Note: this post is based off a talk I gave to a group of high school-aged students at a church day in Jan 2025.
If my experiences are at all representative of the broader population, then your teenage years going through to adulthood can really be a time of searching and questioning. This point of transition from child to adult can be complex, as you move from being told what to do, to “charting your own path”. You need to really find and know God for yourself. You need to figure out “what to do” with your life - in all different aspects.
There are a lot of questions that come along with this, perhaps more so in our modern world than at any other point in history. How do I tell right from wrong? How do I determine what is true? Where do I live? Where do I work? Who do I marry? Do I buy an iPhone, or an obviously superior Android phone? What position do I take on these controversial topics which everyone else is talking about?
Sometimes, it can be really hard to find answers to these questions. That’s because a lot of them are complex issues. People are using different reasoning, different logic, and coming to vastly differing answers.
Now the Bible doesn’t directly answer all of these questions, in the sense that you can’t go to a particular verse and see it there in black and white. However, as God’s word, it does contain wisdom which speaks into our questions.
What I aim to do today, with God’s help, is to provide a general sort of overview of how God designed the world to be. We can't have detailed instructions for exactly what to do in every single situation which we may come across in our lives - this type of instruction manual would have to be virtually infinite in length. But if we have a kind of blueprint which shows God’s design and intent and general principles for the world, then we can learn how to think about any situation. And that will give us many of the answers we are looking for.
I will also preface this talk by saying that many of the ideas here are not original to me. I have drawn on ideas from a number of people I have heard or read, particularly Martyn Iles and a few others from Answers in Genesis. So if you have listened to them before, some of what I cover may be familiar.
The second thing is that I am not preaching from an elevated place of having mastered these ideas. Rather, it's because I have had to struggle - and am still struggling - to to grasp and implement these concepts, that I would really like to share them with you. It has been said that “We preach best what we need to learn most”, and I believe that is certainly true here.
So, when we are looking for God's design for the world, what better place to start than right at the beginning - in Genesis. That's actually what Jesus did. When he was asked a question about divorce, he said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female…” (Matt 19:4); a direct reference back to Genesis.
Alright, so let's turn to the very first page of the Bible: Genesis 1:1. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” There's a lot to unpack in just this one verse, but I would like to bring out just two things. Firstly, how does the Bible start? “In the beginning, God!” You'll notice there is one particular character missing from this sentence - and that's you. I hate to break it to you, but you're not the main character in the story. That role is exclusively reserved for God.
This has a huge implication for our lives, because it tells us that it's not all about us. We shouldn't be asking, “What can best serve my interests in this situation?”, but “What can best serve God's interests in this situation?” “What will bring the most glory to God in this situation?” That is actually one of those key principles which you can apply to virtually every area of life. Whenever you have a choice before you and you're not sure which way to go, ask “Which choice is going to bring the most glory to God?”
The second thing I'd like to point out from Gen 1:1 is that “God created”. That means that there was nothing and then God created everything. And that means He existed before creation. It may seem obvious, but this highlights a key characteristic of God which theologians call “aseity”. Aseity is the quality of being self-existent and independent. We are “contingent beings” - we need a prior being so that we can come into being. However, God is not a contingent being. His existence doesn't depend on anything else. And that is a key thing to grasp, because it explains so much. God didn't need to create the world and humanity, but He did. He didn't need to create things in any particular way, but He chose to. So I believe that means everything in creation has a purpose - there is a reason why things are made as they are.
This is particularly relevant today, when we don't want to follow anyone else's plan. We want to define our own world. We make ourselves the highest authority. We forget that we are the creature, not the Creator (cf. Rom 1:25). You see this today in messaging from the entertainment industry - find your “true” self; make something of yourself - and also in the transgender movement, where people want to ignore or erase their gender. We need to remember - we are the creature. It is worth noting that it's not til near the end of chapter 1 that we finally come to man, the “crown” of God's creation.
Now, this passage in Genesis 1 describes how male and female were created the same - both made in the image of God. That is something that is only true of human beings; it is not said for any other creature. It means we are to act as His representatives on earth and reflect Him. We are not God, but our value comes from Him because we’re made in His image. This is why Christians should believe in the value of and fight for all human lives - whether they be born or unborn. All human life has value because it is made in God’s image - independent of the circumstances or what other people may think or want.
We see in Genesis 1 that men and women are both equal in value before God; and we are both equal when it comes to the most important matter - the gospel and salvation (Gal 3:28). We also have these shared creation mandates of subduing and filling the earth. The whole of creation was made for the benefit of man. This is seen in the description of Eden (4 rivers for water; the abundance of useful and precious stones), as well as the plants which were given for food (Gen 1:29) - along with animals also given for food after the flood (Gen 9:3). Subduing the earth is not pillaging or abusing it, but it is utilising its resources to make the world a better place for people to live, and to bring aspects of it under our control. For example, we make buildings to avoid the heat; we make roads to travel around - this is all using the earth’s resources to make it a better place for us to live.
And filling the earth means having children, producing more image-bearers of God. You will note that this command was given again to Noah after the flood (twice actually - Gen 9:1 and 9:7) and was never rescinded or taken back. God didn’t say, “Oh and stop filling the earth once you think there are enough people.” And so having children - for all people who are married and can have children - is indisputably also part of God’s blueprint and instruction for our lives. I think sometimes we can subconsciously take on the view of children which the world pushes - which is that children are a burden. When I was at my previous two workplaces, at least half a dozen people independently told me - “don’t ever get married, Joel”; “don’t ever have children, Joel.” “It’s just not worth it.” But we need to reinforce God’s view of children - that they are a blessing (Ps 127:3-5), not a burden.
So Genesis 1 covers how men and women were made the same - both in the image of God, and with these shared creation mandates to subdue and fill the earth. However, there is also a difference between men and women, which every civilization in every period of history recognised - up until about five minutes ago, it seems. You will notice in Genesis 1 that creation was made with dichotomies - light/darkness, day/night, heaven/not-heaven, earth/sea, sun/moon. Similarly, humans are made with this dichotomy of male and female. So after Genesis 1 - which describes how male and female were created the same - Genesis 2 describes the ways in which male and female were created different.
First up, men and women are ontologically different. That's a sophisticated way of saying that they are fundamentally made of different “stuff”. Man was made from the dust. Woman was made from a rib - from man. So it should come as no surprise to find out that there are some differences between us. There’s an interesting quote from Martyn Iles: “Man was made facing the garden. Woman was made facing the man.” As a general rule, men and women gravitate to different things. Men tend to gravitate towards “stuff” and “things”, while women tend to gravitate towards people and “relationships”. I have seen this happen in so many conversations at family gatherings, where the boys are over here talking about how many L/100 km their cars do, while the girls are over there talking about who is dating whom, and so and so has had a baby. To be sure, this is not cut-and-dried; it is a general observation or rule which just so happens to match up with the Biblical description of creation. Coincidence?
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but these actually prove the rule rather than disproving it. It is the reason why in Australia - despite having more career options and support available to us than at any other point in the history of the world, and despite government pushes for more “gender equity” in different industries for quite a few years now - males still make up 98% of all car mechanics, while females make up 94% of all speech pathologists and 97% of preschool teachers. In fact, a 2022 article in The Conversation said, “Australian women now work more in female-dominated jobs than they did 35 years ago.” Men and women naturally have different interests - and that is a good thing. It's not a byproduct of the oppressive patriarchy that must be erased at all costs. It’s how we are made.
The second thing to notice from Genesis 2 is that men and women were made for each other. Life is not a constant “battle of the sexes”, like the radical feminists would have you believe. Throughout the creation account, there is this repeated refrain “and God saw that it was good… and God saw that it was good”. The very first thing that we come across that is “not good” - is man being alone. He needed a helper “fit for” or “corresponding to” him. This was a role that none of the animals could fill. But God did not solve this by creating another man. Instead he made woman - a person so like the man, so familiar; and yet so different, so complementary in every way.
Why did God create man and woman in this way - designed for one another; attracted to one another; complementing one another? Why did He institute marriage as a sacred, binding commitment between one man and one woman, for life? Why not just live together for a bit, and see if you like it, and then go your separate ways - like so many choose to do today?
The answer is that marriage is instituted by God as a picture - a living metaphor, if you like - of the union between Christ and the church. Two different beings, joined together so closely, in such unity that they become “one flesh”. One as the head and the leader; the other wilfully submitting to this leadership. The intimacy and closeness we have in marriage - of knowing and being known - is only superseded by that which we can have with Christ. The more you think about it, the more you realise that marriage is such an awesome living metaphor, so that we can better understand the spiritual reality of Christ and the church (Eph 5).
Incidentally, this is the exact reason why we cannot just “be nice” and “inclusive” to those who want to change the definition of marriage and extend it to include same-sex couples (“gay marriage”). Are we just being hateful and bigoted to say, “No, that’s not marriage”? Do we just hate gay people, like the media portrays Christians? Not at all. But Christians are people who seek and promote truth. Now the Bible is clear in condemning all forms of homosexual relationships, which necessarily precludes it in marriage. But what is the ultimate reason that you would give if someone asked you, “Why is this not marriage?”
The fundamental reason is that a homosexual relationship - let’s say a man with a man - cannot portray this sacred picture of Christ and the church, which marriage is intended to show. They are not two ontologically different beings coming together to form one flesh; one designed to be the head, and one designed to be the helper. A man and a man cannot do the very thing which marriage is designed to show.
Again, that is the fundamental reason why divorce and adultery are such serious matters in God’s eyes. You cannot just get up and leave your spouse when you feel like it - because Christ does not do that to us. Marriage is a picture of a sacred truth - and that is not something to be disposed of lightly.
We could also continue on to ask - why did God create mothers and fathers? After all, we’ve established that He didn’t need to create things as they are. Theoretically, we could have been made to spawn out of thin air, like in a video game.
I believe there is strong evidence to argue that it is for the same reason I have mentioned about marriage. These are physical realities which point us to spiritual realities - God’s character and His traits. When women are mothers, they display God's role as our life-giver, consoler, nurturer, helper. When men are fathers, they show God's position as our provider, protector and head.
This takes a little while to sink in. So there is a chance that you may wake up at 3 am at some point later this week, sit bolt upright and go, “Wait! God created motherhood to display his personal character?”
The third and final point to note from Genesis 2 is that men and women were given different roles. Again, I do not believe these are the result of the toxic patriarchy, but are given as part of God's plan for our lives.
Firstly, the man was placed in the garden to work it and keep it (Gen 2:15). “Work” means to labour or serve - the same word was used to describe the Levites serving in the temple. Now this point is key - work was part of the good and perfect creation, before the fall. Men need something to work at, to serve a purpose higher than themselves.
To keep means to guard; to attend to; to protect. This is the same word later used for keeping the law of Moses. Throughout scripture, men are called to a role of responsibility. You will notice that although Eve ate the fruit first, Adam bears the responsibility for the fall throughout the rest of the Bible.
As a result of the consequences of the fall (Gen 3), these God-given roles become more difficult. Work becomes difficult and arduous. There is a temptation to avoid work and responsibility, to shirk from it. We don't want to do the hard work of attending to God's word, of studying it, of acting as a protector to those around us. Now I think I can say this, having experienced something of it myself. But I think one of the greatest challenges facing young Christian men today - perhaps one of our greatest failures - is the productive use of our time. Think of how easy it is to get home from work or school and clock out on YouTube shorts - scroll, scroll - oh that’s hilarious - scroll, scroll - nah way, that’s got to be fake - scroll, scroll. And then you look up and suddenly half an hour’s gone, an hour, two hours. Now imagine what you could achieve if all of that time was used productively. How much better would you know God’s word? How many more useful skills would you develop for God’s kingdom? How many more people in your church family could you help? Young men, we need to step up to become the providers and the spiritual leaders that we are called to be.
Now on to the women. The first description of the woman (Gen 2:18) is “helper”. Now this word helper does not just mean someone to do his cooking and ironing. It’s someone who provides assistance and support, particularly in times of hardship or distress. It’s someone who is at her best, when making someone else his best. You know, the Hebrew word for “helper” here - ezer - is actually used to describe God himself quite frequently. For example, in Ex 18:4, Moses called one of his sons Eliezer, which means “God is my help.” So this role as ezer (helper) is certainly not a demeaning role; it is one of God’s own traits.
The second description of the woman, which appears at the end of Genesis 3 (verse 20), is “mother”. Although modern culture doesn’t like to think this way, motherhood is the most celebrated role that women have throughout the whole Bible. Think of Moses’ mother, Hannah (Samuel’s mother), and Mary, just to name a few. Unfortunately, our society sees children as a burden, rather than a blessing from God (Ps 127:3-5). For this reason, it scorns and demeans women who chose to dedicate their lives to their family. Unless we keep reminding ourselves of the truth, it is possible for us to buy into this lie. How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, I’m just a stay at home mother”? What job could possibly be more important than raising immortal souls?
As with the men, the fall makes these roles harder. Obviously, childbirth is now difficult and painful. But the wife’s role as helper (ezer) is also made more challenging. There is a temptation to want to seize control from the husband (either directly or more subtly through manipulation), rather than follow his leadership. This is what the verse means, “Your desire will be contrary to your husband.” (Gen 3:16). Just like there is a temptation for the man to use his leadership position for domination, there is a temptation for the woman to rebel against submitting. And it's worth noting that this call to submission is not unique to the role of a wife - as Christians we are called to submit to God; to our church elders and leaders; as younger people to elder people; as children to parents.
Now the final piece in our creation blueprint is the first proclamation of the gospel in Gen 3:15, albeit in a slightly cryptic form. Scholars call this the protoevangelium - the first form of the good news. We see here that Jesus - the seed of the woman - will defeat Satan, even though this is done at some personal cost to himself. We know now that this has occurred, but while we live in these “in between” times - waiting for Christ's final return - Satan is still at work in this world. So while we live in anticipation of the final trumpet, the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, crushing the sin in our lives.
So I hope this has given you a bird's eye picture of God's creation plan in Genesis. To summarise the key takeaways:
When faced with a hard choice or decision, ask “What will bring the most glory to God?”
When faced with the current divisive or political question of the day, ask “Does this align with God's plan for creation and humanity, or does it rebel against it?”
Always remember, the ultimate end of God’s plan for humanity is that we would come to a knowledge of Jesus and have a relationship with Him.
I hope you find these principles useful as you move forward throughout life.
Blueprint image from pngtree.