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Monday, December 9, 2024 - 04:37 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

The idea of alien life in outer space is quite popular today. It is a very popular theme in science fiction. However, the notion is mainly a result of atheistic ideas on the origin of life and common descent evolution. The question of this article is whether or not space aliens can be compatible not only with Biblical creation but the Biblical concept of salvation as well.

The first thing that needs to be noted is that there is absolutely no evidence for the existence of aliens from outer space.  The idea is entirely conjecture based on the presuppositions of atheistic naturalism. The closest thing there is to evidence are some experiences that some people have claimed to have had. The problem with this as evidence is that such experiences could easily be dreams. The next closest thing to evidence is a little more than conspiracy theories.

Not only do you have a complete lack of evidence for alien life, but almost inevitably the planets that we have discovered around other stars tend to go against even microbes let alone intelligent space-fearing aliens. Furthermore, looking at the probabilities of the occurrence of abiogenesis, even if you assume the universe is either infinite or at least large enough for other intelligent life to exist, they would be so far away that we could never know they exist let alone have any contact with them.

That said when you look at the concept of alien life from outer space from a Biblical perspective, it simply doesn't fit. One reason is because the Bible is clear that the earth was made to be inhabited it mentions no other places where God put anybody. However, despite this, finding either bacteria or even plant and animal life on another planet that could not have originated on earth would not be a problem. This would simply mean that God's eventual plan for unfallen man would have been for us to have expanded throughout the cosmos. However intelligent alien life posed as a problem because of sin. If they are sinless then we have a problem that they are suffering from the fruits of our sin.

Romans 8:22-23
22, For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23, And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

If they have sinned then you have the problem of how would they be redeemed because the Bible is clear that Jesus died once for us all, but also that that redemption is the result of him becoming a man.  

Hebrews 10:10, By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Now there is one solution to this dilemma that would solve both problems and that is if any aliens in outer space are actually from Earth originally so that they too were actually descendants of Adam and Eve. It is a common trope in science fiction to have the Galaxy populated by aliens that for the most part look like ordinary human beings but in some cases maybe having a few relatively minor differences such as pointed ears. Such differences could be explained by adaptation to another planet. All that would be necessary would have been for pre flood man to have developed a means of interstellar travel and such a process could also be helped if the Solar system experienced time dilation during the time of the flood. In fact, growing up this was pretty much my head cannon for programs such as Star Trek.

So is there a possible way to have aliens from outer space that is consistent with the Bible. Yes, it would simply require that they be human beings whose ancestors left earth and settled on a planet orbiting another star. Is this likely to actually be the case? Based on Biblical and actual scientific evidence that we have the answer is no. Once again not only is there nothing in the Bible that indicates it, but arguments from silence tend to be weak, but there is no other form of evidence supporting the existence of such beings. However, if we found such evidence this would be the most likely way of explaining their existence in a manner that is consistent with the Bible.