Before the world existed, there was nothing. Not a void, not empty space, not even “nothingness” as we imagine it. Only God existed, timeless and uncreated.
Orthodox Christianity teaches that all things were brought into being not from pre-existing material, but ex nihilo—from absolute nothingness—by the will and love of God.
This is one of the most important truths of our Faith, one that separates Orthodox Christianity from every human philosophy or religious system ever known.
The Absolute Beginning
In the beginning, there was no matter, no time, no light, no sound, no movement. There was only the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The opening words of Genesis reveal this mystery:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”
Genesis 1:1
The creation of the world is not a result of a natural process or an eternal cosmic law. It is a personal act of the living God.
He did not shape the universe from eternal matter, as the ancient Greek philosophers believed. Plato and Aristotle spoke of matter that always existed.
But the Orthodox Church proclaims, as Saint Basil the Great taught in his Hexaemeron, that:
“He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created”
Psalm 148:5
There was no “something” before God began to create. Even the concept of “nothing” cannot contain Him. He is beyond all concepts, for He is uncreated, self-existent, and without beginning.
God Creates Out of Love
The creation of the world was not necessary for God. He did not create out of need or loneliness, for the Holy Trinity is perfect communion of love. The creation came from divine generosity.
As Saint John of Damascus wrote:
“God, being good and more than good, did not rest in self-contemplation but, moved by love, brought into being all that exists.”
Every created thing—seen and unseen, material and spiritual—exists because God willed it to exist.
The sun, the stars, the seas, the animals, and mankind all share one thing in common: they exist by divine love. This means that nothing in creation is accidental or meaningless. Every creature has a place in the divine order.
The Difference Between the Orthodox Faith and Pagan Thought
Before the revelation of God in the Old Testament, most ancient peoples believed that the universe and the gods were co-eternal. The ancient Greeks believed that both the gods and matter always existed. Their deities did not create the world but merely shaped or rearranged it.
Orthodox Christianity, however, teaches something entirely different. The holy Fathers emphasize that God created ex ouk onton—“from non-being”—to show that all creation depends entirely on Him.
As Saint Basil said:
“He brought being out of non-being, and changed that which was not into that which is.”
This distinction between the uncreated and the created is essential. Only God is uncreated. Everything else, no matter how glorious, exists because of His will.
The sun and the stars are not divine; the angels, though pure, are created beings; even the soul of man is created. Only the Holy Trinity is uncreated.
Creation as Revelation
Creation reveals the wisdom and beauty of the Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork (Psalm 18:2).
The physical world is not a trap or illusion, as some philosophies teach, but a means by which God reveals His presence.
Saint Basil the Great called the world a “school of divine knowledge.”
The order of nature reflects the harmony of divine wisdom. Every movement of the stars, every drop of water, every living thing proclaims the same truth: there is One who holds all things in being.
To contemplate the world rightly is therefore an act of worship. The mind lifted to creation must not stop at the created beauty but must ascend to the Creator.
As Saint Gregory of Nyssa said:
“By looking upon creation, we are led to the Creator.”
The Continuous Sustaining of the World
God did not merely create the world and then abandon it to function by its own laws. He continually sustains all creation. The Psalmist says:
“You open Your hand, and they are filled with good things; You hide Your face, and they are troubled”
Psalm 103:28–29
If God were to withdraw His will for even a moment, all creation would cease to exist. The laws of nature themselves are expressions of His will. The constancy of the universe—its balance, order, and structure—shows His continuous providence.
This understanding transforms the way Orthodox Christians see reality. The world is not a mechanical system but a living creation held in existence by divine love. Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every sunrise is a renewed act of divine mercy.
Man as the Crown of Creation
Among all creatures, man alone was made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26).
This image is not found in physical form but in the spiritual faculty of the soul—reason, freedom, and love. Man was made to know God, to love Him, and to be united with Him.
Saint Gregory the Theologian writes:
“I was created to ascend, through my deeds, to God.”
Man stands between the visible and invisible worlds, uniting both in himself. Through man, creation gives voice to praise.
But the image of God in man was darkened by sin. Instead of leading creation in thanksgiving, man turned to self-love and pride. The fall did not destroy creation but corrupted it. As Saint Paul says:
“The whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now”
Romans 8:22
Christ the Restorer of Creation
The Son of God, through whom all things were made, entered His own creation to renew it.
“By Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth”
Colossians 1:16
When Christ became man, He united creation once again to the Creator. His Resurrection is not only victory over death for mankind but renewal for the entire universe.
Saint Maximus the Confessor explains that Christ is the center of all creation, the point in which heaven and earth, the visible and invisible, are united. Through the Cross, He reconciled all things.
Thus, creation is not simply something that happened long ago; it is a continuous mystery being fulfilled in Christ.
The World as a Temple
The Orthodox Church teaches that creation itself is a temple of God. Every element of the cosmos reflects divine purpose.
- Water cleanses and sustains, reminding us of baptism.
- Light illumines the world, pointing to the uncreated Light of God.
- Even the stones cry out His glory.
This is why Orthodox worship uses material things—incense, icons, candles, oil, bread, wine, and water. The material world participates in sanctification.
As Saint John Chrysostom said:
“God has joined the spiritual and the material, and through the material He gives us the spiritual.”
To despise matter is to deny the Incarnation. The Creator entered His creation, making even dust holy.
The Difference Between Orthodox Christianity and the Modern World on Creation
- The modern world often teaches that the universe appeared by chance; Orthodox Christianity teaches that it was created by divine will.
- The modern world believes in self-evolving progress; Orthodox Christianity believes in divine providence guiding all things.
- The modern world separates the physical and the spiritual; Orthodox Christianity sees them as united and harmonious.
- The modern world often reduces man to a biological being; Orthodox Christianity sees him as a living icon of God.
- The modern world views nature as a resource to exploit; Orthodox Christianity sees it as a gift to be sanctified.
- The modern world forgets that creation needs redemption; Orthodox Christianity sees salvation as renewal of all creation.
- The modern world trusts in human reason alone; Orthodox Christianity trusts in divine wisdom revealed through the Church.
- The modern world denies mystery; Orthodox Christianity lives by it.
The Mystery of Divine Providence
Everything that exists is under the care of God. Even suffering and decay are not outside His plan. As the Prophet David wrote:
“The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens”
Proverbs 3:19
Orthodox Christianity does not divide life into “sacred” and “secular.” The same God who governs the stars governs the smallest moments of our lives. This gives meaning to every act of kindness, every prayer, every breath. The world is charged with divine purpose.
The Call to Thanksgiving
To know that God created everything out of nothing is to live in gratitude. Every created thing becomes a sign of His mercy. The Orthodox Christian’s response is thanksgiving, which is why the central act of worship is called the Eucharist—literally, “thanksgiving.”
When we bless our food, when we thank God for the beauty of the day, we confess our faith that everything is a gift.
Saint Isaac the Syrian said:
“A grateful heart is greater than a thousand prayers.”
Gratitude restores the right relationship between creation and the Creator.
How to Explain This to Children
Parents can tell their children that before anything existed—before the sun, the stars, or the earth—God was there. He wanted to share His love, so He made the world.
They can say that God did not use anything to make it; He simply said, “Let there be light,” and light appeared.
Children can understand that everything they see—the trees, animals, clouds, and people—are gifts from God. He made them because He loves them.
Parents can teach them to take care of the world and to say “thank You” to God each day.
When they pray, they can remember that the same God who made the stars also made them and loves them personally.