Our fulfillment often involves bringing some kind of order out of chaos. Consider these examples. Cooking involves taking random piles of ingredients and creating something delicious. Building a home requires different variations of dimensional lumber and cutting and connecting them to form a structure. Coaches create practice plans and call sheets for game day. The fact that we strive to create shouldn’t surprise us because we are made in the image of God, who is the Creator.

Much can and should be said about the biblical theme and doctrine of creation, but there's value in briefly summarizing whole Bible themes as well. One of my favorite ways to explain the story of God’s creation project- the nature, purpose, and goal of creation comes from Mickey Klink’s excellent book, "The Beginning and End of All Things." He unpacks these themes:

👉God’s creation project reveals the purposes for the world;

👉God’s creation project facilitates God’s provisions for the world; 

👉God’s creation project culminates in the perfection of the world.

Creation: God’s Purpose

A careful reading of Genesis 1-2 will reveal two specific intentions behind God’s creation project: First, God created the Garden of Eden, and by extension the world, to be His temple. Eden was meant to be a sanctuary where God lived with humanity (Exo 25-27; Ezek 28:18; Ps 78:69; Isa 66:1; John 1:3). The later tabernacle and temple were just “blueprints” pointing back to that original design and move forward to its fulfillment in the new creation (Rev 21:3).

Second, humans were created as divine image-bearers. What does that mean? We weren't just “residents”; we were appointed as prophets, priests, and kings to represent God’s righteous character and rule on earth. Adam and Eve were to establish God’s will and exalt His worth in all creation. As the progression of the biblical story reveals, the ultimate and perfect representative is the second Adam, Jesus Christ (Rom 5:12-21; Col 1:15-20).  Hold on... I’m getting ahead of myself!

Genesis 1 and 2 aren’t merely about how God created the heavens and the earth; they are primarily about the who, what, and why of creation. Klink summarizes it this way; “The world was created to be a place where God’s people dwell with Him through Christ to share for eternity in the fullness of God’s goodness and glory.”

Redemption: God’s Provision

Tragically, Adam and Eve failed as prophets, priests, and kings, plunging God’s good creation into sin and death. In their rejection of God’s benevolent rule and the breaking of their covenant obligations with Him (Gen 2:16-17; Gen 3), all of creation, including humanity, to this day lives under the curse of the fall (Rom 3:9-20). But the Bible offers us a great hope, a solution through a future promise made known in Genesis 3:15. Sin didn’t stop God’s purposes and goals for creation; it just required redemption to facilitate it.

The rest of God’s creation project would now involve the transformation of humanity, beginning with Noah and the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), to Israel, and expanding to the church – all of God’s creatures, into the image of Christ (Col 1:15-20; Heb 1:2-3). Where the first Adam failed his threefold calling, Jesus (the second Adam) succeeded so that all who are united to him by faith in and through his perfect life, atoning death, and life-giving resurrection are a “New Creation.” This, however, is not just for our own sake, but to resume the original task of being prophets, priests, and kings in the world today (1 Pet 2:9), to establish His will and exalt His worth in all creation until Christ returns.

New Creation: God’s Perfection

If you read the Bible cover to cover with this in mind, you’ll notice that what God promised in Genesis, He declares fulfilled in Revelation. Revelation 21-22 pictures a garden-city-temple that fills all of creation, and God dwells in perfect communion with His people in a perfected world. In the new creation, every blessing of the gospel will be fully realized, and Christians will dwell in the fullness of our triune-creator God’s glory for eternity.

What does this mean for the Christian life and its practices today, particularly for coaches? Stay tuned as we’ll dive into this in Part 2.