Is There Life Elsewhere in the Universe?

 

In relation to the above Q&A video, which I had previously responded to around 5½ years ago with regard to a question asked about the “God of Islam;” I watched it again recently, and was reminded that it raises a few other interesting questions that are worth briefly commenting on. At about 1:25 minutes into the video the following question is asked:

“If God gives faith, and he wants everyone to be saved, why does he not give faith to everyone?”

To which R.C. Sproul gives the following answer:

“There is a false assumption in there somewhere. If he wants to give faith to everyone, he will give faith to everyone; and if he does give faith to everyone, then everyone will be saved. But the scriptures make it clear that not everyone will be saved; therefore he doesn’t give faith to everyone. Therefore he doesn’t want to give faith to everyone—for his glory.”

That is of course the expected, typical, Calvinistic (and deceptive) argument. He conveniently dodges an important element in the question: “… and he wants everyone to be saved … ?” The real question inherent there is, “Does God want everyone to be saved?” The Bible says Yes; Calvinism says No! So he conveniently dodges that essential element in the question, rather than giving it a direct answer. So there is indeed a “false assumption” there, which originates from Calvinism: That God does not want everyone to be saved; and that only those who are “predestined,” “fated,” “pre-programmed,” and “predetermined” will be. The Bible teaches that God desires all mankind to be saved (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:3-4; Titus 2:11; 1 Tim. 4:10; John 3:16; Rev. 3:20); and has atoned for the sins of all men so they can all be saved (Heb. 2:9; 1 John 4:14; 2 Cor. 5:14; John 1:29; 1 Tim. 2:6; Col. 1:20; 1 Cor. 15:22; Isaiah 53:6); and that he is grieved when they are not (Ezek. 18:23; 33:11; Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34; 19:41-42). Why would he want to be “grieved” at their damnation, if he had predestined them to be damned “for his own glory”? His “glory” is promoted by their salvation, not their damnation. Jesus glorified God by saving and redeeming us (John 12:23-24, 27-28; 13:31-32 17:4-5), not by damning us. God does not “damn” anyone “for his glory” as the heresy of Calvinism teaches. I have already discussed this subject at some length in several other previous blog posts, therefore there is no need to elaborate further on it here. The next question asked after that is the following:

“Does the Bible preclude the existence of life elsewhere in the universe?”

This is the more interesting question of the two, to which Al Mohler then gives the following answer:

“The answer is no, that is speculative. What it does make very clear is that the entire cosmos was created for the drama of Redemption, as Calvin said. The cosmos is a theater of God’s redemption—what would take place here in order to save sinful humanity. So we have no reason to believe there is any other story out there. There is nothing in scripture that says there can’t be some form of life somewhere; but what we are told is that the cosmos was created in order that on this planet Jesus Christ in space and time in history would come to save sinful humanity.”

That is a reasonable answer, given the limited information that Christians in general have on the subject. Latter-day Saints, however, are fortunate that they have far more divine knowledge and truth revealed to them on many theological issues, including on this one. Modern scripture of Latter-day Saints teaches that the universe is filled with inhabited planets; and that Jesus is both the Creator, as well as the Savior and Redeemer of all of them:

Moses 1:

27 And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God.

28 And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.

29 And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.

30 And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?

31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.

32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.

33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.

34 And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.

35 But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:

22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

• • •

40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—

41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;

42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;

43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.

In the Book of Mormon, the Atonement of Jesus Christ is referred to in terms of being “infinite” (unlimited) in its scope and purpose (2 Nephi 9:7; 25:16; Alma 34:10-14). That was because it was performed by an “infinite” (divine) being (Mosiah 15:1-2; Alma 42:15); and therefore its scope is limitless, and extends to all inhabited planets throughout the universe, including worlds not yet created. And there is no “predestination,” and no “limited Atonement,” as in the heresy of Calvinism. The Atonement covered the sins of all men; and all men without exception have the libertarian freedom to choose God, repent of their sins, and be saved; or reject God and be damned.

______________

P. S.

The statistics also support the Latter-day Saint doctrine. It is estimated that there are approximately 2,000,000,000,000 galaxies in the universe (2 trillion). The Milky Way is estimated to have 100 billion stars (100,000,000,000). Multiplying the two, there are approximately 200 billion trillion stars in the universe (200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000), or 200 sextillion stars—each of which is a potential solar system. Therefore whether you are looking at it from an evolutionist point of view or a creationist point of view, it is improbable in the extreme, statistically, that this planet is the only one that has got intelligent life on it. Link.