by Katherine Harms

Created on: May 05, 2008

Even though the Bible is not a science book, it contains a great deal of material about the relationship of human beings to the created order, including the earth. Several texts talk about God's intent for creation from start to finish. Some talk about the role of human beings in God's plan for creation.

"God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Genesis 1:2 NRSV

Every scientific discipline is engaged in the discovery of truth that already exists. Scientists do not make the laws of nature; they discover them. God invented the laws we discover, starting at the moment of creation. We have not discovered all of them yet. Real scientists acknowledge this truth regardless of whether they believe in God. Christians of all denominations give thanks to God for creation and acknowledge that creation is God's handiwork, functioning according to his plan

"God said, 'Let the earth put forth vegetation.'" Genesis 1:11 NRSV

When God created living things, he invented DNA, the backbone of life and the key to the ability of living things to adapt to environmental change. Christians cannot take the Bible as a source for a cosmological timeline, but they can learn from it that God did the work of creating both the non-living and the living elements of the universe. DNA is a magnificent evidence of his work, assuring that living things will be strong and able to adapt to changes around them, changes that take place as a consequence of God's perfect natural laws working the way they are supposed to do.

"Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar- the Lord of hosts is his name: If this fixed order were ever to cease from my presence, says the Lord, then also the offspring of Israel would cease to be a nation before me forever." Jeremiah 31:35-36 NRSV

The prophet Jeremiah spoke these words in a dark hour for Israel. However, this is not simply a promise to an ancient people. This promise has universal scope that can give hope to all humans, not just to Israel. In making this promise, God says that the laws of nature will work just the way he wants them to work until the end of time, because that is the duration of God's covenant with the descendants of Abraham. God promised that as long as the laws of nature are working, we can take comfort in that evidence that he cares for us. We can be sure the earth will continue to be habitable for human beings

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