Articles
The Theory of Everything
Several years ago, a movie premiered in theaters entitled: “The Theory of Everything.”The movie featured the biographical portrayal of renowned scientist and physicist, Stephen Hawking. Some of you recognize the name as he was recently in the news due to his passing. Hawking in many ways overcame many obstacles in his life and superseded the expectations of friends and family members. As a young man attending the University of Oxford, Hawking having already exceeded expectations of his academic overseers, was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Indeed, it was a painful and sorrowful diagnosis that saw doctors provide a 2-year frame for Stephen’s remaining life span. Stephen was understandably shocked by the prognosis and decided he would take advantage of the time he had left and make his impact on the science world.
In 1966, Hawking proposed a theory that the world began as a result of a black hole. This theory is quite complex, and we may not understand the meaning of it all, but we can surely get the idea. The basis of his theory is as a result of combining several other theories and equations from Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity. The reason I mention both these branches of physics is because of what lies behind them. Quantum Mechanics says there is no way someone made everything in the universe with such precision and perfection. It just happened that way by accident. General Relativity, however, suggests that there is a higher being than man through which everything emanated.
Stephen, having understood the theories and all their premises, undertook his thesis to figure out the origin of the universe. Attributing most of his findings to Quantum Mechanics, Stephen concluded that the world began without an intelligent designer and solely by accident. He was praised and exalted for his findings by many well-known professors and fellow scientists. Hawking would defy the prognosis of his doctors and go on to live with ALS for many years. During these years, he published several best-selling books including “A Brief History of Time”which re-affirms his so-called theory of everything. Here’s a couple questions for you to consider: Is it more logical to believe that the world had an intelligent designer, or would it be more logical to suggest it just came to be by accident?
Let me pose this scenario to you. You and a friend are walking by a neighborhood of nice homes. Would you suggest to your friend that those homes were established by accident? Your friend would probably look at you with bewilderment wondering if you were insane or out of it. Here’s my point. None of these people who claim that the universe started by accident will dare say the same thing about a house or a car or whatever object was designed by man that we have seen built such things. They would be foolish to suggest that. But the moment we talk about the creation of our universe, it’s fair game to say it was all an accident and there was no intelligent designer. Do you see the fallacy in their argument? It would actually take a lot more faith to believe the theory put forth by Stephen Hawking than what the Lord has provided for us in His holy word.
This message harmonizes with that of other passages such as Genesis 1, John 1:1-3 and Col. 1:15-22 that explicitly describe God’s intelligent design of the universe. Man, not being existent and being able to see the moment God framed the world by His words, does not make it any less real that what we see and observe today. Unfortunately, many individuals like Stephen will deny God had a role in any such form of creation. Often times we allow our pre-conceived notions and worldly wisdom to affect the reality of the truth.
It has often been said it’s easier to believe a lie that’s been heard a thousand times than the truth which has never been heard. Stephen Hawking’s thesis and discoveries changed the way many people perceived the world and astronomy in general. I have personally visited museums and exhibits that place profound emphasis and importance on the discoveries of men such as Hawking and there are many more we could speak of. The point is do we really want to hang our souls on what a scientist claims to believe is the truth? How many times have you seen men fail and change their thoughts about previous statements.
The theory of everything does not rest with man but it rests with God. It takes far more faith and trust to believe the words of one man than it does the words of the Almighty, all-powerful God. God has an absolutely spotless perfect record. He does not fail, nor does He change His mind. I would much rather put my trust and hope in Him because of the stories I have seen in the scriptures that have proved Him to be true and faithful.
May we look around and stand in awe of all God has done. May we, by faith, serve Him and lead more people to Him. Stephen Hawking died several weeks ago and perhaps in years to come many will forget about his theories and discoveries. God will never be forgotten. May we always look to Him!
When Paul came to Athens in Acts 17, he found a people who worshipped something they didn’t even know. Paul proclaimed to them that the Lord God formed the world and everything that is in it. The point in Acts 17 is that the lifeless idols the people worshipped could not help them any more than a sack of beans could.
