Answer by John Mackay and Diane Eager
We have now travelled though the solar system and seen no life except on earth. We have listened for messages for deep space and heard nothing. According to evolutionists anywhere water exists life might exist, but since water and chemicals do not make life, the bottom line is life will exist only where God created it! But where is that and how do we know?
Theoretically and theologically it would be possible for God to create life in another part of the universe, as He is all-powerful and has all knowledge. But His revelation (Genesis to Revelation) which details the creation of life on earth informs us the history of the whole physical universe is inextricably tied to the spiritual relationship between God and man on earth. Life anywhere in outer space would be affected by events involving human beings on Earth.
The Bible tells us God made the sun, moon and stars with the purpose of serving mankind physically and theologically. They were to provide light on the earth, as well as serving as signs and markers for the passage of time and seasons and information. (Genesis 1:14-19). The wise men were looking for a sign in space to announce the birth of a saviour for sinful man on earth. The stars and planets they were watching had been put into place on the 4th day of creation. Furthermore, Jesus told his disciple that this universe will end, and the future signs are already built into the stars. (Luke 21:25-26)
Now consider the historic details of this intimate interaction! When God completed the universe it was very good, meaning no physical moral or spiritual corruption. Any theoretical life elsewhere in the universe would have enjoyed that goodness. (Genesis 1:31) However, after man on earth rebelled against God the whole creation became subject the decay and futility. (Romans 8:20-22) Note the action of one man Adam on planet earth resulted in the entire universe being corrupted. Any intelligent, morally accountable creatures living on another planet would have experienced a change from a good to a bad world without knowing what happened or why. From then on, any life in outer space would be affected by the same decay processes that life on Earth has been subject to since the Fall of Man.
One day God will destroy this universe and replace it with a new heavens and earth. (2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 21:1) Any intelligent, morally accountable beings not on Earth would thus experience God’s judgement and destruction, even if they had not rebelled against Him. I am sure you can see a justice problem. On this planet everyone of us is born free of charge. We don’t have to buy a ticket. We inherit the earth legally because the Creator gave it to our ancestor Adam. But as with all inheritance law, we love it when Dad dies and leaves us three million we didn’t earn. But we hate the fact the same law has a flipside. If you can inherit undeserved wealth, you can inherit debt. Adam died a sinner – his wages of sin unpaid – our ancestor died in debt and the Creator has every legal right to pass that debt on to his inheritors – us! But life elsewhere in space would have no such familial legal relationship to Adam. If they inherited moral debt and physical death and judgement, a huge cosmic injustice would be done.
God has provided a way of salvation from sin’s bondage to decay and destruction, but again, it centres around Earth, involving God’s interaction with man. Jesus Christ, who is the Creator (I John 1:1-5) came to earth as a man whose ‘lengthy’ genealogies are included in Scripture to prove beyond a legal shadow of a doubt, this Jesus is in Adam’s family tree. The Creator has a rule that only a kinsman – a relative, can be a redeemer. The new Testament tells us Jesus came as the last Adam (I Corinthians 15:45) and he died to pay the penalty for man’s Adamic sin, and rose from the dead to give eternal life in a new heavens and earth to all who put their faith in Him. (Romans 5:12-21, & I Corinthians 15:12-57) Christ’s death to pay the penalty for sin was a “once for all” event (I Peter 3:18), and it was not repeated on any other planet. Alien beings, physical or spiritual, cannot partake of this salvation because they are not Adam’s kin.
When the time comes for God to destroy the Heavens and Earth, this same Christ will return to Earth and gather all His people to himself. He will be accompanied by angels, i.e. created spiritual beings from Heaven, but none will be aliens from other planets.
Image: Sombrero Galaxy, Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Were you helped by this answer? If so, consider making a donation so we can keep adding more answers. Donate here.
