Creation describes the act of bringing something into existence. Although the English concept of “to create” may be used in the sense of producing or making something artistic, intellectual, or creative, in Scripture, it is restricted to causing something to exist or come into being.
While dealing with a question about divorce that the Pharisees posed to Christ to tempt Him, Jesus states that when God created mankind, He created them male and female (Mark 10:6). For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. What God has joined, no man is to separate. Therefore, the only reason they were permitted to divorce under the Mosaic law was because of the hardness of their own hearts (Mark 10:2–5).
In Mark 13:19, Jesus again focuses on the beginning of creation. The coming ‘tribulation period’ refers to a time of great distress and suffering on earth, such as has not been seen since the beginning of creation. Unless the Lord shortens the days during this time, not even the ‘elect’ (those chosen by God) would survive. During this period, many false messiahs will come to Israel (Mark 13:21). These false messiahs and prophets will perform signs and wonders and deceive many (Mark 13:22).
Even God’s invisible attributes, from the beginning of creation, are clearly discerned by the understanding things made (Romans 1:20). Man is without excuse, for even knowing God, he chose to reject a proper opinion of God. The fact that a Creator exists is visible in creation itself. Even those who do not want to know the true God will make up their own gods (Romans 1:23). Because of their rejection of the truth and ungodliness, a quality of God’s wrath is upon them (Romans 1:18). This wrath permits them to follow in their corrupt way to fill up to the full their judgment. God gives them over to the futility of their mind to go after the lusts of their hearts (Romans 1:21).
When God raised Christ from the dead, He made a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This new creation is the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). When a person believes the gospel for salvation, he is taken out of Adam and placed into the Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). This immersion puts the man into a creation where the old things have passed away. The believer does not become a new creature, or creation in and of himself. He is a part of the Christ, which is the body in which Christ Jesus is the head and the Church is His body (Ephesians 1:22–23). κτίσμα (ktísma) is the result of an act of creation; thus, a creature. Every creature that God has made is proper and not to be refused, but received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4). Because the grace believer is placed into the body of the Christ, which is made from both Jew and Gentile, circumcision nor uncircumcision avails but the new creation (Galatians 6:15). God took from the two races and made one new man (Ephesians 2:15). Thus, the Christian is a part of a new creation in which he is righteous because the head is righteous (1 Corinthians 1:30).
