What a fascinating topic of discussion and debate... highly advanced, intelligent “alien beings” from other planets of the vast universe. Have they, or more precisely, do they visit earth? Are they and their crafts the UFOs often reported by not so crazy people? Speculation on this topic can be endless and takes on dimensions we can hardly imagine or comprehend. Where did they come from and of greater importance... who made them, if they exist?
The Scriptures do not directly address the question of alien beings. The Bible does not explicitly confirm or deny the existence of intelligent life in other parts of the vast universe. However, while the subject is not addressed explicitly, does the Bible implicitly weave together evidence that would suggest that the only beings God created with intelligence, are the angels in the heavenly realm, humankind and the animals on planet Earth?
There is a tendency among all people, both Christian and non-Christian, to search out what is unknowable and ignore or neglect what is knowable. The “unknown” is fascinating, mysterious and alluring. So the question becomes, are we capable of understanding something God has not explicitly revealed? Can humans, through a careful examination of His entire revelation to man, the Bible, comprehend the nature and essence of something God’s has not spoken?
Man has certainly constructed a vast library of theological presuppositions based on what we believe to be God’s implied intent to transmit what is deducible from what He has revealed to us. In other words, if the Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us about something, it doesn’t mean it is impossible to know. Scripture encourages us with these words from Paul’s first letter to the christians in Corinth... But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9,10 ESV
It would seem reasonable that God expects us to dig into the deeper things, especially those things knowable. This of course will require a bit of effort and study with reasoned logical deduction to arrive at sound conclusions. There are many things we have learned about God and His creation in this way. For example....
We can deduce that the Earth is young not millions of years old. It is important to recognize that the stars and planets were not created millions of years before Earth. According to the Bible, Earth is not the result of millions of years of stellar evolution during which many other planets were also created. Earth was created before any other planet or star existed. Earth came into existence on the first day of Creation (Genesis 1:1). God withheld the creation of the Sun, Moon and stars until the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19). So it seems, Earth is unique and holds center stage in all of God's Creation.
The Bible does not suggest or infer that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the vast universe. Although the all-powerful God could have created such life had He desired, it seems obvious from Scripture that He did not. The timetable for this present universe is measured by God's dealings with us. It appears from scriptural evidence, that God created the intelligent human race, on planet Earth, as the sole beneficiary of His creative acts. This fellowship is of such a unique design that we are told that God's only true extra-terrestrial creations, angels, are eager to observe “things of earth” in action. Given all that has happened since God created the first man and woman and placed them in the special Garden home called Eden, we humans do seem from the Biblical revelation to be the “center of God’s attention” in a vast and wonder-filled universe.
So people wonder in puzzlement about extra-terrestrial intelligent life, aliens visiting earth, UFOs and the like. Just because the Bible only teaches that God created intelligent life on Earth, why couldn’t He have done so elsewhere? After all, Scripture does not discuss everything; such as automobiles, airplanes, space travel, computers, and most of the modern conveniences invented and used by man.
However, the biblical objection to life forms in other parts of the universe is not merely an argument crafted from silence on the subject. Automobiles for example, are not a salvation issue, but we believe that sentient, intelligent, moral-decision-capable beings are, because it would undermine the authority of Scripture if it were not so. In short, understanding the big picture of the Bible and the Gospel message allows us to conclude with a high degree of clarity, that the reason the Bible doesn’t mention extraterrestrial life is that there isn’t any. Surely, if the earth were to be favored with a visitation by real extraterrestrials from a galaxy far away, then one would reasonably expect that the Bible, and God in His sovereignty and foreknowledge, to mention such a momentous occasion, because it would clearly redefine man's place in the universe.
The Bible says that the whole creation groans and travails under the weight of sin (Romans 8:18–22). The effect of the Curse following Adam’s Fall was universal. Otherwise what would be the point of God dealing with the whole creation by bringing forth a new heavens and Earth (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1)? Therefore, any ETs living elsewhere would have been (unjustly) affected by the Adamic Curse through no fault of their own as they would not have inherited Adam’s sinful nature. Or, even more improbable... all other planets inhabited with intelligent free-will life forms would be in the same predicament as humanity on this Earth. Is that not illogical for a God of order and purpose, especially one who can’t make mistakes?
When Christ (God) appeared in the flesh, He came to Earth not only to redeem mankind but eventually the whole creation back to Himself (Romans 8:21, Colossians 1:20). However, Christ’s atoning death on the Cross cannot save these hypothetical ETs, because one needs to be a physical descendant of Adam for Christ to be our ‘kinsman-redeemer’ (Isaiah 59:20). Jesus was called ‘the last Adam’ because there was a real first man, Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22,45) not a first Vulcan, Klingon, etc.. In God’s perfect plan for redeeming His creation... a sinless human substitute (propitiatory sacrifice) takes on the punishment all humans deserve for sin (Isaiah 53:6,10; Matthew 20:28; 1 John 2:2, 4:10). This substitutionary sacrifice “humankind's stand-in” does not need to atone for any sin (non-existent) of his own (Hebrews 7:27).
If you believe in God, His plan of redemption, and you also believe in the possible existence of life in others parts of the universe, then you will need to find a way to explain that Christ’s sacrifice would need to be repeated elsewhere for other beings who have also sinned. There’s a major problem with that notion... Christ died once for all (Romans 6:10, 1 Peter 3:18) on the Earth for humans who have sinned. While the Bible does not speak of ETs, the illogical nature of the argument borders on the absurd. Christ is not going to be crucified and resurrected again and again on other planets (Hebrews 9:26). This is confirmed by the fact that the redeemed (earthly) church is known as Christ’s bride (Ephesians 5:22–33; Revelation 19:7–9) betrothed in a divine marriage that will last for eternity. Again, for a perfect God, with no capacity for mistakes, errors, or deception, Christ is not going to have many brides from other planets. The Bible makes no provision for God to redeem any other species, any more than to redeem fallen angels (Hebrews 2:16).
A big nagging question does emerge ... would our faith be shaken if one day we discover life somewhere else in the universe? Based on what God has revealed to us and what we can learn by digging deeper, would not the act of withholding something like “other life in other places” in the universe be a lie of omission? God cannot lie or deceive.
The Bible is silent on this issue, because the Bible as revelation is an epic love story between the Creator God and His creation – humankind. Since the beginning of time as we understand it, the whole focus of God has been on redemption, restoring man’s relationship back to Himself through the sacrifice of His own son, Jesus, who died so that we would have hope and the prospect of life eternal. Could God have created other creatures on some distant planet in some far-away galaxy? Since the Bible doesn’t give us an answer, I have to say perhaps, maybe. However, I am not sure what the point of that would be in God’s redemptive plan for humans on Earth, or how we and God would reconcile such knowledge... it would seem to be a lie, a cosmic deception.
I for one, and since I can’t conclusively prove otherwise, doubt there is life anywhere else in the universe but here on Earth. Here’s my reasoning. First, this realm was created especially for us. By “realm” I mean this space-time universe we live in. Second, if there are other intelligent beings, they too, like Adam, would have fallen and sinned, and thereby became separated from God. Why does that have to be so? Because there is only “one” God, one vast sum of Angels and one Devil, Satan, and the fallen angels who follow him.
Would Jesus have to die again for those ETs somewhere else in the universe? How many times would Christ need to give his life to redeem other civilizations? Each time he would have to become that species since that is the very reason he became man and not something else. Biblically Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and His death was done once as the only perfect sacrifice for sins ever offered in the universe (Heb. 9:23-28; 10:12-14). The scriptures over and over repeat the reconciling of humanity all through Christ that occurs on planet earth. Christ died only once and would never be repeated for another species. (Eph.1:7,10 Phil.2:10 Col.1:2 Rev.5:9,13)
The scripture speaks of the gospel preached to all of the world, not to all the universe! I believe he died once for all mankind, so this notion of other life forms in other parts of the universe is not logical. While intelligent beings on another planet in some far-away galaxy makes for interesting science fiction, in reality, I do not believe such beings exist.
Mankind’s adversary, Satan is another reasoned proof that the existence of ETs is not logical. When Satan was cast out of heaven, he comes to earth; it is on this planet that the battle has been waged for 6 thousand years and it is here on this earth where God will bring an end to Satan's influence on mankind. The Devil, all his minions and the power of death over man were effectively defeated by the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus here on planet earth. Satan will face his eternal doom for his hatred and wickedness done to the goodness of God here on this earth.
God is in control, always has been, even over the dominion of Satan. God determined the plan to redeem man; God set the boundaries of Satan’s control and influence over man; God determined the limits of his realm... and it was planet earth. God’s great adversary, one of His own creation, possessing free will, decided on rebellion over obedience and began the cosmic struggle that is being played to its Biblically foretold conclusion... here on earth.
If other types of morally responsible life existed elsewhere in the universe they would have been created in the “image of God” just like humans here on planet earth. They too would have been created with the right of choice just as Adam was, just like all creation of God would be created. A righteous, just and holy God could not create intelligent life, designed to worship Him, their creator, without giving them the right to choose to love him. And if they made the wrong choice they would require salvation just as Adam’s descendants did. They would need redemption by believing in Christ for salvation. Sin would have affected their worlds as well as the universe just like Adams did.
The Bible seems to clearly indicate that this earth is the only place of its kind in the universe. This is why it is written in Genesis that “In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth.” We do not have to be left to our own postulations that come from our fallen human condition.
God has clearly spoken through His word. He left many things that nag at our determination to understand Him, unsaid, unrevealed. Unless we believe from Genesis to Revelation, unless we believe that we humans are the singular focus of all God’s restorative and redemptive work in the universe, we will be trapped by the ultimate deception of the ages... ET where are you?
