For the Love of Science!

by Randy Karlberg on May 01, 2020

I love science; I really do! Having taken a plethora of university courses within the science discipline, I have many fond memories: battling through physics experiments, being in total awe while working with human cadavers in anatomy lab, and chemistry study sessions with my then girlfriend Lana, now my wife of 34 years.

Yes good chemistry was present! It would be ridiculous for a person not to have a positive view of all that the discipline of science has done to enhance each of our lives. In fact until the mid 1800’s, doctors had no need to wash hands before working with patients or even doing surgery! Would anyone today volunteer to have a surgery performed by a doctor who would not wash his or her hands? I didn’t think so.

Science has helped us come a long way.

It is popular in today’s society to pit a dual between science and a Biblical worldview, as if the two are incompatible. I do not have enough space to take that on here! Besides, there are others who would do a much better job than I. From my beliefs and experience the Bible enhances the wonder revealed through science.

Psalm 19 for instance, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Or how about God’s sarcastic questioning Job in Job 38-41 ? “Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you?” ( Job 38:33-34 ) I would ask you to take a few moments and read through these three chapters from Job. My guess is it will help you with your view of science and of God.

The greatest role of science is not to help us live longer and with more health on this earth. Please hear me! I think that all of the scientific work going on today to help understand COVID-19 and how we can keep people from suffering is wonderful work. I want that work to succeed and to find a vaccine to prevent the spread.

However, over the last several thousand years the survival rate of humankind on the earth stands at zero! (Yes, I know Enoch and Elijah.) Every person on this earth will come to the end of their earthly life and transition to what science refers to as after-life and theologians call eternal life. This eternal life will either be with the One True Everlasting God, or it will be an eternal separation from God. Read Revelation 20:10 & 15 to see the Bible’s view on human eternal existence.

Having an eternal perspective realizing how God is at work in this world through blessings and through suffering is essential to making sense of what the path forward looks like. I am not necessarily arguing for the “Sweden Model” of dealing with COVID-19. Ah do’es Swedes, don’t cha know! But I do think seeing “science” as the salvation from every form of “virus evil” is not putting God or people in the rightful place. People should find their view of this world and eternity in the pages of Scripture. When there is an understanding of what God expects from his people, the beauty of this world and the heavens above point to the One who gives the answers for the very troubling questions of life.

Let us not fall into the trap found in Romans 1:18-24 .

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things (Romans 1:18-24).

Remember, at one point in time every one of us was “unrighteous” and suppressed the truth! Praise the Lord that we can see God through His Word, the Bible, and through His creation! And let’s let our love of science help us understand Him better!

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