IS THERE LIFE IN OUTER SPACE?

[Pastor Matt]

Updated August 13, 2009 (first published August 24, 1996) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) –

We received the following question from a reader: "There is so much talk now about the possibility of life on Mars. Is there anything in the Scripture that would confirm or deny the existence of life on other planets OR is Scripture silent on this point. If human life existed on other planets would Christ have had to have died for them also?"

This is a good question and I would make the following seven observations:

I would note, first of all, that there is no absolute evidence of life on the planets or stars. This question has not passed the stage of conjecture and theorizing. At the same time that reports appeared which stated that some NASA scientists believe a meteorite bears evidence that there was life on Mars, other reports acknowledged that many scientists do not agree with these conclusions. For example, geochemist Jim Papike, director of the Institute of Meteoritics at the University of New Mexico, testified that he and three colleagues have tested the meteorite in question, and they have found that “it lacked a key sign of biological activity” (Associated Press, August 9, 1996). He stated, "We wanted to know if these pyrites in Martian rocks would show this fingerprint of life that would be indicated by a specific type of ratio. When we looked at the ratio, there was no evidence that it was in a ratio for life forms.” In fact, he claims that the ratio points in the opposite direction from the one that indicates biological activity. President George W. Bush’s 2003 budget report called for an increase in funding for space exploration and expressed hope that evidence of life in other parts of the universe will yet be found. The document also contained the following admission, “Despite all the space aliens that appear in science fiction movies and books, we have yet to find conclusive evidence for life, even microbes, anywhere in the universe besides Earth” (“Bush Budget Gets Spacey, CBS News, Feb. 3, 2003).

Posted at http://www.wayoflife.org/files/bf70ca5407ff9ab8d1acc79b4bcbdf3b-385.html#unique-entry-id-385

[777]

Very interesting article, although I can see why it'd be at odds with the sci-fi community. You know, this should be a pretty obvious point, but I'd never thought of it this way:

There is God and His glorious Heaven and the occupants thereof (Hebrews 12:22-23). There is an innumerable company of angels. There are, first of all, elect angels that did not follow the devil in the fall (1 Timothy 5:21). We know that these angels visit this earth and do God's bidding and minister among men (Gen. 28:12; Psalm 148:2; Matt. 26:53; Heb. 1:4-7). We know a little about these angels from what the Bible tells us, but there is much that we do not know. There are also fallen angels, Satan and his devils, which are active on the earth and possibly in other realms (Eph. 6:12). There is Hell and its occupants. There are the souls of men who have died and gone either to heaven or to hell.

There's the life in outer space. Thanks for the article.

[Madeline]

I think that since God knew that some angels would rebel and look for dwelling places on other planets...God purposely made many, many, many planets that may look inhabitable, but aren't... due to the climate being too cold or too hot, poisonous gases and such. Some of the planets out there do look beautiful, but are deadly and poisonous like a Jerusalem cherry. I don't know...

Love,
Madeline

[irishman]

I used to believe that there was life out there somewhere, maybe not in our solar system, but somewhere; of course I also used to believe in ouija boards, and little green men, etc., I guess if God wanted us to know the answer, he would have revealed it. Not to be mean, but maybe it's just none of our business!

[trc123]

Yes, there is life in outer space.

1st, there are human beings living in the international space station and they are living in what is considered outerspace.
2nd, all the celestial beings and souls are most likely zooming all over the place out there.
3rd, our God is so big and grand, I'm thinking he (as the originator of life) has life everywhere he'd like it to be.

[Jerry]

The main reasoning behind the view that there is life on other planets is due to the influence of evolution. But we know that God personally created human and angelic life. Jesus became a man to die for the sins of mankind - the highest of His creation that He created for fellowship. How do any other creatures fit into that?

If God were to create beings on another planet out there, He would have told us about them in His Word, as He has done so about every other thing He thinks we should know. I think it would be important to warn mankind about some other sinful beings taken captive mankind for experimentation purposes - if there actually were such a thing, and it was not just demonic delusion. Also, if man were to ever reach the stars and encounter some friendly beings out there - they would not be fallen, sinful or dying (ie. they would not be making technology that could crashland on our planet), and they would only be 6000 years old. God would prepare us for that encounter by telling us in His Word about some other race we would someday encounter.

Let's face it: belief in aliens is just wishful thinking. Makes for interesting movies and books - but doesn't fit in with God's Word.