Science is the art of knowing. It is an ever-expanding thirst for knowledge that’s never satiated as each discovery leads to even more questions. This thirst, this quest for knowledge, is why “Settled Science” is such an oxymoron. It was settled that the sun moved around the earth in a geocentric universe. Then, we realized that the earth moved around the sun and we began believing in a helio-centric universe, only to find out much later the vastness of the cosmos. At one time, elements were considered the building blocks of our world. Then, we discovered molecules, and then atoms, and now we are discovering the building blocks of atoms as we discover that our vast cosmos is made up of tiny, infinitesimal pieces. With science, there is always more to learn, more questions to answer. An incurious scientist is an impossibility.
As a follower of Christ, who believes in a Creator God who developed and designed all that is, I see science ultimately as the search to understand God’s world. Every new discovery speaks to the glory and creative power of God, as I understand it. Many scientists feel just the opposite. Because they don’t believe in God, science shows why God is unnecessary. These ideas are part of the clash of culture we have in the world today. I’ll be so bold as to say that just as those non-theistic scientists get it wrong today, years ago the Pharisees got it wrong about Jesus. “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40)
No one knew the words of the Scriptures, nor even the words of oral law better than the Pharisees. They combed through God’s word seeking knowledge. They wanted to be sure that they did everything just right in God’s eyes. They argued interpretations of the law seeking to find absolute truth. Jesus prodded them on their study noting that they not only couldn’t see the forest for all the trees, they didn’t understand the one who created the trees. This whole passage from John is some deep theological truth about the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinity. Jesus, as He came close to concluding this discussion, gave the Pharisees a back-handed compliment about their diligence, but He chided them for their stubbornness in not recognizing the Messiah. There is a thread throughout the Scriptures that points to the coming Messiah and when He did come, those who knew the Scriptures rejected him.
As followers of Christ, we need to be on a continuous search for Truth. Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life and the more we know truth, the more we learn about God. As Christians, we never have to fear knowledge, since all truth and all knowledge not only comes from God, it leads back to God. We can urge scientists to search the macroscopic of the heavens or to dive down into the microscopic world of the atom confident in the belief that if they approach their studies with an open mind, they’ll be able to see the hand of God in their studies and recognize His designing power. We have an amazing Creator God who had put infinite detail and planning into His design and work of creation. While most of us will never understand the half of all that went into His design and purpose for our world, we can recognize His creative power that ultimately led to us. In the end, each of us is a special creation of God who needs to know the love of our Creator.
Lord, You have created an amazing universe. You made this world and all who are in it. Even still, You have time to show me how much You love me. Help me to share that love with others.
Daily Devotion by Bob James https://dailyenduringtruth.com/https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Enduring-Truth-January-February/dp/1983973955
