Genesis 1

Creator

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Under the Father's direction, the premortal Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth. The Book of Moses says the Father created all things by His Only Begotten, and Jesus Christ declares that He created the heavens and the earth.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · another scripture interprets it of Him

• interpreted by Moses 2:1 — The same account in the Father's voice: 'by mine Only Begotten I created these things.'
• alluded to by John 1:1-3 — 'In the beginning was the Word... All things were made by him.'
• alluded to by D&C 14:9 — 'I am Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who created the heavens and the earth.'
• alluded to by Mosiah 4:2 — 'Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things.'

Light of the World

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3

The first creative word brings light out of darkness. John and Paul both reach back to this verse to describe Jesus Christ as the light that shines in the darkness of our hearts.

How we know: a traditional type, cited

• alluded to by John 1:4-5 — 'The light shineth in darkness' describes the Word, Christ.
• alluded to by 2 Corinthians 4:6 — 'God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness' shines 'in the face of Jesus Christ.'

Only Begotten

Only Begotten — the only Son born of the Father in the flesh

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 1:26

The plural 'us' and 'our' shows more than one divine Being at work. The Book of Moses makes it plain: the Father said this to His Only Begotten, who was with Him from the beginning.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · another scripture interprets it of Him

• interpreted by Moses 2:26 — 'I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image.'
• a parallel account in Abraham 4:26 — 'the Gods took counsel among themselves and said: Let us go down and form man in our image.'

Image of God

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27

Mankind was made in God's image. The premortal Christ later showed the brother of Jared that all men were created after His own image, and Abinadi taught that Christ's mortal body would be the image after which man was created.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · a footnote points to Him

• alluded to by Ether 3:15 — The premortal Christ: 'all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.'
• interpreted by Mosiah 7:27 — Christ would take upon Him 'the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning.'