b. The final purpose of creation. Some find
the final end or purpose of creation is the happiness of man. They say that God
could not make Himself the final end, because He is sufficient unto Himself.
But it would seem to be self-evident that God does not exist for man, but man
for God. The creature cannot be the final end of creation. The Bible teaches us
clearly that God created the world for the manifestation of His glory.
Naturally, the revelation of the glory of God is not intended as an empty show
to be admired by the creature, but also aims at promoting their welfare and
attuning their hearts to the praise of the Creator. Isa. 43:7; 60:21; 61:3;
Ezek. 36: 21,22; 39:7; Luke 2:14; Rom. 9:17; 11:36; 1 Cor. 15:28; Eph.
1:5,6,12,14; 3:9,10; Col. 1:16.
c. Substitutes for the doctrine of creation. They who
reject the doctrine of creation resort to one of three categories for the
explanation of the world. (1) Some say that original matter is eternal, and of
it the world arose, either by mere chance, or by some higher directing force.
But this is impossible, because you cannot have two eternals and therefore two
infinites alongside of each other. (2) Others maintain that God and the world
are essentially one, and that the world is a necessary (outflow) of the divine
being. But this view robs God of His power and self-determination, and men of their
freedom and of their moral and responsible character. It also makes God
responsible for all the evil in the world. (3) Still others take refuge in the
theory of evolution. But this is clearly a mistake, since evolution offers no
explanation of the world. It already presupposes something that evolves.”
-Louis Berkhof from Summary of Christian
Doctrine Published by Eerdmans
Publishing Company Grand Rapids, MI 1938
Republished in 1975 Page 52.
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