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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Does the Bible indicate whether or not life exists beyond the earth?

The Bible is definite in showing that there are vast numbers of spirit creatures in existence. - Rev. 5:11; Matt. 26:53. But as for the possibility of other physical beings existing in our universe, the Bible simply does not outright say.

Even though we have not discovered life of any kind in our solar system or in the cosmos beyond, some may point to the broad variety of animals that have lived on Earth and after considering the sheer vastness of the universe, conclude that the odds are great that we are not alone (See video). However, if one truly considers the odds of life spontaneously arising, it may give one pause to this line of thinking.

But could God have created other physical life forms in the universe?

As to whether God created any non-intelligent extraterrestrial life - life that was not made in God's image - the Bible gives no indication one way or the other.

On the other hand, the Bible does give some indication as to whether other intelligent physical beings exist beyond the Earth.

Consider: If God did create such intelligent beings, he did so before he created Adam and Eve. Such beings either remained faithful to their Creator, or like Adam and Eve, they sinned and fell into imperfection.

But if they became imperfect, they needed a redeemer. As one essayist put it: “One has this dreadful thought that on Friday [the day Jesus Christ was executed], every Friday, somewhere in the universe Jesus is being hanged high for someone’s sins.” But that is not Scriptural. The Bible tells us that Jesus “died with reference to sin once for all time.” (Romans 6:10)

But what if these beings had remained perfect? Well, when Adam and Eve sinned, they were, in effect, questioning God’s right to rule over a world of intelligent physical beings. If another planet existed at that time, a world full of intelligent physical beings who were living harmoniously and loyally under God’s rule, would they not have been called in as witnesses to testify that God’s rule does indeed work? This conclusion seems inescapable, since he has already used even imperfect humans as witnesses in his behalf on that very issue. (Isaiah 43:10)

So in this context, it is interesting, considering the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, that Earth is the only planet to which the Creator sent his only-begotten Son to become a man and die sacrificially to recover the planet’s inhabitants from sin and its penalty death. It is also interesting that Earth will be the only planet on which Jehovah, by means of his Son Jesus Christ, will have fought the ‘war of the great day of God the Almighty’ to show his power over all his enemies in heaven and on earth and to vindicate himself as the Universal Sovereign. - Jeremiah 50:25; Psalm 140:7; Acts 4:24

The point being emphasized is this: Never again will it be necessary for God’s Son to die sacrificially to recover living creatures from sin and death. Never again will it be necessary for Jehovah God to vindicate himself as Universal Sovereign. These things will have been accomplished once and for all time at the earth. Even if the Creator should at some future time populate other planets—which is something that we do not know—there still would be no need for repetition of Jesus’ sacrifice and the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty. The issues involved will already have been settled forever. - Heb. 9:28; 10:12.

For more, see:
Creation

Search For Bible Truths - ARCHIVE 

Scriptures Index

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