Hi Antaiwan,
I'll admit I enjoy this kind of conversation very much. Having someone of like mind to bounce these ideas off of is very productive I believe.
But travel time aside, is it possible that life is out there?
I believe it's possible because of what everything is made of.
The big bang spewed out everything necessary for us to be here. I find it arrogant to believe that this planet is the only one to support life of any kind or will be the only planet to support life of any kind.
Okay, I would think this is going on the idea of evolution? God started it all, but it's now just building itself or something like that. It's the line of thinking that the chemical mix that came together on earth to bring about what we have here, should have certainly occurred somewhere else in the vastness of the universe, right? I don't see it that way. It is my understanding that God intervened here on earth to bring about the plants and creatures that we have here. Therefore this that we have here is a totally unique creation in the whole of the universe.
I can see how the earth was brought about in the natural formation of planets (but even that was preordained by God) that occurred throughout the universe with all the planets out there. But the seeds of plants that started the vegetation to growing on earth, where did they come from? Evolution. I don't think so.
Gen 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Where did these seeds that brought forth plants come from, the earth brought them forth, but did it make them? I don't think so. Where did the animals and creatures in the water and air come from, evolution? No.
Gen 1:25 And God
made the beast of the earth according to its kind...
Gen 2:19 Out of the ground the LORD
God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air
God was the direct cause, He literally "made/formed" them and brought them about, that's why we have life on this planet and that's why I don't believe there is other life out there. I just don't see any mention in the Scripture of other life out in the universe. Because God is not just playing around with life here, so He might have made a few other planets with life just to see it how it works, no, He already knows how it will work. He know "the end from the beginning," so He already knows what will happen.
I believe that everything that is created here on earth throughtout it's history was ultimately for the plan of salvation. So what was the point of the dinosaurs then... doesn't mankind study and even use fossil fuel now? This is all a very intricate and complicated creation, God's creative genius is far above what humans can figure out with all the connections and interactive roles things play with each other. That's good, God gave us marvelous and curious minds that wants to explore and investigate and learn, well we will never come to a point where we know all there is to know about this incredible creation.
Our sun is going to die one day (billions of years later). This brings up a lot of questions in my mind.
How do these things mesh up with the plan of salvation?
If the earth is destroyed, is God's plan ruined??
Will no one be on the earth in billions of years?
I do not believe the human race was intended to have a permanent physical existence. We are all ultimately to be born into the God family with spiritual bodies, Like Christ has. This is a temporary experience of good and evil in which to shape and mold a character in us. We all need knowledge to start with, all the evil and good we experience forms a backdrop, so God has something to work with to shape and mold. Yes He will evenually destroy all the evil/carnality in us as He shapes/molds us into His image, but He will not destroy the unique personality that we all have developed that makes us individuals.
This process of the creation and life here on earth is so carefully planned and being worked out. But Christ will return and begin the process of redeeming the whole human race, that could be some time off yet, but I do not believe it is billions of years away. When/if the earth is destroyed at some distance time, it will have been ordained to happen and will not interfere or be contrary to God's plan.
So there is more of my thought and again, for what it's worth, just a little exchange of ideas
mercy, peace and love
Kat