#10 Jan ’98
The Sovereignty of Chance
by Scott Coombe
One man that has a mind and knows it can always beat ten men who haven’t and don’t. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
My letters previously have dealt with the sinfulness of man and then that we are desperate for reconciliation with God to be saved. My views are that the Bible reveals a deep rebellion between man and his relationship with the Creator. I don’t think that man has really taken the time to think it all through. I think that if there is no God (which I’m not saying) then there is no reason to read any further and I labor in vain.
If there were a proven living Holy God in heaven above us what changes would that necessitate in our lives? I myself am an analytical thinker. If God is of the Spirit then He is invisible to the eye. How then can we see or prove He exists? What does our modern science of today say? In a round about way I intend to prove He exists.
I want to start by dwelling on the concept of why is there anything here at all? Why are there planets, stars, cockroaches, gravity, or complex man? And how did it all get here? Is there any purpose?
Let’s take for an instant that there was absolutely nothing, no space, no time, and no consciousness. I don’t think we can really grasp that concept but follow me on this. If ever there were absolutely nothing then what would there be now? There would be absolutely nothing. This is because of the scientific law, in Latin called ex nihilo nihil fit; out of nothing comes nothing. The reverse is kind of an if something then there is something. That if there is anything in existence now there must be something that is eternal.
Now that does not prove God, but it does prove that something must have god-like qualities. It is absolute. It is immutable or never changing. It is eternal and can never die. Just, by coincidence, like the Biblical God.
So we must look to this something. Whatever this something is it must have the power not only to create what is here now but also the power to sustain it all.
Okay, maybe I’m a little ahead of myself. Are we apart of this something or are we something in addition to this something? To explain that we need to look at the characteristics that are already established. Is the earth absolute? Are the stars immutable; do they ever change? Are cockroaches or man eternal? Will they never die? (It sometimes seems like it) Will man never change? Is man the absolute? I would say a resounding NO to all.
So if we are not a part of this cosmic eternal something, then we must be something separate from it. So how did we all get here? How did all space, the order of the stars or even the earth get here? Did it have something to do with this great something? I would say necessarily.
Man has created this theory that without the help of any outside – organized creative force; the whole universe just created itself by spontaneous generation and life evolved by time and chance in total disregard for the laws of physics, biology, and chemistry. Now here is where I can spend years on the multitude of various explanations of our origins. I will briefly try and cover the major themes they all resemble.
That the universe without any outside help at all was able to create itself is irrational logic. If something does not exist then how much power does it have? None. How illogical is it to say that something that is powerless and does not even exist can form for itself the power of being. This doctrine of spontaneous generation was already disproved for biology but textbook scientists have not yet grasped the line between physics and science fiction but call it scientific possibility then compute the theory as fact for science class. Self-creation also violates the law of ex nihilo nihil fit. Banish it from your thinking.
Time and chance. The manipulation of time and chance over our lives, future, and past is just as illogical. That time exists for us cannot be debated. Yes. But it is the forces around us that affect us and time is just the record keeper of when.
So then what is the sovereignty of chance? What power does it possess? Let us look at it under a different light. If you flip a coin in the air, what chance does it have to land heads up? 50%, okay. Now what power did chance effect on that outcome? None. The forces that influenced the outcome are the strength of the flip, the density of the air, whether it is dropped or caught and whether turned over or not etc.
Now we can not easily mathematically compute all these variables so we conjure up a name like chance to explain the outcome. Chance has no power in itself. Don’t let anyone fool you to think chance was the force that overcame the laws of science over and over again. Chance science has as much validity as its power has. Nothing.
Big Bang? If it blew up long ago then it was not the immutable/eternal something that has being in itself. Therefore, if it was the means of our creation for our universe (which is very highly unlikely) it had to be a created thing. The whole grand universe was held together in a tight ball (all matter, energy etc.) and then it suddenly burst. Interesting. No science can explain such an explosion or the order that has been created out of the blast. Let us view the law of inertia, which states – things at rest tend to stay at rest until acted upon by an outside force. Please don’t tell me it happened by chance.
So where did everything come from? Modern science seems to be on the wrong track with all their Star Trek theories without the laws of logic behind them.
What is the cause of the effect of universe from nothing? That is the question. Is the universe our something? Absolutely not. It is constantly changing and is subject to the power of entropy meaning it’s energy or ability to perform work is getting less and less. The only possibility for the origin of all created things is the author or our something.
This something is immutable, eternal and absolute. It does not decay, grow or break apart. So then how did all the rest come into being? This something has to have a consciousness and power beyond it’s being in itself to form something outside itself. And yet there is no other rational means of explanation for the origin of anything else.
Now we need to look at our ordered universe. Okay, so maybe only the Biblical God fits as the something, then what of this entire universe? Were all space, cockroaches and man created by design? Then if we were created by the power of God then we owe our very existence to Him. So what, if God is the eternal something, does God expect of us? This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent (John 6:29).
Does that make sense? God creates all this everything, puts on earth with all His glory around us and all He wants us to do is believe in Jesus Christ? Is this despite of our behavior? Yes, it is true and despite our flaws; but no it does not seem to make sense.
I have wrestled constantly with the character of God. I have come to the conclusion that even though He is a just God and I have sinned against Him, He does not wish to condemn His creation. I urge you not to take my word for it but do some honest research yourself. The study of our origin can not be one of insignificance. If we do not take in the work of God then we will be left to the Day of Judgement. Who can stand?
I would encourage you to read Genesis and see what God has to say about the creation of the universe, cockroaches, gravity, and complex man. It is the only explanation that fits. May God reveal Himself to you.