MARTIAN MICROBES!

The answer some say is the key to the origin of all life. I'm Dennis Finnan, speaker on the World, the Word & You!, and in a moment we're going to find out all about it...

At the end of summer 96' the late breaking news that jammed the news wires was the announcement by NASA, that a team of scientists had found a meteorite from Antarctica that bore signs of primitive life that may have existed on Mars billions of hears ago. Since then, scientists from all over the world have contacted the NASA agency for more details and further reporting. Well today on our broadcast, I want to take some time to examine this finding from a biblical perspective, and millions of the faithful followers of Jesus Christ and His Word the Bible, would like some answers to this amazing discovery.

For centuries mankind has yearned to find life on other planets, especially those closest to our home, the earth. Mars has seemed to be the likely candidate. Now a NASA study claims to provide the evidence of past microbes on the red planet. This amazing story broke on the news wires when NASA released it on Tuesday, August 6, 1996. The study by the NASA researchers claimed to have found a rock that came from Mars. Within it, were discovered a series of organic compounds that were deposited by primitive past life forms before the rock was blasted into space and sent on a 15 million year voyage to earth. Does this sound fantastic, and amazing? Assuredly, but there are also many skeptics including this speaker.

You see, these NASA scientist who decided to examine this meteorite lying in a locker at NASA headquarters for twelve years came at a most opportune time. NASA, in a time of budget deficits and curbs on federal spending, faced a dismal future for space exploration. You see, people today are more concerned about life here on earth that any explorations elsewhere. However, NASA had already planned two robotic missions to Mars, one in November '96 and the other in December. Both space crafts were designed to carry a small rover for traveling to scoop up soil and chemical and geological tests. Now this new finding of past life signs on Mars, certainly has fueled the possibility of a great influx of funds to secure the financial futures of those involved. However, discounting ulterior motives, let's examine what really happened.

To date, we know that a team of NASA specialists headed by Dr. David MacKay, a NASA planetary scientist, reported that by examination of this meteorite found in Antarctica, they concluded that the presence of a number of organic chemicals, presents serious proof that life once ex1isted on the barren dead planet of Mars. Inside this 4.3 pound rock, they've judged at 3.6 billion years old, tiny life forms once lived, fed, reproduced and died. And the simple fact of such a presence of chemicals, proves to the evolutionary NASA scientists that the possibility of life actually evolving is quite real. These researchers boldly state in their report, "we conclude that [this is] evidence for primitive life on early Mars."¹This potato sized 4.5 billion year old rock, contains "circumstantial evidence," of ancient life. Now on the face of such claims the evolutionary "faithfuls" in lock-step fashion have said, "amen." Yet, a number of reputable scientists are skeptical.

At this point may I summarize the arguments against this conclusion. First, (1) The complex chemicals found within the rock, leading to the conclusion they came from extraterrestrial past life, are not exclusive to Mars. They can all be found on the earth. Secondly, (2) Although most of these complex chemicals found in the rock are usually created by living organisms, "non-living processes can also create these organic molecules."² Third, (3) In studying the enlarged photos of the fossil like impressions, there is no sign of any internal cell walls or the other things that would make an organism work. ³ Fourthly, (4) These tiny microscopic impressions in the rock could not possibly be signs of past life because the micro-fossils are 100 times smaller than any ever found on earth. Dr. Carl Wiese, a microbiologist at the University of Illinois says the supposed, "micro-fossils are simply too small to house life." And fifth, (5) Although it is taken for granted, that gasses found within the rock are similar to that which is unique on Mars, we have no proof this rock originated from Mars in the first place. Having traveled for some 13,000 years across the galaxy, it could have come from anywhere else in the Universe. So in conclusion, what we have here is a report by evolutionary hopefuls, premature at best, and at worst a highly imaginative speculation that fits more the realm of science-fiction, rather than science. However the question raised is important. "Is there or has there ever been life in outer space apart from what is found on planet earth?" Let's examine this from a Biblical perspective.

First of all, the Bible is silent as to anything about the Creation outside of our home planet earth. All we are told is that God made the sun, the moon, the planets the stars, even the whole universe. We read in,

Genesis 1:1 (NIV) "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

In addition, we're told by divine revelation that God made all the universe and its furnishings for the benefit of mankind, as well as to display His glory.

Genesis 1:14-19 (NIV) "And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning--the fourth day."

Psalms 19:1 (NIV) "... The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

If one reads the Bible, they can quickly see that this solar system is the center place for all things. Now, our planet may not be the center of the universe -- but then again it may, we have no way of knowing. But, one thing is for sure, it is the center of God's attention. So as far as Scripture is concerned, they teach absolutely that the earth is uniquely the home of mankind.

Psalms 115:16 (NIV) "The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man."

The first chapter of Genesis also tells us that human life does not exist anywhere else in the universe. Adam was the first human being to exist (1 Cor. 15:47), which indicates there never was any before him, nor are their any who were created or evolved outside of him. The entire human race comes from a direct creation of God. So the intelligent conclusion is -- there is no human life outside of the earth. This proves, of course, that the quest of extra-terrestrial life is not a scientific endeavor, but rather a vain attempt of evolutionists to try desperately to prove life evolved and was not the product of a divine Creator. So remember this my friends, to date, there has not been any conclusive evidence that there is any other life on any planets past, or present apart from what God produced right here on the earth.

Life as we know it requires a very complex combination of environmental factors to be possible. Mars among every other planet in our solar system is absolutely void of having ever had the right combinations necessary for life to exist, let alone evolve. Its seasons and temperatures ranging from a high of 63 degrees to more than 225 below zero, testify to this fact. Now, this latest finding is like so many of the past. It is nothing more than pseudo-scientific speculation that lacks any hard evidence. The main reason why NASA and other evolutionary habitats wishfully continue to search for evidence of extraterrestrial life, is that it would give support to their failing evolutionary philosophy, and their livelihood by continuing the tax funding for their 10 Mars missions ahead.

In conclusion, we know, and science itself testifies, that life is not the product of natural chemical developments by blind chance. The actual evidence remains massively negative. It was sad to see President Clinton get on the air when this Mars tale was introduced to say, that the White House was going to convene a "bipartisan space summit," and put the "full intellectual power and technological prowess behind the search for further evidence of life on Mars." ⁴ Friend, it is absolutely absurd to rush headlong into the spending of billions of dollars on a wasted venture of religious fanatics who simply want to prove there is no origin by creation. Their conjectures about life found on Mars, I believe, are nothing but a "smoke and mirrors" campaign to gain millions of dollars of your tax money for their livelihood and philosophical purposes.

So, this brings us to ask, can there be life in other space? The answer is yes. We already know from the Bible that the universe is inhabited by millions, perhaps billions of extraterrestrial life outside of the Creator Himself. He has told us in the Scripture that He created along with mankind, a host of angels. We read in,

Psalms 103:20 (NIV) "Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word."

Hebrews 12:22 (NIV) "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,"

Today we know that the angel world that inhabits the heavens are composed of elect angels and evil angels. The evil angels today are called demons, and are headed up by the greatest and highest angel that fell, Lucifer, or better known as Satan. So beyond the planet earth and possibly as the inhabitants of the stars themselves, God says an innumerable host of heavenly creatures exist and occupy His creation. But as to other beings in the universe apart from men, angels and God, we are not told of any existence.

Now in saying all these things, we must be cautious. Paul the apostle says, "we look through a glass darkly" (1Cor. 13:12). That means we don't really know everything, nor do we fully understand all there is to know. In addition, we are told very pointedly in the Old Testament,

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV) "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."

Everything in the universe, and our world is not yet known, so we must not be dogmatic about things the Bible does not make clear. However, we know from the Bible that there is a place outside the universe called Heaven and a place called Hell. We know that God created us for His own glory, and companionship, and that all mankind is unique to the this world and the universe. As to whether there are other forms of life on planets, or there are actually other planets outside our universe is highly speculative. Scientists today claim to have found seven planets in other star systems. Again such findings lack conclusive proof, so we must not be dogmatic. But one thing we can be sure of, the God who created us has not left us alone. In all the writings surrounding this supposed finding of ancient life on Mars, the one thing that permeates man's thoughts is the desire that we "humans are really not alone." ⁵ Well, herein is the Good News of the Bible. The God who created us has visited us. He loved us, His creatures, so much that in the divine plans of creation, God determined to actually become one of His own creation.

Scripture tells us that God came down to earth in the form of a man to be a perfect man for two reasons. First, because all the human race had sinned and was under God's just penalty of death. God is going to judge the human race, but in His wisdom He plans to punish only one human being for the sins of all. However, this man could not be a sinner born of the first human beings, Adam and Eve. So God created this new man, the Bible calls the "second Adam"(Heb. 2:6-10) from the procreative elements of a woman. But, God bypassed the man's transmission of the human nature by procreating a brand new human being - the God/Man Jesus Christ. The result is described for us in,

John 1:1 (NIV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 1:14 (NIV) "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Gal. 4:4 (NIV) "But when the time had fully come God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law that we might receive the full rights of sons."

Romans 5:8 (NIV) "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

All this is, of course, is summed up in what Martin Luther called the "little Bible," we read these wonderful words written to all men,

John 3:16-17 (NIV) ""For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

How wonderful it is to know the One who created us loves us so much, that He willingly died for us. Yes, God died in the Person of Jesus Christ, that we might live on and actually inherit the stars and eternity. So, everything we need to know about ourselves, our origins and our destiny is told to us in the Bible, God's holy Word. However, we will leave all the scientific findings concerning the universe, to those who intelligently seek them, but we will question any findings that contradict the Bible and its teachings, for true science will never be in conflict with the One who created all things, wrote the Bible, and gave us the laws of science itself.

So the question still is - "has life evolved, and has it been found on Mars?" I believe the answer is still no. The universally recognized Law of Biogenesis still proves that life can only come from pre-existing life. Everything in this discovery of ancient matter from Mars, stands on highly speculative philosophical horseplay, especially as to the age of the meteorite, its origins and its contents. So let us rather trust the time honored, and event oriented Book of books,the Bible, that tells us of our origins and our destiny. One day all those who have followed Jesus Christ, and acknowledged His creatorship will inhabit and inherit eternity and maybe, just maybe, we will have opportunity to explore all those stars and planets out there and to conquer them for God's glory and our fantastic excitement and joy. I await that day, while I stand firmly on the truth of God's Word. As such, I will reject any findings that are opposed to the teachings of God's Word knowing they are false and misleading.

But, right now we must be concerned with one thing. The Bible says in Heb. 9:27 "It is appointed unto men once to die and then the judgment." Let us be sure of our destiny before we try to find our origins outside of God's creative truth taught in the Bible. God has given us salvation full and free, and promised us an eternity to enjoy it, if we come and give our hearts to Jesus Christ. Have you taken Him as your Savior and Lord? Have you discovered His love and care for you? Are you living for Him now?

May you answer those questions of the heart as we continue to explore the world and universe about us all. Meanwhile, we'll accept all substantiated facts that do not contradict the Bible, and we'll reject all unsubstantiated that do, full well knowing, as the Bible says, "Thy Word is Truth" (John 17:7), and truth can always and reliably be found in the perfect Word and will of God.

You might still ask: "What if life could be found on other planets? Even simple forms of life? What would that do to our faith?" The answer nothing! It would not cause us to reject the Word of God in any detail.. So, if verifiable signs of ancient or present life are found, it only means God created it like us, and for His purposes, which He hasen't revealed.. Such findings are irrelevant as to what God wants of us right here and now. We are told by God we are creatures made to live forever, and one day we will live somewhere either in Heaven or Hell, which we determine by our decision along life's road. I for one have chosen to believe God and receive His Son as my Lord and Savior. I trust you have too.

Meanwhile we'll live for His glory and thank Him for His care, provision and grace, and we'll carefully evaluate the wild speculations of the godless, as we await the revealing of all truth when Jesus comes again. But, microbes from Mars? Hardly. I'll stick with the time honored teachings that tell us man is unique and specially created for God and His glory. And, that's enough for me.

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END NOTES:

1. "NASA CITES SIGNS OF PAST LIFE ON MARS," Associated Press report, August 8, 1996; 6:01 a.m. CDT.
2. "HOW ON EARTH WAS LIFE FOUND ON MARS?" Chicago Tribune, August 8, 1996, by Peter Kendall and Jeremy Manier, staff writers.
3. IBID.
4. "NASA Challenges Skeptics on Claim About Mars," NEW YORK TIMES, August 8, 1996; By John Noble Wilford.
5. "COME IN, MARS," Newsweek Magazine, August 19, 1996, page 56. By Adam Rogers.

• Radio talk # 4096
• Broadcast date: October 06, 1996
• Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator
• Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast
• Address: P.O. Box 575 St. Charles, MN 55972-0575

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures.A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request.These weekly radio commentaries can be heard in selected areas around the nation. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for 16 years, and serves as General Director. These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of all messages is available upon request also.

For further information, reprints, or a listing of all topics, please write to our speaker, Dennis L. Finnan(wwyfin@sparc.isl.net), or visit our webpage at [ http://www.isl.net/wwyweb.html ].