Science versus Religion

As Christians, we cannot retreat into a subjective faith and ignore objective truth.

In today’s world, science is often contrasted with religion where science is equated with truth while religion is equated with faith. In other words, today’s scholars teach us that science deals in the realm of objective truth and observable facts. While, on the other hand, they teach us that Christianity is grounded in subjective faith and ancient myths to comfort those who need an illusion for significance. Tragically, many people accept this dicotomy, thinking it will avoid conflicts between modern science and Christianity. There are several problems with this view.

Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Mountains

• Firstly, what is called science, i.e., data from repeatable and observable experimentation, is not true of many so-called scientific claims. For example, most of evolutionary theory is not build upon repeatable and observable experiments. No scientists has repeatably observed the evolution of an elephant in a research biology laboratory.
• Secondly, the idea that Christianity is merely a subjective faith is false. This is contrary to the historical record presented in the Bible. Biblical faith is grounded in truth as observed and verified by those who observed the life, miracles, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Thirdly, the New Testament writers wrote extensively on the vital importance of truth.

In his letter to the Corinthian believers, the Apostle Paul stated clearly that truth is more foundational than faith.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 1 Corinthians 15:13-15

Here Paul appeals to the fact of the resurrection and its vital necessity to the veracity of Christianity. If this fact were false and the dead were, in fact, not raised, then the entire Christian faith would be a useless myth.

Notice how the Apostle John began his first epistle. He appealed to observable facts: what he heard, what he saw, and what he touched with his hands.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 John 1:1

In his epistles, as you can see from the verses below, John speaks many more times of truth than faith. It would be worthwhile for you to read each of the following verses to see the importance that he placed upon truth. Furthermore, John wrote that our faith is to be “faithfulness to the truth” 3 John 1:3.

Truth — True

• If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 1 John 1:6
• If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8
• Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 1 John 2:4
• Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 1 John 2:8
• But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 1 John 2:20
• I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 1 John 2:21
• Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18
• This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 1 John 3:19
• We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1 John 4:6
• This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 1 John 5:6
• We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20
• The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth. 2 John 1:1
• because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: 2 John 1:2
• Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 1:3
• It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 2 John 1:4
• The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 3 John 1:1
• It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 3 John 1:3
• I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4
• We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 3 John 1:8
• Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. 3 John 1:12

Faith

• Everyone who believes [i.e., has faith] that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 1 John 5:1
• for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4
• It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 3 John 1:3