I’ve always been fascinated with science- especially natural science. Looking at the stars at night, clouds in the day, or how nature does its thing constantly reminds me that God is present and active everywhere.
Yet, I frequently encounter Christians who get nervous, don’t know quite what to say, or immediately bring up controversial issues that relate to science as soon as they find out that I’m trained to be a science teacher.
Science and Faith are Not Meant to be Mutually Exclusive
I tend to find myself on the defensive- being asked to prove my authenticity as a fellow believer or getting raked over the coals in terms of whether or not I can even be a believer. Yet, being curious and learning about God’s creation helps us to understand and appreciate the design that gives us life in the first place. Faith and science compliment each other very well when used to bring God glory, honor and praise.
I get that mainstream science is largely skeptical and anti-faith as a rule, but remember, the world is opposed to God and faith to begin with. What makes scientists any different? What is it about science that triggers many in Bible-believing circles to get nervous about exploring, studying and understanding what makes the world around us tick?
Science is so much more than the hot-button subjects of evolution, Noah’s flood or the timing of the creation of the universe. You can wade deep into the waters of science without dealing with any of that whatsoever. Matters of faith can coexist perfectly with the systemic, methodical approach of scientific inquiry. Nothing about science suggests that we have to abandon our faith along the way. Nothing.
Granted, the application of science in the world can be another matter entirely. There is no doubt that the enemy uses science as a way to deceive and destroy us and creation. Yet, we’ve always been okay with embracing things that make life in the modern world possible even if they came from non-Christian sources, as long as they benefit us.
Why is it so hard to apply the same approach to the study of the natural sciences?
God gives us the capacity to reason, discern and study creation in order to reveal more of Himself to us. Yet, we often avoid wandering deep into those waters because we fear that doing so may corrupt our minds or cause us to shipwreck our faith.
Yet, the exact opposite is true- if more Christians offered their brains to the study of science through the lens of what we believe, we would have a fuller, richer, broader and deeper understanding of God. Not only that, more skeptics and truth-seekers would come to see how creation leads us straight to the heart of the one who designed it in the first place.
Science Draws us Closer to God
The reality is that none of us know how the universe as we see it came into being other than that God made it happen. We don’t know exactly how things unfolded, how they came to be now, or where they are headed in the future. We certainly get glimpses of creation in scripture, but it doesn’t tell the whole story- and I don’t believe that scripture is meant to tell that story either.
Remember that God gave us the Earth to manage, care for and have dominion over (Genesis 1:26-28). A huge part of that involves figuring out how it works and how to make it work for our benefit. That, my brothers and sisters in Christ, is what science does.
I stand in awe whenever I look into the night sky and realize how much we don’t know yet. Yet, we find ourselves floating around in the infinite vastness of space on this little blue ball that is perfectly suited for life so we can exist and intimately know, be loved by, and love the giver of life- the God of all creation.
I chose to study earth and space science because it shows how all things work together for our good and God’s purpose (Romans 8:28). Part of this involves us being in perfect and eternal communion with God and creation that is interconnected with itself. While heaven and Earth will pass away one day, we need to remember that they are temporary grains of sand in the vastness of creation that is indeed eternal and infinite.
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Psalm 139, where David reflects on being fearfully and wonderfully made and the marvelous works of God. He describes God’s infinite presence and intimate familiarity with us despite our smallness in the grand scheme of things. He also describes how we are formed out of what God created in the first place.
We were meant, by design, to understand all of this and to fit perfectly within it. Yet, there’s one small problem.
The Fall of Man Muddied the Waters but Science Makes Them Clear
We suffer from our limited and fragmented understanding of creation, and that stems from the fall of man. While the death and resurrection of Jesus reconciles and unites us to God, we still live in a broken world that clouds and distorts the way things really are. Scientific discovery and inquiry gives us micro-glimpses into the bigger picture of how and why the universe operates the way it does. Applying science through the lens of our faith deepens our understanding of God and our relationship with God. That knowledge blesses us, and it also allows us to bless others by restoring some of what was lost after that dreadful rebellion occurred.
Resist the tendency to look at science with disdain and disinterest just because the enemy has used politicians, corporations and unscrupulous individuals to taint it. The Bible is littered with passages that talk about the awesomeness of God’s creation and how we are intimately linked with all of it. Don’t sell yourself short by throwing the baby out with the bathwater with respect to science.
Studying and teaching science has blessed me beyond measure, and it can bless you too. It has helped me to understand and explain how God’s presence is everywhere and in all things. It has deepened my walk and improved my witness.
Don’t be afraid to dig deep into the how’s and why’s that are associated with creation. It’s there for us to discover, explore and use for God’s glory, and it’s pleasing to God when we do so.
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