Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 11:1 (Fall 2024)
Article: The Glory Of Creation And Adam’s Covenant Of Works
Author: Richard C. Gamble

RPTJ 11:1 (Fall 2024) p. 10

The Glory Of Creation And Adam’s Covenant Of Works

Richard C. Gamble

Professor of Systematic Theology
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Introduction
I. The Glory Of Creation

A. Eternal Decree

As soon as we open our Bibles, we are immediately confronted with the magnificent narrative of creation. That record is plainly historical,1 even if there are some nuances that could be debated.2

The creation of the heavens and the earth was a free, creative act of the divine Trinity. Creation is Trinitarian even though the Trinity’s full work was not yet clear in the Genesis statement. There are Old Testament passages which indicate that God, without distinction of Persons, created the heavens and the earth, while there are other passages which indicate that either the Father created through the Holy Spirit or that the Holy Spirit directly created.

The New Testament makes the picture of God’s work in creation even more complex. There, we read of the Father, the Father through the Son, and the Son alone as creating.3 Taking all of this exegesis into account, “systematic theologians have declared that since the Father is the source of the Trinity, he is also the source of the work of creation.”4

We can clearly affirm

that God willed creation, and that God created all things out of nothing. All things were created good. The universe had a beginning in time; it is not eternal. In addition, there was progression and sequence in the acts of creation. God commanded the creation specifically on each day, and it was so. In addition, creation is dependent upon God and has his glory as its end.5

RPTJ 11:1 (Fall 2024) p. 11

Creation was a completely free divine act. He did not need to do so and no outward cause was operating on him. Also, there was no change in God’s being in producing the heavens and earth. We can readily observe why God created: he created in order to reveal his infinite goodness. He created this cosmos in order to achieve his intentions.6

All things were created good. It was totally and utterly good. At the end of each creation day, God pronounced that it was good.

B. A Detailed And Specific Narrative

The Genesis narrative is clear and precise—we even know what God created on each of the six days. Let’s bor...