Is the Artist in the Painting?

Are attributes of the artist in a painting?

Because God created the world we should expect to find traces of Him in the creation. This is not to say that He is creation (that's Pantheism). We should be able to find hints or not so subtle hints like the way an artist leaves and impression in a painting. But just like the artist...is the artist in the painting? Physically? No. Was He at one time? When?

Because He also redeemed creation through Christ we expect to look for salvation that the Chirstian Gospel promises. We know that we can have knowledge of God through the creation but the knowledge of creation cannot save a person.

The questions then become:
"How can one be saved?"
"Who is the Savior?"

This is where the doctrine of the Divinity of Christ comes in...firmly ground in the death, the burial, and the resurrection. Everything hinges on this. Everything. It is the pivot point of the Bible. The Gospel encapsulated in 2-3 verses. Believe and you are saved. But understand that this is just the beginning not the end. Just the beginning. Actually, I should say it is the end of the old you and the beginning of the new.

1 Corinthians 15:3-6
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living...


So ask yourself the question again. Is the creator in the creation?
He was. Once. For approximately 33 years. 2000 years ago. By choice. For one reason. For who? Why? Don't you feel special. It's because you are. Because of something you did? No. Because of grace. Because He loved us first. Because of Him, for Him, by Him. It is his painting. He can do with it what He likes.