When 'King Science' and King Jesus Collide
Christians regularly point to scientific evidence in our efforts to encourage people to believe God exists, and ultimately, to believe in Christ as Savior. But not everyone is convinced by the evidence. Not by a long shot. In fact, some unbelievers actually seem to resent it when Christians use science while attempting to lead people to God. So what's really going on here?
It's actually pretty simple. Virtually everyone has a "king" on the throne of his or her heart. And for many people today, the ruler of their life is "King Science." He is the one they look to for hope, security and certainty. They trust their king completely.
So when Christians in their witness point to useful evidence from science, some followers of King Science don't appreciate having their king used in this way. In the minds of those who bow at the altar of King Science, anything religious in nature must bow to King Science. And yet that is not the way God designed things.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
God established the world and His creation with beautiful order. And at the top of the food chain is the Creator Himself. Everything (including science) must by definition bow to King Jesus. After all, everything was created by Him and for Him. (see Colossians 1:15-17) And when men worship at the altar of King Science, they are simply choosing to place their favorite scientific facts above the reality of God Himself and His revelation to man.
Science is assumed to be objective, while religion is assumed to be subjective. Therefore, followers of King Science feel they are on firmer footing than those who worship King Jesus. And when followers of Christ point to science, it throws some unbelievers into a frenzy. They don't know how to respond. In fact, they seem mystified that "religious people" give any credence to science at all.
Most Christians appreciate science and view it as a servant of God. Why is science God's servant you ask? Because scientific evidence can only be gathered by people who were created by God, and it can only present facts about things which God allowed to exist in the first place. As Christians, we choose to keep science in its rightful place. Namely, in its subservient role to the Creator of the universe.
The challenge when attempting to use science to point people to God is that in many cases, we are using evidence which our hearers consider to be part of their personal kingdom. After all, King Science is the lord of their reasoning. And while some unbelievers show an openness to looking at all the scientific evidence, (including the evidence highlighted by Christians) many followers of King Science are tempted to reject any evidence about their king which could lead to him being deposed and replaced with the true King of heaven and earth.
By King Science, I am not talking about science itself, or any particular scientific evidence. Instead, I am talking about the role science plays in the hearts of those who have chosen to place their king above the King of the universe. The true King is revealed in Scripture and known personally by those who receive Him through faith. (see John 1:12) When we as Christians attempt to lead people to God by relying upon the testimony of their king, some respond like lawyers in the courtroom of free expression and say, "I object."
On what grounds do they object you ask? I believe they object primarily because they refuse to allow evidence within their kingdom to be pitted against their previous decision to place King Science on the throne. Many of them simply cannot stand such a thought, and so they are quick to challenge the science of Christian apologists who seek to win souls for the kingdom of His Majesty, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In reality, what some unbelievers perceive to be their kingdom of scientific evidence actually all belongs to King Jesus in the first place. Without the Lord, they wouldn't even have life or breath or a rational mind with which to study science. Everything they have been given comes from God. And yet, they do not understand that fact in spite of all the evidence around them.
It should be obvious to everyone by now that quite a few followers of Christ have a deep appreciation for science. And believers utilize much of the same scientific evidence as those who worship King Science. That fact alone seems to hit a nerve for followers of King Science. You can almost hear them saying, "If you won't worship our king, how dare you attempt to quote our ruler when making a case for your king?"
This tension rises to the surface quite often today, and it often plays out in the classroom and in the media. After the dust settles, a few followers of King Science are persuaded by the totality of evidence, while many unbelievers remain as committed as ever to keeping their king on the throne of their heart. On one hand you can't blame them. After all, it's the only king they know. They deeply admire and revere their king, and they wrongly assume that to depose their king within their heart means to throw scientific evidence out the window.
In reality, a person can easily appreciate and utilize science while at the same time choosing to love and follow King Jesus. Christianity and science are in no way opposed to each other. God created both of them, and Christianity itself is built upon a foundation of solid facts. Many Christians today in their work and research demonstrate the unity between Christian faith and science. And that practice will no doubt continue because King Jesus and science are both here to stay.
Meanwhile, scores of unbelievers are content with their unbelief, and are not interested in having their king humiliated in their minds as an accomplice of religious proselytizers. At the same time, it would serve those followers of King Science well if they would come to understand why some Christians point to science and mathematics in making the case for God.
Well, do you understand why we do it?
It's because science is nothing more than man's servant. Science is not a king to be revered with complete devotion. In fact, genuine scientific evidence doesn't bring about too much rejoicing in heaven. Why should it? In heaven, the very One who created everything is being worshipped and glorified. Imagine how off-putting it would be to point to scientific evidence while standing in the presence of King Jesus. It would seem so out of place, and so "beneath" our Lord. As if God is impressed or enlightened when hearing all the scientific evidence of His creation. Yawn.
Likewise, pointing to scientific evidence in testifying to God's power won't generate cheering from many King Science followers today. It's just not what they expect to see science being used to endorse. And so it tends to rattle them a bit. If I were in their shoes, it would rattle me too. If I revered King Science the way they revere him, I too would find the practice of Christians pointing to my king as a bit curious to say the least, if not upsetting.
There will always be some folks who choose to kick King Science to the curb of their heart in favor of the Messiah. These new believers will continue to utilize science, but now only in its proper role and function. Namely, as a cold and impersonal servant of the most High God. In fact, when it comes to matters of the soul, King Science is in way over his head.
This propped-up potentate is unable to do something as miraculous as convicting man of his sin, and of his need for King Jesus to forgive him. No wonder the living Word of God has so much more power than scientific reasoning alone. One deals with the things of both heaven and earth, while the other deals only with things of this world. The boasting of King Science is loud and proud, but he sure is impotent when it comes to filling a human soul with living water from heaven. (see John 7:37-39)
What would we as Christians do without the Holy Spirit? We would be totally lost in our sin, with no one to look to for certainty and security except King Science. Apart from divine relation, it is impossible to meet King Jesus. But the irony of divine revelation is that the faith of a child is all that is needed to receive Jesus as your Savior and King.
No wonder King Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." (Matthew 11:25,26)
So while certain learned men and women bow before King Science, those today who are led by the Holy Spirit and Scripture bow before King Jesus. In other words, some people know their Creator, while others don't.
You see, it's not science itself that keeps people from God. It's King Science that does it, as man elevates his rendering of the scientific evidence to a place of worship in his life. The Lord addressed that danger right out of the gate when He commanded His people, "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)
So which king is sitting on the throne of your heart today? If your answer is King Science, are you willing to be converted by the Holy Spirit as you trust King Jesus to be your Savior from sin? Science has no business usurping God's rightful place in your heart. On top of that, King Science won't be a very good defense attorney when you stand in God's courtroom on Judgment Day.
King Jesus, on the other hand, has never lost a case. You see, it really boils down to which king you are going to trust to care for your immortal soul. One of these two kings loves you. The other doesn't even know you exist.
