to learn from the creation of man.
5. Describe how a Christian should respond to God as controller of the universe.

What are the key terms in this topic?

These are the words a student must understand before studying Genesis 1:26-31.

• Universe: everything God made, including the heavens, the earth and all living things.
• Controller: the one who rules, directs and keeps everything in order.
• Sovereignty: God’s supreme authority over all creation.
• Sustain: to keep something alive and in being by providing what it needs.
• Zenith: the highest point.
• Dominion: the right to rule and take charge under God’s authority.
• Steward: a person who looks after what belongs to another.
• Holy Trinity: one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

How did God create the universe? (Genesis 1)

God created the universe in six days by His word and rested on the seventh day.

Features of God’s work of creation

• By His word: God spoke and each thing came into being.
• Out of nothing: nothing existed before God created it.
• In order: light came first, then the places and living things that depend on it.
• Man last: man was made on the sixth day, after everything he would need was ready.
• Approved by God: after each stage God saw that it was good.

What is man’s place in God’s creation? (Genesis 1:26-31)

Man is the highest point of God’s creation, made in God’s image and placed in charge of other creatures.

Why is man the highest point of creation?

• Zenith of creation: man is the highest point of God’s creation.
• Special care: God took special care in making man (Genesis 2:7).
• Consultation: Christians understand “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26) as God speaking with the Son and the Holy Spirit.
• Position in God’s plan: this shows man’s high position in God’s scheme of things.
• Crown of creation: every other creature was handed over to man for supervision.

What responsibility did God give to man?

• Supervise creation: man was to rule over fish, birds and every living creature.
• Fill the earth: man was told to be fruitful and increase in number.
• Subdue the earth: man was to use the earth’s resources wisely.
• Organise what God made: man’s duty is to manage and care for what God has already made (Genesis 2:15).
• Use food provided: God gave plants and fruit to man as food (Genesis 1:29).

What is meant by “image” and “likeness”?

The “image” and “likeness” of God are the qualities that make man like God and different from animals.

• Reason: man can think, plan and make decisions.
• Moral sense: man can tell right from wrong.
• Spiritual nature: man can know, worship and speak with God.
• Authority: man represents God in ruling the earth.

How is God the chief controller of creation?

God is the chief controller because all things depend on Him, while man only manages what God has made.

• Existence: everything that exists depends on God for its existence (Colossians 1:16-17).
• Nourishment: God supplies food, air, water and light for all creatures.
• Sustenance: God keeps creation going every day (Hebrews 1:3).
• Ownership: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1).
• Man is incomparable with God: man only manages what God has made.
• Dependence: man therefore depends on God for his existence and sustenance.

What is the difference between God’s role and man’s role?

God is the Creator and owner of the universe. Man is the steward who looks after it for God. The table compares the two roles.

How does creation demonstrate the nature of God and His sovereignty?

Creation shows that God is all-powerful, orderly, good and eternal.

1. Supreme controller: God is the supreme controller of the universe.
2. Perfect God: all He made was “good”, and at the end “very good” (Genesis 1:31).
3. God of pattern and order: the sequence of creation shows planning and order.
4. God of creativity: He made the world out of nothing, so He is the God of creativity, innovation and originality.
5. Powerful word: His spoken word is real and potent.
6. Eternal God: He created everything, but nobody created Him. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8).

What lessons can we learn from the creation of man?

The creation of man teaches that man is special, yet he still depends on God.

1. Image and likeness: God created man in His own “image” and “likeness”.
2. Uniqueness: man is different from all God’s other creatures.
3. Earthly lord: man is the earthly lord over all (Psalm 8:6).
4. Provision: God provides man with all he needs to make life easy.
5. Dependence: God has supreme power over all that He created, including man, so man depends on Him for sustenance.
6. Equal worth: every person is made in God’s image, so all people deserve respect.

How should a Christian respond to God as controller of the universe?

A Christian should respond with humility, thanks, care for creation, respect for life and trust in God.

• Humility: accept that God is above man and that man answers to Him.
• Thanksgiving: thank God daily for life and provision.
• Good stewardship: care for the environment and use resources wisely, since they belong to God.
• Respect for life: treat every person well, since all are made in God’s image.
• Trust: rely on God, who controls all things, in good times and in hard times.

How can man misuse his dominion?

Man misuses dominion when he destroys creation instead of caring for it.

• Bush burning: it kills animals and plants and damages the soil.
• Indiscriminate tree felling: it leads to erosion and loss of habitats.
• Pollution: dumping refuse and waste in rivers and drains harms water and health.
• Wastefulness: wasting food and water ignores God’s provision for others.
• Ill-treating people: it denies that every person bears God’s image.

Evaluation

1. Why is man called the crown of God’s creation?
2. What is the meaning of “Let us make man” in Genesis 1:26?
3. State four ways in which creation shows the nature of God.
4. State the lessons we learn from the creation of man.

Assignment

1. Discuss God as the controller of the universe, with reference to Genesis 1:26-31.