Is there life out there?
The alien question

What about aliens? Are they real? Do you believe that there's life out there? These questions are commonly asked by children and teens. This likely means that adults have wondered about the same things but have just never asked. And why wouldn't these questions be in the forefront? Consider the entertainment that most of North America is growing up with, from the Star Treks to Star Wars and even older shows like Alf or Mork and Mindy [okay, these shows really date me, a more recent version being 3rd Rock], the idea of aliens being everywhere out there has become common place. And don't forget the X-files [actually please do], Independence Day, or Earth Final Conflict, plus a host of other Alien type nasty take over the world extraterrestrial villains. Is it any surprise that the tabloid news is filled with stories of alien abductions?!

Even modern science assures us that there has to be life out there. Why? Because it evolved here. Now if you believe that statement about evolution, there's a bigger issue that needs to be dealt with than aliens. In fact with no proof that life evolved on earth and less and less evidence holding up to scrutiny, not to mention hosts of experiments that show life couldn't have spontaneously started here, all have sent evolutionists scrambling for an answer. Namely, where did life come from? Their imagination now says that perhaps it came to earth from out there (where, of course, we're assured it had to have evolved since they can't prove it did here). Maybe Mars. Why do you think that all the hype was given to dubious and disputed patterns in rocks purported to be from Mars (somehow thrown into space and landed on earth), that they say shows evidence of life on Mars. Add the billions being spent to send probes to Mars, with each claiming to be looking for evidences of life, or conditions that could support life, and it puts NASA right at the heart of the "I have to find Aliens out there somewhere" hype. (In a news release even this past week, NASA again publicly asserted their need to find traces of life on Mars, or at least conditions that could have "supported life.")

When a person realizes that God created life right here, and that there's lots of evidence to back that up, there is no pressing need to believe there has to be life out there. Some would say, that all that space would be a waste if this was the only planet with life, but why? God doesn't do things on our scale. I truly believe that God made the universe so big that it would show just how big He is in comparison to us. God even told us that we'd never figure out the size of the universe either. (Is it any surprise that they keep coming back saying that they've spotted something farther away, and the universe is a bit bigger?)

Another thing we know from scriptures is this. If there is life out there, it has been corrupted by our sin here. All of creation groans (Romans 8:19-22) because it has been corrupted by our sin on this planet. Adam and Eve's sin caused everything to get worse, to wear down, to wear out, and to die. In fact God likens the condition of creation to being like old clothes -- something that He's going to roll up and throw out (Hebrews 1:10-12). So much for the super evolved, ultra-intelligent, perfect (we've solved everything) aliens that New Age types tout as being a possible savior for mankind. If they are there, they've got a sin problem too and also need a Savior.

Does the Bible say conclusively, one way or the other, that there is life on other planets? No it doesn't. But there are passages that may help us to formulate an intelligent Biblical response. Consider that God through His Word tells us that His creation is to show His glory. Show His glory to who? Us. The message of the Bible is that God cares for this planet and more specifically for it's inhabitants. Also, God only names one planet that He says was created to be inhabited... earth! Whether that extend only to intelligent life or all life, it definitely singles our earth as being different. Even if science was to find life on another planet, and most likely unintelligent life, it would prove nothing except that the Creator created elsewhere too. Evolution still can't get life from non-life. Those that think finding life elsewhere would threaten the Bible or Christianity, seem to have a strange view as to what the Bible teaches. The bottom line of Scriptures is that God created everything, no matter where it's found!

Besides, if they did hear from intelligent life out there, how would they notice? With the SETI (or Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) project scanning the sky (literally radio waves of space) for patterns, which they know always point to intelligence, modern science has missed the patterns that have pointed to the only life we Biblically know is out there. Namely, God. The complex designs found in all creation, from the galaxies and stars, to microscopic organisms and ourselves, all clearly point to a supernatural life beyond us designing these unbelievably elaborate patterns. If scientists can trip over all this data and still not see signs of intelligent life, I'm not sure they could detect intelligent life out there if it was on a signed cosmic postcard (the equivalent of which God left us in His creation!). ...And still the search goes on, because they're sure we're not alone.

Another point. God has intertwined the fate of the entire universe to this planet. When the fullness of salvation is accomplished, God is going to destroy all this tainted world and universe. Following which, He's going to make an all new one to take it's place -- a home for all the righteous (or in other words, those who have found salvation in Christ Jesus).

Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

2 Peter 3:12b -13
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

The bottom line is that God cares about us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...

Evolution says we're nothing special, just a cosmic blip in time and space (and since we're nothing special, there must be lots of other nothing specials out there somewhere). The Bible makes it clear that it's all about God (I'll bet you though I was going to say, it's all about us!).

Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another...

While we are extremely important to God, first and foremost is His glory. What He did in focusing on this planet and us, not to mention stepping into His own creation to accomplish salvation on the cross, is supremely for His Glory, and His alone. All of creation glorifies God. Aliens are optional.

Isaiah 45:18
For this is what the LORD says-- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited.

If you haven't already, why not get in contact with the One alien life that we know visited this planet... Jesus. That's the message of Scriptures!