I was in a waiting room and began to read the cover story of National Geographic when I came across the following two sentences,
“In this bewildering world we have to decide what to believe and how to act on that. In principle that’s what science is for.”
Immediately I came to a full stop. The first sentence had penetrated into the depths of the truly profound. Few questions are more important then deciding what to believe and how to act, but what is the answer that National Geographic gives… Science. Allegedly Science is the answer, science is the savior. The article went on to ask the question Why Do Many Reasonable People Doubt Science? The assumption behind the whole article is that the scientific consensus is completely trustworthy and therefore truth. The author is astounded that anyone could doubt what he simply calls “Science.”
He speaks as if Science is its own being. For the author Science has clearly replaced God and is it self the source of truth. For example, mocking the biblical account, the caption for the image above taken at the Creation Museum which shows a dinosaur with Adam and Eve, I read, “Science holds that Earth is 4.6 billion years old, that all life evolved from microbes, and that modern humans first appeared 200,000 years ago—65 million years after dinosaurs died out.” Really, as if all scientists agree. As if any scientist has actually proven any of those false claims. He goes on to write boldly that, “Evolution actually happened. Biology is incomprehensible without it.” Wow, apparently it’s been impossible to study life until Darwin gave us his theory. No, just because something is the scientific consensus does not mean it is true. Science doesn’t hold any opinions, but rather specific scientist hold particular views and many scientists disagree with one another.
Sheepishly the author admits that, “Scientific results are always provisional, susceptible to being overturned by some future experiment or observation.” But then quickly the author assures the reader that, “Science will find the truth. It may get it wrong the first time and maybe the second time, but ultimately it will find the truth.”
One such example of “Science” getting it wrong was the long-standing belief that living organisms are spontaneously generated by decaying organic substances. This false belief was deemed credible science by the leading minds of the time. The notion that mold is generated automatically by aging bread, and maggots are spontaneously begotten by rotting meat was deemed self-evident by most of humanity’s brightest intellects from the time of Aristotle until 1861, when Louis Pasteur conclusively proved that non-living matter cannot spawn life on its own.
There are numerous other examples that prove the fact that scientific results are always provisional and continually being overturned, but the producers of National Geographic are frustrated and quite honestly confused that everyone does not just simply trust without reservation the conclusions of fallible scientists who are continually revising their views.
I remember a conversation I had with a college student who was planning to become a science teacher. He said “I want to believe what the Bible says in Genesis, but the rocks don’t lie.” That is an interesting statement, but there is a problem with it: rocks don’t actually speak. The fossil record is it labeled with little date tabs. All scientific evidence has to be interpreted. Interpretations are based on certain assumptions. So for example, if you assume there cannot be a God who made the world, you will have to come up with an explanation for the evidence that excludes God. On the other hand if you assume the Bible accurately describes historical accounts it will affect the conclusions you draw when examining the evidence. This college student’s assumption was that the scientific consensus must be trusted above the clears statements of the Bible. His trust was not actually in the “infallible” statements of rocks, his trust was actually in a particular interpretation of the rocks. But the real question is does the evidence fit with the teaching of the Scripture?
In November our Wednesday night Bible study will begin a new series on Creation.
We will look to the book of Genesis to examine our origins, how God created the universe. We will contrast Intelligent Design with the theory of Evolution. We’ll consider the evidence for the global flood. We will come face-to-face with the fact that scientific evidence is in complete agreement with God’s Word. To kick off this new study we will be watching an impressive documentary entitled “Is Genesis History?” on November 6th from 6:00-8:00 PM. Please plan to join us.
I am so thankful that we have not been left to try and figure out what to believe and what to do without the divine revelation. God has spoken! He tells us what is true and what we are to do and to believe. In contrast to the imperfect word of man that is always in need of updating, we have been given the perfect and unchanging, infallible, inerrant, sufficient and authoritative Word of God. The Bible is completely trustworthy and in it we find the truth. The Scripture does not eventually get to the truth after failed attempts. To the contrary it is only truth. It has no mistakes, no errors!
Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5
The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21
Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4
I am very thankful for Science in general and specifically the work of scientist, but the scientific consensus never can or ever will take the place of the Bible. God has spoken and in His Word we learn what to believe and how to act. So whether a stranger at Starbucks or a scientific newsmagazine mocks the teaching of the Bible, “Then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your Word.” Psalm 119:42
For more on why you can trust the Bible let me recommend Taking God at His Word.
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