What should you Trust? What should you Doubt?

I was in a waiting room and began to read the March cover story of National Geographic (available here) when I came across the following two sentences,

“In this bewildering world we have to decide what to believe and how to act on that. In principle that’s what science is for.”

Immediately I came to a full stop. The first sentence had penetrated into the depths of the truly profound. Few questions are more important then deciding what to believe and how to act, but what is the answer that National Geographic gives… Science. Allegedly Science is the answer, science is the savior. The article went on to ask the question Why Do Many Reasonable People Doubt Science? The assumption behind the whole article is that the scientific consensus is completely trustworthy and therefore truth. The author is astounded that anyone could doubt what he simply calls “Science.” He speaks as if Science is its own being. For the author Science has clearly replaced God and is it self the source of truth. For example, mocking the biblical account, the caption for the image above taken at the Creation Museum which shows a dinosaur with Adam and Eve, I read, “Science holds that Earth is 4.6 billion years old, that all life evolved from microbes, and that modern humans first appeared 200,000 years ago—65 million years after dinosaurs died out.” Really, as if all scientists agree. As if any scientist has actually proven any of those false claims. He goes on to write boldly that, “Evolution actually happened. Biology is incomprehensible without it.” Wow, apparently it’s been impossible to study life until Darwin gave us his theory. No, just because something is the scientific consensus does not mean it is true. Science doesn’t hold any opinions, but rather specific scientist hold particular views and many scientists disagree with one another.

Sheepishly he admits that, “Scientific results are always provisional, susceptible to being overturned by some future experiment or observation.” But then quickly the author assures the reader that, “Science will find the truth. It may get it wrong the first time and maybe the second time, but ultimately it will find the truth.” The producers of National Geographic are frustrated and quite honestly confused that everyone does not just simply trust without reservation the conclusions of fallible scientists who are continually revising their views.

I am so thankful that we have not been left to try and figure out what to believe and what to do without the divine revelation. God has spoken! He tells us what is true and what we are to do and to believe. In contrast to the imperfect word of man that is always in need of updating, we have been given the perfect and unchanging, infallible, inerrant, sufficient and authoritative Word of God. The Bible is completely trustworthy and in it we find the truth. The scripture does not eventually get to the truth after failed attempts. To the contrary it is only truth. It has no mistakes, no errors!

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5

Forever, O LORD, your Word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Psalm 119:89

The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul;  the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

I am very thankful for Science in general and specifically the work of scientist, but the scientific consensus never can or ever will take the place of the Bible. God has spoken and in His Word we learn what to believe and how to act. So whether a stranger at Starbucks or a scientific newsmagazine mocks the teaching of the Bible, “Then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your Word.” Psalm 119:42

For more on why you can trust the Bible let me recommend Taking God at His Word.