MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. [Ps. 102:25] He has made all things,--the universe and all that it contains. The world did not come into being of itself or by chance, nor did it exist from eternity. God made it out of nothing. In the beginning He created the heaven and the earth. [Gen. 1:1+, Ps 33:6, 9] They were at first a formless mass; [Gen. 1:2] but in six days God fashioned the formless mass into the world as it now exists. On these six days He created, 1. Light, 2. The Firmament, 3. Land and Sea, 4. Sun, moon and stars, 5. Fishes and birds, 6. Beasts and man. [Gen 1:3-31] God's Chief Creatures are the angels in heaven and men on earth. All His creatures, as they came from His hands, were very good. [Gen. 3:31] But some of the angels sinned, and became bad angels or devils. [II Pet. 2:4] And man also, though created in the image of God, fell into sin, and lost his original righteousness and holiness. [Gen. 3, Gen. 8:21, Eph. 4:24] Luther's explanation of this Article in the catechism tells us: I. What God has done and still does for me, II. Why God does all this for me, III. What I owe to God in return. I. WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND STILL DOES FOR ME. I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS 1. CREATED ME [Job. 33:4+] AND ALL THAT EXISTS; [Neh. 9:6, Col. 1:16+] THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME MY BODY,--WITH ALL MY LIMBS AND SENSES. Though my body, like that of the beasts, is made of the dust of the ground, [Gen. 2:7+] it is vastly superior to their bodies, and is a marvelous piece of divine workmanship, [Ps. 139:14] exquisitely adapted to be the earthly tabernacle of the soul which inhabits it. MY SOUL, [Gen. 2:7+]--MY REASON AND ALL THE FACULTIES OF MY MIND, by which I am placed so far above the brute creation. God made the human soul to be a likeness of Himself; [Gen. 1:27, Gen. 9:6] that is, He gave to man in a limited measure those powers and faculties which He Himself possesses in unlimited and infinite measure. And while the human mind has become dimmed by the fall, its powers and faculties are still most wonderful. 2. PRESERVES ME. [Neh. 9:6] All that has helped to support my life has been God's gift; namely, MY RAIMENT, FOOD, HOME AND FAMILY, AND ALL MY PROPERTY. I continue to live because He sustains me. [Jas. 1:17+, Acts 17:28+] HE DAILY PROVIDES ME ABUNDANTLY WITH ALL THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE. [Ps. 115:15-16+] His care for me is a constant, daily care. His mercies are new every morning. [Matt. 6:31-32+, Lam. 3:22-23+] HE PROTECTS ME FROM ALL DANGER, SEEN AND UNSEEN. [Ps. 34:7, Matt. 10:30] I am beset with perils on every hand. If God withdrew His protecting hand, I should perish immediately. HE PRESERVES ME AND GUARDS ME AGAINST ALL EVIL. [Ps 121:5, 8+] No real evil can come upon God's children. What seems an evil is meant for a good purpose, and is a blessing in disguise. [Rom. 8:28+, Isa. 55:8-9, Jer. 29:11, Ps. 23:4+] II. WHY GOD DOES ALL THIS FOR ME. He does it purely 1. OUT OF PATERNAL AND DIVINE GOODNESS AND MERCY. [Ps. 103:13+] It is