What Prompted God to Create and Why?

Before we address the question about why God would create us in the first place, we need to negate some misinformation that doesn’t fit within God’s character. See, every other religion that does not have a Trinitarian God runs into an issue, because the creation of mankind either makes a deity’s character to be cruel, limited in power, or both. Let’s take a look at some of the possible misconceptions.

Misconception One – God Was Bored

We see this in the Greek pantheon especially (but with other religions as well). A god or gods got bored. They needed something to do. So they created humans for entertainment. This, obviously, negates the picture we have of a holy God in the Bible. A god who creates beings merely for his entertainment and who does not care what happens to these mortals does not at all fit the description of our Lord.

Misconception Two – God Was Lonely

Any monotheistic religion that doesn’t have a trinitarian godhead runs into this issue. Where a deity creates humans to fill the void of loneliness. These humans could do his bidding, and sacrifice to him so he could feel all wanted and warm and fuzzy inside. This would completely derail the biblical picture we have of God. God does not need humans. He has plenty of company within the Trinity. If we have an all-powerful God in Trinitarian form, he doesn’t need so.

So this begs the question: then why did he create us? This article will dive into four reasons as to why God decided the world could use a little bit of humanity.

1. God Created Us Because it Pleased Him to Do So

Have you ever met an artist who just loved to create? It doesn’t matter if anyone sees their artwork or pays big money to obtain it? They just want to create for the sake of making something beautiful and wonderful.

Perhaps you have an artistic gift yourself whether you enjoy writing novels, painting, or sculpting with clay. The same applies to God when he creates. He delights in his creation. He calls his creation “good” in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2.

2. God Created As an Overflow of His Love

Are you familiar with something known as the dance of the Trinity? A perichoresis. Although a complicated biblical concept that we still can’t quite understand (as we still haven’t quite understood the Trinity itself), we can boil it down to this.

The Trinity submits to one another and pours out love to one another. From this love, the Trinity created.

Although this analogy eventually breaks down, think of a married couple who love each other so much that they want to create something with that love, an offspring. In a beautiful marriage, one could argue that a baby is a product of love and a couple submitting to one another.

Here are some verses that highlight this relationship we see in the Trinity.

John 17:1: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”

John 16:14: “He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”

3. God Created Us for His Own Glory

OK, so God created us as an outpouring of his love and creativity. But certainly, we must have a purpose here on this earth. After all, God made Adam and Eve before humanity needed saving. So what was their purpose?

For that, let’s take a look at the famous Westminster Catechism. “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

Therein lies the third reason why God created. He created us to glorify him.

“Wait a second, Hope.” Someone may say. “You said God doesn’t need us. Why would he create us to praise him then? Doesn’t that seem a little selfish and needy?”

First of all, we worship God because he deserves our praise. He created us out of nothing, gives us purpose, and loves us without limit. In the barest essence, we give credit where credit is due.

Secondly, we worship and glorify God as an act of love. He has poured out his love for us so lavishly that we cannot help but praise him for it.

Let’s examine what Scripture says about glorifying God.

1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

We glorify God through our actions. We thank him for making us by obeying his commands. God knows what is best for our lives, and in glorifying him through our actions, we acknowledge this.

Psalm 115:1: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!”

We glorify God because we can do nothing apart from him. Glorifying him recognizes our need for him.

Revelation 4:11: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”