Should Intelligent Extraterrestrials Exist In Light Of The 66 Books Of The Scripture?
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, May 7, 2025 (Donate)
With all the science fiction movies, books, and even secular
humanistic scientists now appealing to extraterrestrials, I get a lot of people
asking me about “aliens and UFOs”. In case you were wondering, there are plenty
of other respectable creationists who have published on this subject, so I’ll
keep my response short and succinct and if you want to learn more, I suggest
you dive into their resources in more detail.
The Earth Is Unique
The Bible consistently presents earth as the focal point of
God's creative and redemptive work—this is where God created man in His own
image and stepped into history to take on flesh and become a man. Genesis 1 describes the creation of the heavens and the earth, but the text quickly honed
in on earth as the place where God formed life and enters into relationship
with His image-bearers—man.
- Psalm
115:15-16: “May you be blessed by the LORD, Who made heaven
and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S; But
the earth He has given to the children of men.” (NKJV)
- Isaiah
45:18: “For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who
formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create
it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the LORD, and there
is no other.” (NKJV)
In the creation account as well as the rest of Scripture, God
does not hint at creating intelligent life elsewhere in the physical domains.
In contrast, angels (spiritually intelligent beings), which do exist, are mentions hundreds of
times in the Bible!
The Fall and Redemption
A vital understanding to basic Christianity is the Fall of
man in Genesis 3. Built on this is the redemptive work of Christ on the cross
with His death, burial, and resurrection. According to Romans 5:12, 8:20-22,
and 1 Corinthians 15:22, sin and death entered the creation via Adam's sin, and
salvation comes through Jesus Christ, the "last Adam."
Even the death of animals is directly related to man’s sin
(e.g., beginning with Genesis 3:21) as they sit under man’s dominion. If
intelligent extraterrestrials existed, several theological questions arise:
- Are
they under the dominion of man?
- The
entire creation is cursed according to Romans 8, so why are they cursed?
- Did
they fall into sin?
- If so,
how are they redeemed? Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection were
for humanity—descendants of Adam.
- Would
Christ need to die multiple times across the cosmos even though Christ’s
sacrifice was once for all?
See the theological inconsistencies? Hebrews 10:10 says
Christ’s sacrifice was “once for all,” and it is specifically tied to human sin
and human salvation. Why would God created intelligent beings in the physical
universe and curse them with no possibility of salvation for reason not their
own?
Christ's Incarnation Was For Man
Jesus took on human flesh (John 1:14), was born of a woman
(Galatians 4:4), and became a descendant of Adam (e.g., “the Son of Man”). His
identity and mission are connected directly to humanity.
Scripture says nothing about Christ becoming an incarnate
alien, which would presumably be necessary if aliens needed salvation. The
silence in Scripture about other intelligent beings needing or receiving
salvation strongly suggests they do not exist.
Some might argue that God’s redemptive plan could have
cosmic implications. While Romans 8:22 says that "the whole creation has
been groaning," this groaning is tied to the consequences of human
sin, not sin from other intelligent beings. Earth remains "center stage" of
redemption.
Angels Are Not Extraterrestrials
Some point to angels, or other heavenly/spiritual beings as
intelligent non-human beings. However, Scripture clearly distinguishes angels
from physical creatures.
They are spiritual beings, created to serve God, not
to inhabit planets. They do not marry (Matthew 22:30), die (in a physical
sense), nor are they in a position for salvation (Hebrews 1:14; 2 Peter 2:4).
Christ died for man not angels.
Those un-elect angels who fell with Satan previously tasted
the amazing and perfect glory of God in His presence and sinned against Him
anyway. They are destined for the devil’s punishment for their sin—which is an
eternal death as captives in hell with the everlasting wrath of God on them for
eternity.
Keep in mind that demons (often equated as fallen angels)
can influence and deceive people. There is a possibility that some allegations
of alien experiences are deceptions of one’s own sinful mind or the influence
of demonic beings.
No Evidence For Aliens Scientifically
Let’s not miss the obvious here. With all the time and money
spent looking for life in outer space, there is simply no good evidence of
intelligent alien life anywhere else. This is pretty devastating when you think
about it.
Conclusion
The 66 books of Scripture focus on earth, humanity, and
God’s plan for human redemption through Jesus Christ. There are no biblical references
of intelligent extraterrestrial life, nor is there a theological framework in
the Bible that can coherently accommodate it without contradicting key
doctrines.
Therefore, from a biblically perspective, the existence of intelligent extraterrestrials is not just speculative—it is theologically problematic and unnecessary.
