In the midst of the creationist-evolutionist debate, many of the basic theological and spiritual affirmations of the creation narrative are neglected. One such affirmation is the concept that creation is a redemptive act and therefore, salvation is a creative act.
Genesis 1:1-5 begins with the declaration that the act of creation began as the Spirit of God moved over a chaotic, formless deep. Into the darkness, God called forth light and began the process of bringing order out of that chaos. The dark chaos begins to be fashioned into the created order which will be declared to be good. This is an act of redemption.
So it is with sinful humans. Our lives are dark and chaotic. God penetrates our darkness with the light that is Christ. Into the chaos of our existence, the will of God brings purpose and order. The Spirit of God moves over us in an act of re-creation which moves us from the darkened chaos into the new person God wants us to be.
In John’s commentary on this passage (John 1:1-17), he declares that Jesus is the light that shines into the darkness and that those who believe in him are given power to become children of God—born not of blood and flesh but of God (John 1.12-13). Just as creation redeems the chaos into order, the believer is re-created from a chaotic existence into a child of God.
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