What Do Christians Believe About Aliens?

Is there alien life outside the earth? If so, what do Christians think about aliens if they do exist?

Creator God

If we manage to find an alien life form out there, in no way does this change the fact that God is still the Creator? From mankind to microbes, all life forms owe their existence to the Creator, however, with mankind, He created something different because “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). God did not create elephants after His own image, or giraffes, or anything else in creation after His likeness. Only in man and woman do we see the image of God. God has imbued mankind with a sense of justice, equity, and fairness, and when we see things that are unjust, we naturally try to right it. That’s part being in the image of God that we are created in. We can think, plan, purpose, contemplate, meditate, rationalize, imagine, and even have a conscience to tell us right from wrong. No other creature on the planet (or elsewhere) is like man or woman. Only they are created in God’s image, but what about other life forms? Why is the Bible silent on aliens, or is it? What would change if alien life forms were discovered?

The heavens were opened and I saw visions from God.

Ezekiel’s Vision

Some, mostly unbelievers, claim that Ezekiel described what was an alien life form in Ezekiel chapter one, but Ezekiel’s vision is that of an angel and he is also exposed to the glory of God, which causes him to fall on his face like a dead man (Ezk 1:29), but remember, this was only a vision and not an actual physical encounter with the angel or with God, because in the flesh, no man can see God and live, and even though this creature was not God, Ezekiel was exposed to the glory of God…but again, only in vision (Ezk 1:1). The actual Hebrew says, “as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions ‘from God,’” so this experience was a vision from God and not seeing God, so Ezekiel was not writing down an actual physical description of an alien as some believe (mostly non-believers), but he wrote down a “vision from God,” and that was a vision of one of the mighty angels of God which served to glorify God. God was putting His glory on display, not an alien life form. That doesn’t fit the context at all!

Life

Many scientists and most NASA experts believe we are not alone in the universe. They believe it is very likely that almost every star in the Milky Way Galaxy has at least one planet similar to earth where life will be possible. Where there is oxygen and water, there is every possibility of life, just like here on earth, but an intelligent life form has yet to be conclusively proven. If it has, I ask, let’s see the hard evidence. Even if “first contact” has been made, nothing has changed in God’s redemptive plan of salvation. An alien would still have to put their trust in Christ just as much as you or I would (or already have). If there really are aliens, nothing’s changed about Jesus coming to this earth and being born in the flesh, living a sinless life of perfection, giving His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), and being raised on the third day and now sits at the right hand of the Father to govern His church. Nothing in heaven, earth, or the universe can stop what God has sovereignly purposed to do. God is not in heaven wringing His hands over the timetable of things, hoping we won’t discover aliens, and if we do, how all that will fit into biblical prophecy. No, what God has decreed must come to pass, and come to pass it will! Nothing or no one can prevent that.

Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What If?

Some people are absolutely convinced that there are aliens out there, and experts like physicist Stephen Hawking. He warned that we might be exposed to an alien life form because we’re transmitting signals deep into outer space. Hawking fears that if we send out signals, we may not want to respond when they do answer back. In his Breakthrough Listen project, he expresses concern over hostile aliens. Perhaps he fears their exploitation of mankind and the earth, or the end of both. I do know this…nothing can separate the child of God from God Himself. We have the Apostle Paul’s ironclad word from God “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39). “Anything else in creation” surely covers alien life forms, or for that matter, just about anything else that could happen to us. Nothing has changed because “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1), so if there are aliens out there, He is also their Creator, and they must submit to Him and Christ, or they too will perish. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if there are aliens or not. Nothing has changed for us. We are still a child of God, and aliens or not, we are His, having purchased us with the blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing will be affected as far as we’re concerned. Let the world worry about an alien invasion. We are at peace with God (Rom 5:1), and that’s all that matters.

Conclusion

Whatever you believe about their being other alien life forms out there, whether highly intelligent or just mere bacteria, nothing’s changed at all as for us. Satan and his demons would love to make the world think that if there are aliens out there, and if there are, then he hopes people will not believe in God. He’d love to plant those doubts in our mind too, but we know that God exists; and really, so do those who deny God (Psalm 19:1-2; Rom 1:18-20). So, are there aliens out there? I don’t know, and even though I’m curious, I don’t spend much time studying it. I find my satisfaction in Christ and Him alone. That’s the kingdom that I seek first (Matt 6:33), although falling infinitely short in my flesh, but aliens or not, our faith is in Christ, and not in science, astronomy, or physics. Even the wisest men on earth are foolish to God, because the most foolish thing you could do is to reject Christ and deny the existence of God (Psalm 14:1). You could win a dozen Nobel Peace Prizes, but they’re worth nothing on the Day of Judgment. If you haven’t trusted in Christ, let today be the day of your salvation (2 Cor 6:2). Right now matters forever, because tomorrow may never come.

Here is some related reading for you: Should Creationism be Taught in Public Schools? Is it Legal to do so?

Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible : English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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