“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies above proclaim the work of His hands.”
[Psalm 19:1]
Scientists are being forced to completely rethink their physics and all the schools and universities will need to revise their text books once again after a new find was released this week by theAstrophysical Journal. Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Adam Riess, discovered that the universe is expanding at a rate 9% faster than previously calculated, based on data from the Hubble Space Telescope.
This would mean that the universe is at least a billion years younger than what most secular physicists once believed. Let that sink in for a minute … a BILLION YEARS. These scientists toss around a billion years like its nothing — no big deal. Just a billion years. Nothing to see here. Keep moving along.
But as I have been saying all along, when it comes to the origin of the universe, these brilliant astrophysicists and secular scientists are so bound and determined to postulate Big Bang cosmology and billions of years that they refuse to acknowledge that maybe they have been wrong all along. Maybe, just maybe, they are blinded by their own biases and presuppositions and can’t see the clear writing on the walls — or should I say in the skies!
According to a recent article in Business Insider, Riess said that the universe “is outpacing all our expectations in its expansion, and that is very puzzling.” Riess also added that “it’s looking more and more like we’re going to need something new to explain this.”
NASA astrophysicist John Mather said that the discrepancies between older expansion rates and these new findings can only be explained by two possibilities.
1. We’re making mistakes we can’t find yet.
2. Nature has something we can’t find yet.
Please allow me to translate. “We really don’t know near what we pretend to know.”
King David, writing some 3,000 years ago, said that the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies above proclaim the work of His hands [Psalm 19:1]. God has revealed Himself to mankind through the beauty and majesty of the creation. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” [Romans 1:20]
Fallible and fallen men have attempted for centuries to explain away God by suppressing the truth in their own wickedness. But God’s creation pours forth speech day after day and night after night as a testimony to God’s glory and goodness, so that men are without excuse. In other words, unbelief is never ultimately on the grounds of intellectual objection, but rather is an issue of moral accountability before a Holy God.
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.”
[Psalm 14:1-2]
If a man simply will start with God and His word and readily accept that He created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them around 6,000 years ago — not billions of years ago — he will posses an accurate theological view of the origin of the universe. Also, he will have a solid scientific foundation upon which to explain the intricacies and wondrous mysteries of God’s creation. This is precisely why nearly every founder of the major branches of science has been a Bible-believing creationist. See a list here.
This latest “discovery” is just another example of how fallible men will always be at a disadvantage trying to understand and explain God’s universe without Him. Their calculations will always be changing. “New physics” will always be needed. One thing will never change, however. A young earth and young universe will never be acquiesced by the atheistic, evolutionary community because to do so would be committing philosophical suicide.
Man’s limited knowledge and fallen nature keeps him on uncertain, ever-shifting sand, but he who trusts in the LORD will never be put to shame.
“This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?”
“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
[Matthew 18:4-6]
Although the Bible is clear that there is nothing new under the sun, I believe we are beginning to see the veil lifted on one of the most horrific and demonic systems of abuse and perversion in the modern era. I am talking about the ubiquitous and repulsive reality of human trafficking, the sexual slave trade, child abuse and pedophilia.
Just consider the headlines from the past few years. [Note — simply google any of these headlines and you can find multiple news reports.]
A Boy Scout wears an Eagle Scot neckerchief during the annual Boy Scouts Parade (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Boy Scouts Sex Abuse Scandal Exposed — abuse of over 12,000 children kept hidden in infamous “perversion files”
More than 4,000 US Roman Catholic priests have faced sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years, in cases involving more than 10,000 children – mostly boys
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. With 21 million victims worldwide, there are more slaves today than at any time in history
More than 2,300 pedophiles are arrested across the country after three month online hunt for sex offenders in Operation Broken Heart
Patriots owner Robert Kraft solicitation charge puts spotlight on sex trafficking
Tim Ballard: I’ve fought sex trafficking at the border. This is why we need a wall
I could go on and on providing headlines covering this worldwide epidemic. On the one hand it is shocking and difficult to process when such brutal, satanic abuse is brought into the light. But at the same time, I am grateful that more and more of this disgusting behavior is being exposed like never before. And what’s more … I believe we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
When it comes to social justice and the response of the church to stand at the forefront of the battle, I believe God is calling His people to rise up and act on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society. We certainly believe this applies to the abortion epidemic, as unborn children are THE MOST VULNERABLE citizens in our society. God’s people must continue to stand against abortion and offer alternatives to expecting mothers that encourage them to choose life.
But human trafficking, the sex trade, and child abuse, are at a close second, and the church must wake up and rise up to help those whose lives are being ravished against their will. Most of the time the victims of human trafficking and the sexual slave trade are young girls and boys and young women. They are most often taken against their will, or they are destitute and needy and allured by predators with promises for a better life. By the time they realize what has happened, it is usually too late.
“He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.”
[Deuteronomy 10:18]
The Plague of Pornography
The reality is that it should come as no surprise that such sexual perversion and abuse is so pervasive in our culture. We live in a sex-saturated, sexually exploitative culture. The plague of pornography alone has done enough to both desensitize and normalize the profane, satanic spirit of sexual immorality.
Furthermore, pornography is an epidemic of epic proportions that has reached its defiling tentacles into nearly every home, smart phone, and facet of society, including the church. One of the biggest reasons that the church remains so silent and ineffective in combating sexual abuse and the sex trafficking industry is because the overwhelming majority of men (and many women) in the church are personally in bondage to pornography. One research group determined that 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis, and of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn.
What many followers of Jesus may not know is that every time they participate in buying or even viewing pornographic material, they are doing two devastating things.
Participating with demons (Ephesians 5:3-14)
Supporting the Sexual Slave Industry
“That’s right. Porn and sex trafficking are inseparably linked, and much of society denies or has no idea of this fact.”
Consider these statistics from fightthenewdrug.org.
— By some estimates, 4.5 million people are trapped or forced into sexual exploitation globally. (International Labor Organization)
— While nearly 25% of global trafficking victims are trafficked for sex, sexual exploitation earns 66% of the global profits from human trafficking at large.
– Sex trafficking is big business—it generates $99 billion annually, just from commercial sexual exploitation alone. (International Labor Organization)
– In one survey, 63% of underage sex trafficking victims said they had been advertised or sold online. (Thorn)
– According to anti-trafficking nonprofit, Rescue:Freedom, in 9 countries, 49% of sexually exploited women said that pornography was made of them while they were being sold for sex.
Many times children are taken against their will at a very young age and groomed to be sex slaves in the pornography industry. There is no such thing as justified pornography. It’s all from the pit of hell and the hand of Satan, and the industry as a whole helps to encourage, fund, and promote pedophilia, homosexuality, child abuse, and human sex trafficking.
If the church is ever going to take a stand against this culture of perversion and sexual immorality … then we must cleanse our hearts of our own evil deeds and separate ourselves from the unfruitful deeds of darkness. For even our own secret deeds will be exposed one day before the Judge of all the earth.
I will leave you with these strong words from the Apostle Paul. May God’s church truly begin to walk as children of light! Have mercy on us LORD.
“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.5For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not become partners with them; 8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14for anything that becomes visible is light.
Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
“I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land.”
[Joel 3:2]
President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior White House Adviser, Jared Kushner, recently announced that his Middle East Peace Plan should be released by early June of this year. Although Trump and Kushner have provided few details about the plan, many are speculating that the deal could involve restoring Israeli authority and access to the Temple Mount.
In light of the recent reelection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kushner said that the goal is to publicly release his plan after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. While Trump has proven to be one of Israel’s biggest public advocates, sources say that Kushner has been working tirelessly behind the scenes with a Muslim coalition from Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu had a great victory, and he’s in the middle of forming his coalition, and once that’s done we’ll probably be in the middle of Ramadan, so we’ll wait until after Ramadan and then we’ll put our plan out,
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner watches a ceremony where President Donald Trump was presented with The Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal, at the Royal Court Palace, Saturday, May 20, 2017, in Riyadh. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
In a historic declaration, President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel and also relocated the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city of David. Just this month, Trump also recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which was never “internationally recognized” after Israel claimed victory over Syria in 1967.
In response to Trump’s bold declaration, Netanyahu promised to name a new settlement after Trump in the Golan Heights. No other U.S. president in history has been more proactive in promoting Israeli sovereignty in the land, and yet many believe that if Trump can broker deal that leads to peace in the Middle East, it will be his greatest achievement.
“All Israelis were deeply moved when President Trump made his historic decision to recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights,” Netanyahu said. “I intend to bring to the government a resolution calling for a new community on the Golan Heights named after President Donald J Trump.”
From a Biblical perspective, there is good reason to believe that some type of peace deal or “covenant with many” [Daniel 9:27] will be one of the primary prophetic signs of the last days. According to the testimony of the Biblical prophets, this covenant will be established between Israel and the surrounding nations and will involve disputed territory.
The irony of this coming covenant is that on the one hand it very likely will give Israel unprecedented sovereignty, peace, and even the authority to rebuild the 3rd Jewish Temple and reinstitute the daily sacrificial system.
On the other hand, however, this agreement will prove to be an deceptive scheme. The peace in the land will be a false peace. The Temple will be defiled by the Antichrist, who will use it as Satan’s temporary throne, and all the forces of darkness will turn on the Jewish people. Consider the following passages.
“1O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 2For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. 3They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 4They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 5For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant— 6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 7Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah 9Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, 10who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground. 11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 12who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God.”
[Psalm 83:1-12]
“While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”
[1 Thessalonians 5:3]
“His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation. 32With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. 33Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword and flame or be captured or plundered.”
[Daniel 11:31-33]
The one thing that the Jewish people want the most — peace, sovereignty and the freedom to restore Temple worship — will likely be the very things that the enemy uses to deceive Israel in the end.
While I do not believe Kushner’s new peace plan will be the final peace agreement with Israel, but I do believe that it could be a precursor to this covenant spoken of by the prophets. Either way, every step closer to “peace” in the Middle East is another step closer to the revelation of the Antichrist, the great tribulation, and the time of Jacob’s trouble.
But this also means that it is one step closer to the triumphant return of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to deliver His people and bring everlasting peace to the Kingdom of Israel.
“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore!”
“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen”
[Romans 1:24-25]
This week the world is recognizing another Earth Day. Earth Day celebrations have now been promoted in our schools, parks, communities, and countries for nearly 50 years. Cloaked in the veil of environmental awareness and championed by a “save-the-planet” mantra, Earth Day has become one of the most successful indoctrination campaigns for modern paganism and the worship of Gaia — or Mother Earth.
Of course the pagan roots and religious components of Earth Day are always downplayed by organizers, who insist that it is an innocuous secular holiday simply established to promote a cleaner, greener planet. And who doesn’t want a healthier planet?
Yet just a surface-glance of the language, literature and activities at the core of this holiday paint an entirely different picture. Tucked nicely into the overarching theme of Earth Day, are core pagan beliefs such as the veneration of Mother Earth, the reduction of human population, the introduction of animistic and pantheistic beliefs, and even the criminalization for man’s contribution to climate change.
Although Earth Day [established 1970] is not officially recognized as one of the sacred, pagan holidays, it has deep pagan roots and was born out of deeper religious conviction. Earth Day’s genesis can be traced back to a 1967 essay written by Lynn White, Jr., titled — The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis.
In his essay, White laid a “heavy burden” on Biblical Christianity for promoting man’s dominance over nature, all the while suggesting that in order to save our world, progressive thinkers must change the way they view the relationship between mankind and Mother Earth. His suggestion, of course, was to embrace our pagan roots and replace archaic, destructive Christian beliefs with a newfound veneration of nature and nature’s “spirits.”
“Christianity, in absolute contrast to ancient paganism and Asia’s religions (except, perhaps Zoroastrianism), not only established a dualism of man and nature but also insisted that it is God’s will that man exploit nature for his proper ends … The spirits in natural objects, which formerly had protected nature from man, evaporated. Man’s effective monopoly on spirit in this world was confirmed, and the old inhibitions to the exploitation of nature crumbled.”
[Lynn White, Jr. — The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis — 1969]
In other words, the patriarch of the Earth Day movement believed with full conviction that until society returned to the pagan worship of nature and Mother Earth, mankind would inevitably destroy its own sacred environment. And make no mistake about it, pagan ideology considers the destruction of the planet as a more grievous offense that the destruction of human beings themselves. The neopagans of our day see mankind as the cancerous growth that has infected the earth with its waste and overpopulation.
And now, nearly 50 years later, our children have been indoctrinated with pagan ideology — passionately wanting to save a planet without even realizing why.
If you don’t believe Earth Day purely is a religious movement, here is another quote from White’s essay, which was premiered in the very first Earth Day manifesto in 1970.
“Both our present science and our present technology are so tinctured with orthodox Christian arrogance toward nature that no solution for our ecologic crisis can be expected from them alone. Since the roots of our trouble are so largely religious, the remedy must also be essentially religious, whether we call it that or not. We must rethink and refeel our nature and destiny.”
[White – — The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis — 1969]
Earth Day and Environmentalism
One of the many branches of the neopagan movement is the modern obsession with climate change and radical environmentalism. Everyone from Al Gore to the latest “Green” political champion, New York Senator Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, insists that the this ecological crisis is the gravest threat to human civilization. This radical environmental ideology is much more than abstract conjecture, however, as zealous politicians have used fear-based rhetoric and fraudulent data to justify imposing brutal legislation and insufferable government restrictions.
Ocasio-Cortez at a women’s march – March 2019
To understand the irrational mindset of today’s radical environmentalists, look no further than to the founder of Earth Day, former Senator Gaylord Nelson, who once said, “The fate of the living planet is the most important issue facing mankind.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who recently proposed a $1 Trillion juggernaut “New Green Deal,” showed how her irrational environmental fervor influences her core values. Not only does Cortez support government funded abortions on demand, along with most socialist liberals, but she sees population control as a legitimate solution to the environmental “crisis.” Of course, like all elite socialists, she believes that she should be the one who determines who should live and who should be “sacrificed” for the greater good of the planet. Funny how that works.
“Our planet is going to face disaster if we don’t turn this ship around. There’s scientific consensus that the lives of children are going to be very difficult. And it does lead young people to have a legitimate question: Is it OK to still have children?”
[Ocasio-Cortez, Newsweek — Feb. 2019]
Biblical Stewardship vs. Radical Enviornmentalism
Unlike White and Ocasio-Cortez, who preach paganism and population control, the Lord Jesus Christ has a much different view of the environment and man’s responsibility to exercise dominion over the earth. It’s called stewardship.
Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” So the first principle of Biblical stewardship is that the LORD God is Creator and Ruler and Owner of the earth and the entire universe. We are not to venerate some pagan, demonic goddess, Gaia (Mother Earth). We are called to worship the LORD our God and serve Him only.
Secondly, the LORD our God created man in His own image and entered into covenant relationship with mankind, giving us dominion over the earth. Man is not equal to the animals but distinct from them. Man was created to reflect God’s heavenly image on the earth.
“Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
[Genesis 1:26]
Obviously man did not perfectly carry out God’s original mandate, and the effects of sin and the curse have brought death and corruption upon the earth. Yet those who live in relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ are most capable of reflecting God’s image to the world and most appreciating God’s glory in the creation. The purpose of all creation is to magnify the glory of the Creator.
God didn’t entrust this beautiful planet to mankind for arbitrary waste, exploitation, and degradation. NO! God entrusted this planet to us for beautification, exploration, co-creation, and ultimately His glorification. As stewards of God’s earth, a born-again believer will have a desire to properly manage and conserve the natural resources that the LORD has provided and wisely use them for man’s good and God’s glory.
Finally, despite all our efforts to properly reflect and represent our Creator on earth, we also must understand that Jesus Christ is coming again to carry out a total restoration and renewal of the heavens and the earth. This earth, in bondage to corruption, will one day be liberated by our Lord Jesus Christ, as will all who belong to Him.
So the greatest threat to humanity is not the environment, the greatest threat is that every human soul on the planet today is in danger of dying apart from having a relationship with Jesus Christ — our Awesome Creator and Loving Savior.
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
[Galatians 1:8]
What are the theological implications if extraterrestrial life happened to exist on other planets?
Jesus Christ the Creator
First, the Scriptures are clear that God is the Creator of the entire universe … not just our solar system. This means that everything that exists within our universe — both visible and invisible — is accountable to God. More specifically, the Bible attributes Jesus Christ, God the Son, with the creative work of the universe, saying that “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” [John 1:4]
Nothing in all the universe was made apart from Jesus Christ. He is Creator and Lord over all creation, so even in the most unlikely case that other “alien” lifeforms potentially exist somewhere else in the universe, they would be morally and ontologically accountable to the Creator Jesus Christ, who is Lord over all.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
[Colossians 1:15-17]
Man Made in the Image of God
Secondly, the Bible is clear that only mankind was created in the image of God and were originally commissioned to be God’s representatives and co-regents on earth. Man was created uniquely by God and set apart to reflect His nature and glory throughout the earth.
“Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
[Genesis 1:26-27]
The gospel story pays exclusive attention to the earth and to mankind. One could say that the Biblical narrative is geocentric, as God’s focus begins with the earth [Genesis 1:1] and ends with a new heaven and new earth [Revelation 21:1]. Clearly the Scriptures reveal the existence of spiritual beings in the heavenly realms and provide glimpses into the significance of the unseen, spiritual battle taking place around us. But the gospel story is directly connected to God’s interaction with mankind on earth, which involves “things into which angels long to look.” [1 Peter 1:12]
Our Creator God didn’t choose to permanently become an angel, nor did He choose to reveal Himself as an obscure alien from a distant galaxy. The incarnation of Jesus Christ implies that God the Son, having taken on human form, is now forever both God and man. By wrapping Himself in humanity, the eternal God and Creator of the universe has chosen to forever rule and reign in human form. Jesus has given eternal significance to mankind by become a man.
“In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you?‘
[Hebrews 1:2-5]
The Special and Universal Work of Redemption
Thirdly, Christ’s work of redemption is specific to mankind, and does not leave room for other alien lifeforms. God’s plan of salvation for mankind was born in His heart even before the creation itself. As Paul says, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” [Ephesians 1:4]
Also, the Bible is clear that Christ only “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous.” [1 Peter 3:18]. He died for mankind once and for all. Not for aliens.
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
[Hebrews 9:27-28]
Again, in the most improbable case that other sentient, moral beings do exist somewhere in the universe, they would not be created in the image of God and would be excluded from the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and therefore without hope of salvation. This raises all kinds of ethnical questions about why God would create other conscious beings in the universe who were not redeemable. Of course, the answer is that God has not created other unredeemable alien lifeforms because that does not correspond with His character and nature.
Furthermore, the Scriptures speak of a final destruction and restoration of the entire universe after the return of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” [Romans 8:19-21]
Sin has cursed and corrupted the entire creation — which includes the furthest reaches of the material universe and the spiritual realm. The Apostle Peter echoes this reality by saying that “bythe same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” [2 Peter 3:7] Peter is clear that on the Day of the LORD, the very elemental properties of the entire universe will be destroyed by fire before God establishes a new heaven and earth.
Consequently, this would mean that every galaxy and planet in the universe will be destroyed at the final judgment of Christ. This is not good news for unsuspecting alien civilizations just waiting to be consumed in the fire of a Holy God. Again, why would God create or allow for alien civilizations that are only going to be indiscriminately destroyed in the end?
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
[2 Peter 3:10-13]
The Catholic Response
It should be noted that the Catholic Church has broached the alien topic of discussion on many occasions, leaving the door open for the possibility of extraterrestrial life on other planets. Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church also has repeatedly attempted to reconcile Darwinian evolution with Biblical creation, embracing billions of years as the age of the universe. Catholic leadership seem to be most interested in whether or not alien beings would have a soul.
For example, Father Robert Spitzer, a Jesuit who was the president of Gonzaga University, believes that higher evolved alien lifeforms potentially could have a soul.
“If there is any other intelligent life in the universe that can do the things we do, they would have to have a transphysical soul … They would know about religion. They would have a sense of infinity. We would have to find them, catechize them and tell them about Jesus and baptize them.”
Even Pope Francis, sharing a homily in May of 2014, addressed the possibility of being confronted with alien lifeforms. He said, “If—for example—tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us, here…Martians, right? Green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them…And one says, ‘But I want to be baptized!’ What would happen?”
Exactly. What would happen?
A Biblical Response to the Alien Deception
Taking all of this into consideration, I would like to offer my interpretation to what is happening with the modern obsession with UFOs and ancient aliens.
It is apparent that there is a growing fascination, especially among our younger generations, with the possibility that highly-evolved, transcendent alien beings not only hold the key to our past, but also to our future. Alien ideology and Ufology effectively remove Jesus Christ as both Creator and Savior and replace Him with the ancient-alien “gods” of fantasy and science fiction.
The ancient alien narrative is consistent with New Age Theosophy and the quest for esoteric knowledge through Satanic occult rituals. The overwhelming majority of alien abductions involve sexual and psychological abuse, along with mind manipulation. Not to mention that the consistent theme from these messengers from outer space directly challenges the person and nature of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Almost all alien abductions are dark, abusive, manipulative, and deceptive experiences that leave the victim traumatized.
The only name that commands power over these sinister beings is the name of Jesus! It begs the question … why would these highly-advanced beings from other galaxies travel so far across the galaxy only to dissuade humans from believing in the Biblical Jesus? Why would they be so enthralled with the person of Jesus? And why would the name of Jesus have so much power over them?
The Eschatological Implications
Here is what I believe is going on.
Satan has been using Darwinian evolution and the fascination with life on other planets to grip the imagination of mankind into looking for divine beings that can effectively replace the God of the Bible.
Spiritual personalities of evil from the heavenly realm are cloaking themselves as messengers of light, masquerading in this world in the form of UFOs and also as light-bearing, transcendent beings from “other planets.”
These demonic beings are not coming from galaxies millions of light years away, which violates the laws of physics, but rather are entering our world from other dimensions — the spiritual realm. This would explain how many “UFOs” can just instantly disappear out of thin air.
Alien abductions should be understood as real experiences involving supernatural, demonic beings, who are using fear, lies, abuse, and manipulation to control and deceive human beings.
These demonic beings have no power over anyone who belongs to Jesus Christ but must submit to Him and His Holy name.
Satan is using the growing obsession with aliens to prepare an entire generation for one of the greatest deceptions of the last days. If our generation is looking for highly-advanced beings to return to earth and offer eternal life through transcendent knowledge and technological advancement, then masses of people will flock to worship at their feet.
Jesus repeatedly warns us about being deceived with false signs and wonders, and Paul says that “the coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” [2 Thessalonians 2:9-10]
This is a salvation issue! The church must wake up and become proactive in communicating the truth of the gospel. Satan is disguising his message of death and destruction within one of the most popular movements of our day. The devil wants to replace Jesus, the True Creator and Savior, with false messiahs called ancient aliens, who will come offering an alternative salvation for mankind that only will end in death.
May we never forget that Jesus Christ has triumphed over all the principalities and powers and cosmic rulers of this age who are masquerading as angels and aliens of light. We have the answer. We have the truth. We have the good news. It’s time we share it with a world searching and seeking for another way of salvation and eternal life before it is too late.
“For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough … And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”
[2 Corinthians 11:4, 14-15]
Although the belief in extraterrestrial life on other planets historically is tied to Darwinian evolution, advocates of the trending ancient-alien movement see these beings as much more than little gray men from Mars. They actually see them as the ancient “gods” of the universe, who first created life on earth and provided mankind with transcendent knowledge and advanced technology. Although rooted more in fantasy than fact, a variety of ancient alien and ancient astronaut theories abound, and they have made their way into every facet of culture, including the church.
In an attempt to reject the dogma of institutional religion but at the same explain the complexities of intelligent design, the ancient-alien theory has gained significant traction, especially among millennials and Gen-Z. A growing number of intelligent people are becoming more convinced that these transcendent aliens hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of advanced ancient civilizations and also provide the solution for the future of mankind. One will find that progressive movements like transhumanism, artificial intelligence, cybernetics, biogenetic engineering and even climate change are almost always connected to ancient alien ideology.
Combine this obsession with the reality of thousands of UFO sightings around the world each year, abounding alien abduction accounts, multi-million dollar Hollywood productions, endless YouTube conspiracies, NASA expeditions and the cultish nature of it all, and one can easily see how Ufology and the belief in ancient aliens is here to stay.
Although many theologians and pastors have chosen to take the “head-in-the-sand” approach to this cultural obsession, some in the community of faith see this phenomenon as more than a passing trend but rather as a legitimate spiritual issue captivating the hearts and minds of millions. I for one believe that if the church doesn’t get ahead of this movement and provide a Biblical response and explanation, millions more will get swept away into one of the most dangerous deceptions of our day.
So what does the Bible say about aliens and UFOs? How can we explain and reconcile the possibility of life on other planets from a Biblical worldview?
UFO Sightings
I would like to begin by addressing the reality of regular UFO sightings all over the world. To be clear, UFO simply stands for unidentified flying objects. It is estimated that over 30% of the population have seen a flying object that could not be clearly identified. With today’s smart phone technology and instant video uploads, we are being exposed to more UFO sightings than ever before.
Just because something is unidentifiable does not automatically make it alien in nature. The overwhelming majority of these sightings can be explained by natural phenomena, such as meteors, comets, ball lightening, obscure aircraft, or even technologically advanced aircraft.
The contrail from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen from Long Beach, Calif., more than 100 miles southeast from its launch site, the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. [Dec, 2017]
There are some UFO sightings, however, that cannot be explained by natural means, which creates an entirely new set of problems. There have been a significant amount of legitimate testimonies from among many military pilots, air traffic controllers, and others over the last 75 years that describe UFOs traveling at enormous speeds and defying the laws of physics. These crafts are never seen entering earth’s atmosphere from “outer space,” but rather instantly appearing and just as quickly disappearing as if crossing over from another dimension.
Although I unequivocally reject the notion that aliens could travel from other star systems hundreds of millions of light years away from earth, I am more inclined to believe that these rare unexplained UFO sightings are inter-dimensional manifestations of a supernatural nature. We must begin looking at the alien and UFO phenomenon through spiritual, supernatural lenses, knowing that even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light.
Because of the complex nature of these phenomena, I have provided a link to a more in-depth article from Creation Ministries International. https://creation.com/ufos-not-extraterrestrial
Alien Abductions
How do we explain alien abductions from a Biblical worldview? It is not wise to comprehensively reject these experiences as nonsense. Clearly some apparent abductee stories are fabricated for attention or to create shock and awe. But many of these abductees are normal people who have nothing to gain from coming forward and sharing their experiences.
Interestingly, when comparing these abduction encounters, many similar details begin to emerge. Dr. Gary Bates from Creation Ministries International is one of the leading experts on alien abductions, personally interviewing hundreds who claim to have been personally invaded by these “alien” beings. Almost all of these experiences are negative in nature and even physically and psychologically abusive. Many of the common markers of these abductions include but aren’t limited to …
Invoking fear and paralysis
Time lapses
Telepathic communication
Painful experimentation, cutting and probing
Abuse sexual in nature
Challenges to the nature and person of Jesus Christ
Expressions of the New Age and the Occult
Offering a different gospel of origins and salvation
For fascinating testimony on this subject, watch the following interview with Gary Bates by clicking below.
The most amazing correlation between many of these abduction testimonies, however, is that when abductees were paralyzed and gripped with fear, being held against their will, the only way they could be set free is by invoking the name of Jesus! In other words, whatever kind of supernatural beings are terrorizing people in these abduction scenarios, they are powerless against the name of Jesus Christ.
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
[Philippians 2:9-11]
I believe that what we are dealing with is more than science fiction and more than pure delusion. I believe the alien and UFO phenomenon is a real, supernatural issue with serious spiritual implications. I believe we are dealing with spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places that are masquerading as extraterrestrial beings, whose entire mission is to deceive millions into believing that the future salvation of mankind is in their hands.
In Part Three of this installment, I will begin to break down the theological and eschatological implications of this growing movement, and how the church must wake up and provide a Biblical response.
Science fiction has been purposefully woven into the fabric of popular culture. Beginning at the turn of the 20th century with H.G. Wells, who is regarded as the pioneer of science fiction, and leading to the multi-million dollar sci-fi blockbusters of today, the fascination with UFOs and extraterrestrial life on other planets has become mainstream.
The growing sci-fi subculture gained significant traction in the 1980s, as cult-like Trekkies fell in love with Captain Kirk, and Steven Spielberg produced instant classics like E.T. and the Star Wars saga. Long running shows like the X-Files also gained significant notoriety in pop culture, but that was only the beginning.
The sci-fi genre has accounted for some of the highest grossing films in the last 20 years, where alien invasion plot lines abound. The Marvel and DC Comic series alone have dominated the box office over the past decade, and prime time shows like the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens have surged in popularity. Today, Ufology — or the belief in extraterrestrials — is one of the fastest growing religious belief systems in the U.S.
In other words, the mainstream belief in intelligent alien life is beginning to replace the orthodox belief in the God of the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In her book, American Cosmic [2019], author and historian of religion, Professor D. W. Pasulka, reports that over 50% adult Americans and over 80% of young Americans believe in ufos or in extraterrestrial life.
“The new technological infrastructure has birthed several new forms of religion, including religions based on film and fiction. Pasulka reveals how ufo belief is the religion of the technological age. This belief is bolstered by the potential reality of the discovery of life on other planets, made real by NASA’s periodic press releases supporting this belief.”
It has been reported that there are well over 100 UFO sitings around the world on any given day, and author and Christian apologist Gary Bates with Creation Ministries International [CMI] says that the UFO phenomenon is not going way anytime soon. Consider the following based on a 1997 CNN/Time Magazine poll.
80% believe that the government is hiding the existence of extraterrestrial life forms
As Bible-believing Christians, what are we to make with this growing obsessions with alien life and the undeniable testimony of UFO sightings all over the world? Is there a Biblical response to the Ancient Alien phenomenon and Ufology?
THE ALIEN — EVOLUTION CONNECTION
The first truth that must be established is the direct connection between the belief in naturalistic evolution and extraterrestrial life on other planets. When holding to an evolutionary worldview, it is not only possible that life has evolved over billions of years in distant galaxies and on other planets far, far away — it is probable. Most believers in alien life forms would propose that these interstellar, extraterrestrial counterparts are much older and therefore much more highly evolved than humans.
If these “ancient aliens” are intellectually and technologically superior to us humans, then chances are they are the ones responsible for life on earth and also the ones capable of leading mankind to the next stage of evolutionary transcendence — even eternal life. This belief system makes ancient aliens both our creators and saviors, effectively replacing the Lord Jesus Christ.
H.G. Wells, who wrote The Time Machine (1895) and The War of the Worlds (1898), among other science fiction works, was a staunch evolutionists who believed that evolution held the key to the meaning of life. His fascination with alien life was evident throughout his writings.
“Darwinism destroyed the dogma of the Fall upon which the whole intellectual fabric of Christianity rests. For without a Fall there is no redemption, and the whole theory and meaning of the Pauline system is vain.”
Mackenzie, N. and Mackenzie, J., H.G. Wells: A Biography, Simon and Schuster, New York, p. 169, 1973.
The evolution-alien connection is nothing new in scientific circles. When atheist scientists James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA in the early 1950s, they were both overwhelmed with the complexity of life and the intelligent language of the genetic code. Crick admittedly struggled with providing an answer to the origin of such complex life, and so instead of allowing for the possibility of a Creator God, he did what only a rational scientist would do — he gave credit to the aliens.
Crick chose to embrace the fantastical idea of panspermia to explain how life first appeared on earth. This comes from the Greek words pas/pan (all) and sperma (seed), meaning that the seeds of life are all through the universe. In his book, Life Itself, Crick made the case for the evolution-alien connection saying that some form of primordial life was “shipped to the earth billions of years ago in spaceships” — by supposedly ‘more evolved’ (therefore advanced) alien beings.
Furthermore, one of the most renown new atheists of our day, Richard Dawkins, echoed Francis Crick when pressed by Ben Stein in the 2008 documentary Expelled. Like Watson and Crick, Dawkins and other evolutionary atheists must resort to making the aliens our gods, while willfully rejecting the One True Creator God of the Bible.
“It could be that at some earlier time, somewhere in the Universe, a civilization evolved by, probably, some kind of Darwinian means, to a very, very high level of technology, and designed a form of life that they seeded onto, perhaps, this planet. Now that is a possibility, and an intriguing possibility. And I suppose it’s possible that you might find evidence for that, if you look at the details of our chemistry, molecular biology, you might find a signature of some kind of designer. And that designer could well be a higher intelligence from elsewhere in the Universe.”
[Richard Dawkins — Expelled (Stein and Miller, 2008)]
WORSHIPPING THE CREATION
At the core of the evolution-extraterrestrial religious system is the refusal to worship the Creator and to exchange the glory of the Immortal God for the worship of mortal man and more evolved aliens. There is always a supernatural element behind these scientific belief systems. The Apostle Paul prophetically explains how mortal man willfully suppresses the truth in wickedness in order to deny the Creator.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”
[Romans 1:18-23]
I believe that many UFO sightings and “alien abductions” should be regarded as real experiences and should not be blindly rejected as non-events. The church must acknowledge that there are people sitting in their congregations every Sunday that have either seen a UFO or have had an encounter with some alien being. Christians must get ahead of this growing phenomenon and show that these things can be explained from a Biblical worldview. Furthermore, there are serious theological and eschatological implications behind the belief in alien life and man’s desire to ascend to the next phase of evolutionary enlightenment.
In part 2 of this installment, I will further develop the Biblical response to alien encounters and UFO sightings, specifically in regards to how the devil and his demons are using the alien phenomena as one of the greatest tools of deception in the last days.
“He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”
[Psalm 147:4-5]
NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope picture of the Sombrero galaxy, Messier 104 (M104). The galaxy is 50,000 light-years across and is located 30 million light-years from Earth.
Our Creator God is the God of history. Historical accuracy matters to God. Using the basic genealogical records provided in the Bible and extrapolating time back to the creation week in Genesis 1-2, one can easily deduce that God created the heavens and earth and everything in them about 6,000 years ago. Noah’s flood occurred around 4,400 years ago, and Abraham was born approximately 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. To take God at His word, one must accept that God was specific in providing a reliable account of creation and the historical record of the world.
Of course, there have been competing views throughout the centuries. For example, many of the ancient Greek philosophers proposed that the universe was eternal. This view once was widely accepted by the majority of Darwinian evolutionists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. An eternal universe provided plenty of necessary time for both cosmic and biologic evolution to take place. But a brilliant Jewish scientist by the name of Einstein changed all of that with his theory of general relativity, which mathematically established that the universe was not eternal after all. The universe had a beginning — a point of origination.
Once the theory of relativity put a limit on the age of universe, the evolutionists had to scramble to come up with a new hypothesis to explain the origin of the universe . Enter Big Bang cosmology. The more evident it became that naturalistic evolution was not viable without enormous amounts of time, the older the universe would get. Although the proposed age of the universe has repeatedly been changed to fit the evolutionary model, right now they are sitting on 13.8 billion years.
That’s quite a difference! Biblical cosmology says that the universe is about 6,000 years old. Secular cosmology says 13.8 billion years. Which view should be trusted?
Distant Starlight
On the surface, one of the largest stumbling blocks for Biblical creationists is the “distant starlight” problem. Secular physicists and mathematicians scoff at the notion that the universe could only be about 6,000 years old. Using modern measuring methods, it has been scientifically established that there are countless stars and galaxies billions of light years removed from earth. If we can see light from distant galaxies billions of light years away, then it only stands to reason that it has taken billions of years for that light to transverse space and reach our planet. The distant starlight argument goes like this.
We can observe light from stars and galaxies billions of light years away from earth.
It has taken that light billions of years to travel from those stars through space and reach our planet.
Therefore, the universe must be billions of years old.
Problems with Presuppositions
The logic of the distant starlight argument seems sound, but hidden within that argument are several presuppositions that must be taken into account.
A Light year is a unit of distance, not time. Light years are used to measure distance in space by using the two-way speed of light.
No one knows the one-way speed of light, therefore it is a convention.
All mathematical calculations that measure the distance of the stars use the two-way speed of light, which is not scientifically viable when measuring distant stars and galaxies.
It is widely assumed that the speed of light has always been constant, but more evidence is emerging that the speed of light is slowing down and could have been traveling must faster in the past.
Although our universe operates today under many physical and mathematical laws and constants, the creation itself was a supernatural act of God and therefore most likely transcended the physical laws of the universe.
Stretching out the Heavens
One fascinating theory that addresses the distant starlight problem has been proposed by astrophysicist Dr. Russell Humphries. Dr. Humphries is a Bible-believing Christian who also is a brilliant physicists and operational mathematician. He believes that as the LORD created the stars on day four of creation week, He stretched out the heavens — the very fabric of space — which dispersed the stars throughout the far reaches of the universe in just a matter of seconds. The Bible refers to God stretching out the heavens at least 17 times.
“It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.”
[Jeremiah 51:15]
“It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in.”
[Isaiah 40:22]
“I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.”
[Isaiah 45:12]
“Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.”
Another brilliant creation scientists is Dr. Jason Lisle, who also has proposed a solution to the apparent distant starlight problem. Dr. Lisle’s hypothesis involves the one-way speed of light. For those who are interested in the details of his argument, you can read here. https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/starlight/distant-starlight-thesis/
“He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.”
[Daniel 2:22]
““Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?”
[Job 38:19-20]
The reason it is important to address these apparent contradictions between “science” and the Bible is so that we can give a reasonable defense to a secular world that upholds the scientific community as the voice of authority in our culture. Fallible men are limited in knowledge, will always make mistakes, and are blinded by their own sinful biases. God, on the other hand, has infinite knowledge, is perfect in all His ways, and is the only objective standard of truth.
Believers need to realize that there are viable, logical explanations to the scientific objections of Biblical creation. The conflict is not in the science itself. The conflict is in the worldview behind the science and the interpretation of the science.
Furthermore, we must realize that there is an inextricable connection between Big Bang cosmology, billions of years, evolution and one of the fastest growing religions in our culture — the belief in Ancient Aliens and the UFO phenomena.
Stay tuned til next time, as I plan to address this modern extraterrestrial obsession.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
[Romans 5:12]
Michelangelo — the Sistine Chapel
As a committed Christian, I would expect secular atheists to reject the authority of Scripture and more specifically the Biblical account of creation. What is troubling, however, is when my brethren in the faith compromise the clear teachings of the Bible and embrace the traditions of men over the Word of God.
There is truly no way to quantify the influence of Darwinian evolution in our modern culture. Naturalistic evolution has become the dogma of our day. It is taught in virtually every public classroom and university. It is propagated by all the major media outlets and news networks. It is reinforced in children’s books and television shows. If the secular scientific community has done anything well, it has successfully marketed one of the darkest and most dangerous lies of modern history. If you tell a lie long enough and loud enough, eventually people will begin to believe it.
And unfortunately, committed Christians within the community of faith also have embraced the fantasy and fabrication of naturalistic evolution, which has forced many Bible believing Christians to make theological compromises that destroy the very foundation of the gospel.
The Geologic “Record”
One of the propaganda tools that the secular scientific community has used for years is the supposed geologic record, which is purely a man-made fabrication. We have been conditioned for generations that the various layers of fossils buried all over the world represent vast ages and millions of years of evolution. Evolutionists shrewdly have written their own history to fit their baseless theory, claiming that each geologic layer is another chapter in the evolution of life.
Fabrication of the Geologic Column
Although I will not use this post to refute all the problems with the evolutionary model of the geologic “record,” I will say this. The fossil record and various rock layers all over the earth present one of the most comprehensive proofs for a global flood. The only possible way that any fossils have been preserved was through rapid burial in water and sediments, which hardened into rock (i.e. Noah’s flood). Also, in all the years of digging up millions of fossils, there has NEVER BEEN ONE TRANSITIONAL SPECIES DISCOVERED that connects one kind of animal to another. If evolution were true and all of the animals alive today have evolved from other species, then the fossil record should be exploding with millions upon millions of transitional species — MISSING LINKS — that connect the present with the past. But to this day, there has not been one missing link ever discovered. Everything we observe in the fossil record are fully formed species after their own kind.
Sadly, many Christians have fallen for this pseudoscience bait and hook, embracing it as gospel truth because “science says so.” But Bible-believing Christians cannot logically embrace millions of years of naturalistic evolution and the Biblical account of creation at the same time. They are mutually exclusive.
For example, anyone who tries to insert evolution into Biblical creation must propose that God somehow used evolutionary processes over millions of years to eventually get all the plants, animals, and humans alive today. But in order to believe this, then one would have to believe that the original creation was not “very good,” as God said it was, but it was somehow deficient at the beginning. Then, one would have to accept that God used millions of years of natural selection to bring about the animals and the first man, Adam.
But if God used natural selection, then that means that He would have used millions of years of disease, suffering and death to “create” something He called very good. Remember, the fossil record and geologic column represents a mass grave of animals that suffered and died tragic deaths. But if you embrace theistic evolution or progressive creationism, then you must say that God considers millions of years of disease, death and suffering as good!
Death through Sin
There is a tragic theological problem with the notion that God could have used evolution to create all life on earth. The Bible is crystal clear that suffering and death are a direct consequence of man’s sin. The gospel says that death is the result of sin and the enemy of all mankind. Evolution says that death is God’s design to bring about higher forms of species. Nothing could be more diametrically opposed than that.
God says that the original creation was very good and wasn’t cursed and corrupted until after Adam sinned in the garden [Genesis 3]. The Apostle Paul says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” [Romans 5:12]
The Scriptures are clear that Adam was the first man created by God. Those who hold to some type of theistic evolution must believe that there were pre-Ademic races of humanoids that roamed the earth long before Adam, and that Adam evolved from these ape-like creatures. But the Bible doesn’t allow for such nonsense! The Bible record is incontrovertible. Adam, the first man, was created in the image of God on the sixth day of creation, about 6,000 years ago.
“Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”
[1 Corinthians 15:45]
Courtesy of Answers in Genesis
So either death created man in the image of apes through evolution, or God created man in His own image. Again, both can’t be true, and any Bible-believing Christian who tries to reconcile these two mutually exclusive ideas are committing theological suicide. If anyone believes the testimony of the word of God, then he or she cannot honestly believe that God used evolution as a means of creation.
The Second Adam and the Gospel
“For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
[1 Corinthians 15:21-22]
Finally, it must be said that the essential integrity of the gospel is directly connected to the Biblical creation account, Adam’s original sin, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is called the second Adam because He came to undo and redeem all that was lost through Adam’s sin. Jesus willingly chose to die a substitutionary death on the cross to reverse the curse of Adam’s sin that has been passed on to all mankind. Jesus came to restore eternal life back to all who believe through His resurrection from the dead!
Ironically, God did use death after all to give life to mankind, but not the pointless death of evolution. He used the precious death of the sinless Son of God to save mankind! And anyone who is in Christ becomes a new creation [2 Corinthians 5:17] and is granted a place in the new heaven and new earth, where there will be no more sin, suffering or death forevermore!
“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
[Exodus 20:11]
Since the advent of Darwinian evolution and the development of modern physics, there has been an overwhelming consensus in the scientific community that the earth and the universe are extremely old. Although these age “estimates” are always changing to fit new models, presently the accepted age of the universe is 13.8 billion years and the earth is supposedly around 4.5 billion years old. Big Bang cosmology with its billions of years has become the primary explanation of the origin of the universe, and science has become the unequivocal voice of authority in our culture.
Having been conditioned to blindly submit to the authority of the scientific community (which is overwhelmingly atheistic nonetheless), we have seen a rapid departure from Biblical cosmology within the community of faith. Those who are honest and logical recognize that Big Bang cosmology and Biblical cosmology are irreconcilable on many fundamental levels.
Many pastors, scientists, theologians, and everyday believers have effectively been confronted with a crisis of belief because it would appear that the authority of science has trumped the authority of God’s word. In a vain effort to reconcile this apparent contradiction between modern science and the holy Scriptures, theologians have concocted a variety of theories to harmonize billions of years with the Bible.
Just within the last 150 years, the church began to compromise on the clear testimony and authority of God’s word to allow for millions of years. Such theories as theistic evolution, progressive creationism, and the gap theory were proposed as viable compromises to accommodate modern science.
What Does the Bible Say?
Make no mistake about it, the primary issue at hand is an authority issue. On whose authority are we willing to establish our most foundational beliefs — specifically the origin of the universe and the creation account itself? Either we put our faith and trust in fallible men, who are proven time and time again to be wrong in their calculations and scientific estimations and blinded by their atheistic biases, or we let God be true and every man a liar. [Romans 3:4]
For starters, I’m still trying to find that verse in the Bible that says God created the universe billions of years ago and used millions of years of naturalistic evolution to make the first man in the image of … an ape. I’m still trying to find those Scriptures that describe the Big Bang, where in the beginning there was nothing … and then “nothing” decided to create everything in the material universe.
I’m still trying to find the place in the Bible where the stars formed themselves using gravity and gas particles and then billions of years later the earth and other planets somehow coalesced by random chance. The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth first [Genesis 1:1-2] and didn’t create the sun, moon and stars until the 4th day of creation week [Genesis 1:14-19]. Both options can’t be right, so whose word are we going to take?
Just to be clear, Moses says in Exodus 20:11 that in six days the LORD made the heavens and earth, the sea and everything in them. No honest intellectual is able to dream up a scenario where billions of years fits into six, literal 24-hour days. Even those who try to insert a “gap” of millions of years between Genesis 1:1-2 & the rest of the creation week must disregard the very words of Jesus Christ Himself.
“But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’”
[Mark 10:6]
Jesus says that Adam and Eve were made at the beginning of creation. If over 13.8 billion years transpired before man finally “evolved” on the scene, then that would mean man wasn’t created at the beginning of creation but at the very end of creation — nearly 14 billion years removed from the “beginning” at the Big Bang. Both options cannot be right, so whose word are we going to take? Fallible man, or Jesus Christ?
Operational Science and a Young Earth
But what scientific evidence is there of a young earth and young universe? I’m glad you asked. Unlike historical science that attempts to explain things that we can’t observe and test using the scientific method, there are hundreds of observable, testable phenomena in our world today that necessitate a young earth and young universe. Using operational (real) science, scientists can set age limits that help determine a more accurate picture of our origins.
Just one example is the scientific observation that the earth’s magnetic field is rapidly weakening. Think of the earth’s magnetic field like a car battery that was charged at one point in the distant past but has been running down over time. According to the second law of thermodynamics, all of creation is running down and gradually moving from order to disorder. This is also known as the law of entropy. Consider this quote from the Institute for Creation Research.
Earth’s magnetic field
“Magnetic fields naturally decay with time. If Earth were billions of years old, its magnetic field should be gone by now. But it isn’t. This has forced secular scientists to propose a recharging mechanism called a dynamothat supposedly sustained Earth’s magnetic field over billions of years.
Not only should the earth’s magnetic field be gone by now, but also if we were to extrapolate the strength of the earth’s magnetic field back into the distant past — say less than 1 million years — even at a conservative rate, the magnetic force would be so great that it would literally rip apart all matter at the atomic level. In other words, the weakening magnetic field creates a limit on the age of the earth. It cannot be billons of years old. Dr. Thomas Barnes explains.
” Looking backwards in time there is a limiting age because there is a limit as to how much magnetic energy the earth could have had originally. Reasonable postulates as to the maximum magnetic field the earth could have had limit its age to a few thousand years.”
As I said, this is simply one of hundreds of examples within operational science that affirms a young earth and young universe. These observations cannot be explained using an old earth cosmology, but because they don’t fit the popular Big Bang model, they are largely ignored.
But as we will address in the next installment, there are also many theological consequences within Big Bang cosmology and its proposed billions of years. Not only is the authority of Scripture being undermined by modern, atheistic science, but also the very integrity of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being threatened.
“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Days of Noah 