Articles
Are We Aliens?
A national news website once asked, “Are we all aliens?” It seems that some scientists were claiming that the molecular substance found in our DNA and RNA had also been found in meteorite pieces. They theorized that the necessary building blocks of life might have come from outer space.
The origin of life is a troubling one for those who do not believe in God. Where did the building blocks of life come from? How did these elements come together? How did they organize? What caused inanimate objects to not only animate but also to replicate? Then, of course, there has to be an explanation for how these newly replicating cells were able to consistently improve on their—dare I say it—design. It is amazing to me the amount of staunch faith people have in the idea of life coming through natural means, but that isn’t the real point of this article.
It was the original question that caught my attention. Are we aliens? The article intended that question to mean “Have we come from outer space?” However, a more biblical way of looking at that question is, “Are we of this world?” (John 15:19). Are we the aliens and strangers that we ought to be (I Pet. 2:11)? As Christians, we do not belong in this country or in this world; our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20).
In general, ours is a tolerant society. Our homes are not being taken from us because of our faith. Our assemblies are not raided by the police, forcing us into hiding. We can publicly declare our faith in God and even teach others. Not every society shares these freedoms. But with the freedom, comes the danger of conformity. We could easily forget that we are aliens and just as easily stop acting like this world is not our home.
Typically, foreigners are easy to spot. Their speech gives them away (whether it is a different language or just a peculiar accent). They often dress differently. They see the world differently, stopping in fascination and taking pictures of what the locals have become used to and consider mundane. Sometimes, such as a foreigner in London, they even drive on the wrong side of the road. Tourists, we call them. They stick out. Do we?
How easy is it to spot Christians? Do we speak just like the world, with no concern about filthy speech? Do we dress like the world, with no concern about modesty? Are we entertained by the same movies and music? Do we have the same goals and dreams?
If no one can recognize us as being foreigners, maybe that’s because we aren’t actually foreigners. So, the question is, are we aliens?
We should be.
