The Bible and Science Class

Secret Beach, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good(Genesis 1:31).

Chances are the Bible’s account of creation differs from what you hear in the typical high school science class. It may make you wonder who’s right, why there’s difference, and how science and the Bible relate to one another.

It’s important to remember that the Bible was not meant to be a science textbook. God’s purpose in giving us the Bible was to let His creation know the most important things about life, about what to do in certain situations, and specially about the extent of His love for us. For some reason, He chose to leave out dinosaurs, fusion, and gravity (among other significant discoveries) and instead included stories about real people with real struggles and hardships. Some of those people conquered because they realized that God was with them. Others failed because they rejected God. The Bible tells us more about living a fulfilling life than we’ll ever find in a science book. Above all, the bible is the history of God’s chosen people through whom Jesus Christ was born; it records Jesus’ life on earth and the beginnings of Christianity.

In addition, the Bible gives us the basic truths about the origin and purpose of life that you won’t get from a science book. First, the universe and all people were created by God. It takes more faith to believe that complex human beings materialized out of nothing than to believe that a loving and all-powerful God created us. And how much more fulfilling it is to realize that you have a purpose as a specific creation of God! Second, God created us in His own image. Exactly how He did that remains a matter of faith. But, if you struggle against the current teaching in your science class, take comfort in the knowledge of God’s incredible love in creating the intire universe (including you) and calling it excellent in every way.