The origin of life (OOL) may be the most significant unsolved problem in science, spanning the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, geology, astronomy, mathematics, information science, and philosophy. Researchers studying the OOL seek explanations and evidence for how lifeless earth, water, air, and fire followed a chain of events starting with “a warm little pond” of simple chemicals to become the extremely complex and diverse living creatures in the world today, with each step along the way conforming to all scientific laws. News headlines may lead you to believe that we are on the verge of solving the mystery of how life began. Discoveries of water on other planets, complex organic chemicals on meteorites, exoplanets in the “Goldilocks zone,” and laboratory syntheses of biochemical materials from simple building blocks each seem to be the next piece of the puzzle to end all doubt about how creation occurred without a Creator. Nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps the only agreement within the OOL community is that after a century of research, scientists are further away than ever from reaching a consensus on how life began, and they are clearly seeing how much complexity is necessary for even the simplest living cell. As one OOL scientist admitted in 2010, “Our ignorance about the origin of life is profound—not just some simple missing mechanistic detail.”
While the OOL topics are complicated, it is worth knowing a few details because the more science you know, the more clearly you will see that creation without a Creator is impossible. Here are a handful of the unresolved controversies necessary to propose a merely naturalistic OOL theory. What were the early earth conditions: temperature, sunlight, atmosphere, salinity, pH, etc.? Was the OOL a singular event (origin) or a coherent plurality of events (origins)? Did life originate on earth or somewhere else (panspermia)? What are the sources of homochirality in sugars and amino acids? How did biopolymers (DNA, RNA, proteins) form in the early earth? How were chemicals concentrated to facilitate biosynthesis (the dilution problem)? How were vulnerable biochemical materials protected from hydrolysis and degradation? Which came first: genetics or metabolism? What is the source of the information encoded in genetic material? What is life? Is life an emergent property?
Today, we see lifeless chemical compounds and we see living cellular organisms whose parents were living creatures, i.e. life giving rise to life. We have no evidence for any collections of semi-living chemicals between these extremes; either now or from the past. As with evolution, a detailed theory of OOL remains elusive, but many scientists enthusiastically and optimistically still persist in the belief that naturalistic answers will eventually be found. Other scientific disciplines accept the actions of an intelligent agent as the best explanation of the evidence including the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), archeology, cryptography, and forensics. In these fields, once all possible natural explanations for the observations and evidence are eliminated, some other explanation must be pursued, i.e. the action of an intelligent being. With some notable exceptions, the OOL community is not ready to accept the role of a Creator in the origin of life.
Christians spend much time fighting over the proper interpretation of Genesis 1 and 2. Let’s not lose sight of key teachings in Genesis that we all agree upon. God created everything. Everything He created was good. God created everything with the precision of an engineer and the beauty of an artist. And Genesis is not the only Scripture that reveals God the Creator. “God is the builder of everything.” (Hebrews 3) “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121) “For by [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1) “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.“ (Isaiah 40) “The universe was created by the word of God.” (Hebrews 11) “The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” (Psalm 19) “All things were made through [Jesus], and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1) “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.” (Exodus 20)
We have no reason to fear the science, and every reason to praise our great Creator. If someone tries to intimidate you with science, just remember that the people who do OOL research for a living admit that they have no answers. Be strong and courageous when discussing how life began with unbelievers. Patiently and graciously ask questions, especially if someone knows more science than you do. We have nothing to defend. We are just called to proclaim the truth. Your questions and interest might cause them to rethink what they believe. Your conversation might leave them with a few thoughts that the Holy Spirit will use for them to see God as the Creator and Jesus as the Savior and Lord.