Ascribing reality of created things to God is "credible, acceptable, and coherent" (Iraneaeus of Lyons)

They (the Gnostics) tell us that moist substance proceeded from the tears of Achamoth, lucid substance from her smile, solid substance from her sadness, mobile substance from her fear. Here, they say, puffing themselves up, is the highest wisdom. In fact, it deserves nothing but contempt; it is truly ridiculous. Ignorant of the power of a spiritual and divine substance, they do not believe that God, who is mighty and rich in all things, created matter. Instead, they believe that their "Mother," whom they call "woman from woman," produced the vast matter of creation out of the passions mentioned above! They ask where the Maker obtained the matter of creation. But they do not ask where this "Mother" of theirs . . . obtained all those tears, all that sweat and sadness, and all the other material things she emitted!

But to ascribe the reality of created things to the power and will of the God of all is credible, acceptable, and coherent. It can rightly be said: "What is impossible with men is possible with God" (Luke 18:27). Men cannot make anything out of nothing, but only out of already existing matter. God, however, is superior to men, because He calls into being the matter of His creation when previously it did not exist.

Against Heresies