The first article of the Creed is “I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.” In Catechism classes, this first article perhaps is the one that take the longest time to explain. For this single article includes a number of important doctrines: the existence of God, the holy Trinity, Creation, angels, human beings, and the Fall.

Who is God?

The Baltimore Catechism gives a good answer about Who God is. It states: “God is the Supreme Being, infinitely perfect, Who made all things and keeps them in existence.”

This definition describes both the nature of God and the works of God.

God, in His own Being, is Supreme and infinite. He is above all creatures and has all perfections without limit.

God, in His act, created all things out of nothing and sustains them. Only God can create something out of nothing. We, His creatures, can only make something out of something else, for examples: build a house out of stones, or make a table out of wood.

His Attributes

The divine perfections or attributes of God are beyond number, the ones usually listed on Catechism books are: eternal, almighty, all-knowing, all-wise, all-good, all-holy, all-present, all-merciful, and all-just.

The unchangeableness of God helps us to understand the eternity of God. Time is the measurement of change. We, creatures, are changeable and hence we are in time and are measured by time. God is infinitely perfect and there is no room and no need for Him to change. He is unchangeable and hence He is beyond the measurement of time. God is eternal, and time is created by God for the measurement of His creatures. God is not in time, but time is in God.

The power, wisdom and goodness of God are manifested in creation. The vastness of creatures (like high mountain, deep ocean, heavenly bodies) reminds us the power of God. The orders and structures in creatures prove the wisdom of God. The growth and preservation of creatures point to the goodness of God Who takes care His creation.

His Providence

The loving care of God for us is called Divine Providence.

God is all-wise and He has plan for His creatures. God is also all-powerful and He can lead all things according to His plan. All creatures are being directed by God. Irrational creatures are directed by God through natural necessity, whereas rational creatures (angels and men) can choose to cooperate with God’s direction with knowledge and love. Hence, angels and men are the noblest beings which God has made.

Providence is the foundation of our trust in God. Even in difficult times, we firmly believe that God allow evil because He can and He will “cause good to emerge from evil itself” (St. Augustine).

Evil is the lack of good. Since God is almighty, He could have created a perfect world without evil. But in His infinite wisdom and goodness He chose to create a world that is in a state of journeying towards its ultimate perfection. God is directing the world by His power and wisdom, and trustful abandonment to Divine Providence should be our response, especially in times of darkness and uncertainty.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church quoted saints who trusted that “in everything God works for good for those who love him” (Roman 8:28) :

“Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.” (St. Catherine of Siena)

“Nothing can come but that that God wills. And I make me very sure that whatsoever that be, seem it never so bad in sight, it shall indeed be the best.”(St. Thomas More)

「宗徒信經」的開始，開宗明義說明「我信全能者、天主聖父，化成天地」，也許是「要理（慕道）班」中，需多花時間教授的一環，其中包括了幾則的當信道理：天主的存在、天主三位一體、天主的創造 —— 天使、人類、萬物，和人類後來的墮落。

天主是誰

波爾的摩要理書(Baltimore Catechsim)對這問題，給了一個精確的答案：「天主是超性的神體，無限美善，創造一切和使一切存在。」—— 道出天主的本體，與及祂的化工。

天主，在祂的本位內，無限、至高無上，超越一切，無限美善，只有祂能從虛無創造了萬物。我們、作為受造物，充其量只能從受造中發明及製做，例如用石頭建築屋宇，用木料製做檯椅等。

天主的屬性

論天主的聖善或屬性，很難盡言。「要理」課本，僅能概括地寫著：天主是永恆、全能、全知、上智、至善、至聖、無所不在、至仁慈和至公義。

天主的持恆不變，讓我們明白祂的永恆性。時間是改變的量度。我們是受造物，是會改變的；因此我們被時間測量，也在時間之內。天主是無限完美，不需任何改變或更替，所以亦不受時間空間所限；何況日月星辰是祂所造、由祂支配、由祂規定；祂創造了時間；祂不在時間之內，時間卻在祂內！。

受造的萬物，彰顯了天主的全能、上智和美善：聳山竣嶺、汪洋深淵，以至壯麗無邊的天象，無不顯示天主的全能；萬物交替不息，兼且自律有序，是天主上智的作工；大地孕育、生物繁衍、各自尋存，莫不細訴天主的美善和照顧。

天主的眷顧

天主對我們的關愛，統稱為「天主的眷顧」。

天主無限上智，給受造物作了完美的計劃和安排，並因祂的全能，按祂的計劃和安排來引導萬物。無靈之物，無選擇地受天主的操控；而天使及人類，則以理智、認知和愛，自願在天主旨意下，和天主合作；因此天使及人類是最尊貴的受造物。

天主的眷顧是我們信賴祂的基礎；即使我們在困苦危難中，仍然要相信天主能「奇妙地從惡中引發出善（聖奧斯定）。」

「天主教教理」指出: 天主沒有創造一個沒有惡存在的完美世界。但祂以無限的智慧和慈愛，願意自由地創造一個「在過程中」的世界，邁向它最終的完美。天主正以衪的無限上智和能力來引導萬物，我們面對逆境和黑暗時，應以一顆全信全賴的心，依恃祂的眷顧。

「天主教教理」也引述了一些聖賢的話：『天主使一切協助那些愛祂的人。（羅8:28）』『一切都來自愛，一切都為使人得救而安排，天主所作的無非是為這個目的。（聖加大利納.西恩）』『除非天主願意，甚麼事情也不會發生。我深信無論發生甚麼事，不管它外表看來是多麼的壞，實際上常是對我們最好的。（聖多瑪斯. 摩爾）』