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This lesson explores how physical science proves the Bible. This lesson looks at the historical development of evolutionary theory and Catastrophism, the Biblical ties to Physical Science and these theories and finally the importance of the first and second law of thermodynamics. This is the third video in an 11 part series titled “Science & the Bible!” This series examines the relationship between different disciplines of Science and the Bible and the arguments surrounding this topic.
In this lesson:
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The Notion of a Creator
“It is absolutely unreasonable to reject the notion of a Creator by appealing to science. Science has definitely shown the non-contradiction of Creation out of nothing.”
Dr. Henry Margenau, Professor of Physics & Natural Philosophy at Yale
Louis Pasteur so simply stated that science should point us towards God, not away from Him.
What is the non-biblical answer for how everything formed on this planet? Today in the Western world, many biblical skeptics say that the earth is billions of years old and that the unique features that make up our world are the rest of natural processes working over billions of years. This idea is called the Theory of Uniformity.
What is Uniformity vs Catastrophism?
The Theory of Uniformity is best explained by a Scottish geologist who lived in the later 18th Century named James Hutton. In 1795 he wrote that the natural processes act on earth today in the same manner that they did millions of years ago. He famously stated, “The present is the key to the future.”
He stated that physical features of the earth are explained by erosion and other natural causes acting in a present rate and will continue to run at those present rates. For example, the Grand Canyon was produced by millions or billions of years of water erosion, a slow process.
In the Theory of Uniformity, scientists try to date the present physical features of the planet by present processes such as erosion.
Do layers in a canyon prove millions of years?
After Hutton, another scientist named Charles Lyell published a book called Principles of Geology (1830), supporting Uniformity and helped construct a time scale of millions of years as to the earth’s age. Hutton and Lyell were instrumental to Charles Darwin and his theory of Evolution and Natural Selection in 1859.
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Prior to Hutton, most scientists believed that the earth was not billions of years old and that the earth’s physical features were caused by sudden events called catastrophes.
Catastrophism was the popular theory, and it was based upon natural recorded events such as volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, etc. Catastrophism is observable in history and supports the biblical account of origins.
Is there evidence today of catastrophism?
Hutton’s theory was quickly adopted by other secular scientists to explain the structure of the earth without belief in the Bible or in God. Even some who claim to be Christians and believe in the Bible try to defend Uniformity by using a passage in the Bible:
2 Peter 3:4 (NASB)
For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.
Does this verse support Uniformity?
No. This passage is taken out of context by such people. For if one reads the paragraph this sentence is taken from one will see that this is not supporting Uniformity.
2 Peter 3:3-7 (NASB)
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
Notice how this paragraph begins with non-believers making the claim of Uniformity.
How can a verse be taken out of context to support a nonbiblical doctrine?
Problem with Uniformity: it cannot be observed and tested to determine the age of the earth.
Catastrophism does have ample observable data supporting Catastrophism. Just watch the news on television for segments of natural disasters. But in either case, one must apply faith to what is believed.
Cite one example of catastrophism changing the structure of the earth in a short period of time.
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After the works of Hutton, Lyell, and Darwin, scientists constructed a Geologic Time Scale. This chart is an exaggeration of epic proportions. Why?
Because the geologic time scale is not found anywhere on earth is its perfect form as depicted in textbooks. Fossils and layers are often mixed or shuffled. It is well documented in many locations where trees and mammals are preserved upright in multiple layers.
Finding layers of sediment and rock does not guarantee millions of years. An observable example of how this is wrong is the area around Mt. St. Helens.
How does Mt. St. Helens support Catastrophism and a young earth?
Which seems to have more observable date to support it: Uniformity or Catastrophism?
Science proves the Bible with Atoms
Atoms are the building blocks of the Universe. They compose matter and are invisible to the naked eye. Who discovered these little building blocks and how did they know they existed if they could not be seen?
The story of the discovery of atoms begins roughly around 500 B.C. in ancient India. Philosophers there proposed an idea of the existence of small, invisible particles that made up things.
Around 450 B.C. the ancient Greeks wrote that all matter was composed of four basic elements: air, earth, fire or water.
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In 1661 A.D. Robert Boyle wrote The Sceptical Chemist and used the term “corpuscles” to describe what he thought matter was composed of.
Sir Isaac Newton, the great scientist and Bible scholar theorized the “atom” from his research and also from the Bible itself.
Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV)
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Hebrews 11:3 (ESV)
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God,
so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Both of these verses name “things” that make up matter as being invisible.
Do you believe that these verses support idea of atoms?
- In 1803 John Dalton proposed the Atomic Theory.
- In 1827 Robert Brown observes the movement caused by the movement of atoms.
- In 1897 J.J. Thompson discovers evidence proving the existence of atoms, though they could not be seen.
- In 1905 Albert Einstein confirms what Thompson proposed.
- In 1955 Erwin Mueller developed a special microscopy that allowed him to actually be the first person to see an atom.
The invisible things described in Colossians and the Book of Hebrews had been found.
Science proves the Bible with E=MC^2 Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
In this theory, three things are scientifically relative and continuous. They are:
- E = Energy
- M = Matter
- C = Light (Time)
All three must be always present in this universe and the effects of this theory impact life.
Can you find support for all three in Genesis 1:1?
Genesis 1:1 (ESV)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
- In this verse time is represented – beginning.
- Matter is represented – heavens and earth.
- Energy is represented – created.
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In Genesis 2:2, God stopped creating and the Laws of Science were set in place.
Outside of miracles there has been no new creating and no new matter added to His creation. The universe is contained, and no new matter can be created, (except by God), but it can be transformed.
This leads us to the 1st Law of Thermodynamics. Science has shown us that no new things are being created today, but that things are altered constantly.
Science proves the Bible with the 1st Law of Thermodynamics in the Bible
The 1st Law of Thermodynamics is also called the Law of Conservation of Energy.
It states that the total energy of an isolated system is constant; energy can be transformed from one form to another, but can be neither created nor destroyed. In short, energy is neither created nor destroyed. It only changes form.
This Law of Science is actually in the Bible. King Solomon, under God’s inspiration and a very wise man, stated in the Book of Ecclesiastes this law.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 (ESV)
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
It is again mentioned later in the same book.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 (ESV)
I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.
This law also states that Abiogenesis or Spontaneous Generation cannot occur, which is a foundation of how some believe life began on this planet.
How do these verses support that life came from life and did not just appear?
Energy (outside of God’s domain) cannot be created from nothing.
Evolutionists believe that life began somehow from a mass of chemicals in the oceans and that somehow DNA was miraculously formed. Then these first cells began reproducing and evolving for billions of years. They also believe that the first life forms were not too well organized and that, as time went on, more mutations and genes are added to the genome of the organism allowing more complex life forms to come into existence. Eventually, the life forms became more and more organized and complex. But there is a problem with this. This idea is actually opposed to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.
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Science proves the Bible with the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is also called the Law of Increased Entropy.
In this law, energy and order become less and less available as time progresses. In most examples this means that systems tend to become more random and disorganized as time goes by.
“Entropy” is defined as a measure of unusable energy within a closed or isolated system. As usable energy decreases and unusable energy increases, entropy increases. This means that disorganization, randomness and chaos increase.
This is actually contrary to the theory of evolution where life is supposed to be gaining in complexity and order. This 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is why our cars break down more often as they age, and we do too. In short, we go from order to disorder.
How does the Bible support this Law of Science?
When in the Genesis account did this law begin?
This law was established at the time of man’s fall from grace. It was not God’s great design of perfection, but a result of man’s fall. When Adam sinned, this law came into effect. For when God was finished creating, he said that all was perfect (Genesis 3:17-19). Man caused the laws of nature to change.
This law was then implemented by God as it says in Romans 8: 20-22.
Romans 8:20-22 (ESV)
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
In other words, when man sinned, God cursed all matter on this planet and in the universe. This law was then established. But all is not lost. We can rest assured that in the future God will stop this law, for in heaven, everything is perfect again, and there will again be no aging or death.
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