Blog

by Steve Risner

“The Bible is just an old book that tells about people long ago. It doesn’t have practical application and the stories found in the Bible and the information within its pages is not accurate.” These are statements many non-Christians and, unfortunately, Christians will make.

“The Bible is not a science book.” This is true. It’s also not a history book. It’s not a psychology book. It’s not a law book. It’s actually 66 different books written by a great number of people over a 1600 year time period. Its message is harmonious and its statements are true. When it speaks on science, it is accurate. When it tells us about history, the historical account is correct. If it gives us information on civil or moral laws, it’s correct. If it tells us about the human mind and how it works, it’s telling us the truth. The Bible doesn’t need to be a textbook. Whatever it tells us, it’s from the mind of God. Who knows better than He does? Sure, on occasion, it’s difficult to make sense of what it’s telling us. But this is not true for the majority of its text. So this brings us to the question, “Are science and the Bible in conflict?” The answer is a 100% “NO.”

I am aware of no scientific evidence that contradicts the Bible. I’ve studied many different subjects related to the topic and cannot find a single instance where the Bible can be shown inaccurate. Let’s not be mistaken here in assuming we’re talking about the theory of evolution from a single common ancestor. I said “science” and universal common descent (the idea that we all—everything living—diversified through some unknown process from a single first living thing) is not science. Yes, it’s true that they use some scientific evidence to support their claims. But creationists do the same thing—we use science to support our claims. We also use the Bible. But the religion of Darwinism or evolutionism is not science. So often we see the two terms used synonymously. But that is either dishonest or confusion. It is, however, not correct. Science is a process of gaining knowledge about our surroundings. Evolutionism is a philosophy on the origins of life and its diversification. It’s not a scientific claim but a philosophical one. Science can be used to support the Biblical account of creation just as it can be used to support the atheist’s account of the spontaneous existence of the universe and of life on earth. After looking at both, it seems only logical to conclude the First Cause was God, and the God Who revealed Himself in the Bible has shown Himself true.

I’ve written other blogs on this topic recently. One, “Creation Scientist is Not an Oxymoron” shows us that not only is science in line with the Bible and is not to be feared or ignored by the Bible believer, but that creationists are the founders of science as we know it. It was because of the curiosity of brilliant men and women throughout the ages that we have nearly every major branch of science discovered and investigated. Some of the knowledge they had to work with that inspired them was found in Scripture. Some of these insights were written about long before anyone could have had acquired the knowledge through human means. Examples of this include springs (vents) in the ocean floor as well as currents and valleys, the spherical nature of the planet and that the earth is suspended in space “on nothing,” the cycle of rain falling, running into rivers and eventually to lakes and oceans only to evaporate and end up in the heavens as water laden clouds that will again rain down on us, that light moves, that living things reproduce after their own kind, etc etc. There are numerous examples. We can even go so far as to say the Bible tells us the earth was once covered only with water and out of it was raised up dry land. Did you know the Word even tells us to wash ourselves in running water to remove uncleanliness (infectious agents)?

Another blog I wrote, “Let’s be Honest About What Science Is” explains why science and evolution are not the same thing and that the origins debate is more a clash of worldviews than science. In fact, I suggest it has never been about science or evidence and has always been one philosophy against another.

Far too often we hear the idea of “science vs religion” and “science vs the Bible” and other nonsensical remarks. This is an attempt by the evolutionist (atheistic and theistic) to discredit the Bible believer. However, the truth is quite simple: science and the Bible do not clash, period. How one interprets the scientific evidence based on his/her worldview can certainly contradict the Bible, but this is a misapplication of a tool and nothing more. Not only does science NOT conflict with my faith, it confirms it quite often. You can read about the relationship of faith and evidence here, here, here, and here.

So the next time you hear someone question your belief in the Bible since it’s been proven wrong (or some other absurd statement), be confident that the Word of God is the authority and no one has shown it to be anything but right on. Their worldview works against the Bible, but that doesn’t make the Bible wrong.