Do we live in a loop – or in a line?
“The Bible preceded science in revealing this truth that time is not circular; time is linear.”
Dr. Michael Guillen explains how the scientific view shifted over the centuries, largely the result of Christianity. Aristotle, who is generally considered to be the grandfather of science, believed that time was circular; he believed that the universe repeated itself over and over.
“If Aristotle was right, you and I would be having this conversation twenty five thousand years from now. The universe would loop itself.”
This was a view held not only by scientists but by many early religions including Hinduism and Buddhism. It was out of this view that the notion of reincarnation gained acceptance – the idea that each life is shaped by the choices of a previous life, and that escaping this loop could only come from becoming more enlightened. Historians credit the Bible for demolishing that view.
Time is not circular; time is linear. Time has a very definite beginning, a very definite middle, and a very definite end.
Michael compares this to the idea of a river; the Mississippi River for example has a source from which it originates. From the source comes the river and at the end of the river is a delta. This was a concept introduced by Christianity, and gradually over time, science adopted that point of view. Michael points out that to this day, all scientific equations assume linear time. In this case, science caught up with the Bible.
What does this mean for our faith today?
“Simply put, if you believe in circular time, you believe that you are the product of your behavior or your karma. If you believe in linear time, then you believe that you are the product of a Creator, and that no time are you anything less than human.”
Genesis 1:26 declares God’s words.
“Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
We were created by a purposeful God. We were designed, fashioned by a Creator’s hand, not by random occurrences of past lives and choices. Michael shares more in his book .
Key Scriptures: Isaiah 55:8; Luke 10:27; Psalm 19
Featured Songs: You Amaze Us by Selah; Unashamed by Chris August; Wonderful Maker by Chris Tomlin
