Reflections on the Unity of Creation
Relativity of Time and God’s Timelessness
Modern physics, through Einstein’s theory of relativity, has revealed that time is not an absolute constant but can be stretched, compressed, and experienced differently depending on speed and gravity. Interestingly, Scripture spoke of time’s flexibility long before science caught up. In 2 Peter 3:8, we are reminded, “With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
God Exists Outside the Confines of Time
He is eternal—without beginning or end. This concept also aligns with the scientific understanding of the universe’s origin. The Big Bang theory posits that the universe—and time itself—had a beginning. The biblical doctrine of creation ex nihilo (creation out of nothing) tells us that God spoke, and the universe came into existence. God, who is unbound by time, initiated time-space reality, much like the singularity that marked the start of everything. Physics gives us the language; Scripture gives us the cause.
Fields, Waves, and the Movement of the Spirit
In physics, invisible fields govern much of reality: gravitational, electromagnetic, and quantum fields shape everything from the orbits of planets to the behavior of subatomic particles. Waves—energy moving through fields—carry light, sound, and countless other forces we experience yet cannot see directly. The Bible frequently describes the Holy Spirit using similar imagery. In John 3:8, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” The Spirit, like a field, is unseen but powerful. It moves people, transforms lives, and influences outcomes in ways that parallel how invisible physical forces shape the natural world. Could it be that the language of fields and waves offers a modern analogy for how the Spirit operates—permeating all, unseen yet active, guiding, sustaining, and moving creation?
Multidimensional Space and Spiritual Realms
Physicists acknowledge the existence of four observable dimensions: three of space (length, width, height) and one of time. However, advanced theories like string theory suggest that there may be many more dimensions, curled up beyond our perception. The Apostle Paul hints at something similar when he speaks of being “caught up to the third heaven”
(2 Corinthians 12:2), describing an experience beyond normal human dimensions. The Bible often refers to realities that transcend the physical world—angels and heaven—that imply dimensions beyond our current ability to perceive or measure. Science’s willingness to accept unseen dimensions offers an interesting parallel to the spiritual worldview. It suggests that reality may be far deeper and richer than what our senses alone can access.
The Spirit’s Indestructibility and the Conservation of Existence
One of the foundational principles of physics is the conservation of energy, that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change forms. In spiritual terms, this principle resonates with the biblical concept of the soul’s persistence beyond physical death. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Similarly, Jesus teaches that eternal life awaits those who belong to God. Death, then, is not an end but a transformation—matter returns to the earth, while the spirit continues in another state of existence. This convergence of physical law and spiritual truth reinforces the idea that human beings are more than material bodies. Our spiritual existence, like energy, is indestructible, continuing beyond the limitations of the physical world.
Faith, Love, and Prayer: Non-Local Effects Beyond Space-Time?
One of the most fascinating discoveries in quantum physics is the phenomenon of non-locality—particles can become entangled in such a way that changes to one instantaneously affect the other, even across vast distances. The connection transcends space-time, defying classical explanations. This offers a provocative analogy for the spiritual realities of love, faith, and prayer. Scripture teaches that prayer has effects beyond the physical, that faith moves mountains, and that love binds together individuals and communities in powerful, unseen ways. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” Could it be that faith, love, and prayer operate like spiritual non-local phenomena, connecting us across space and time, influencing outcomes in ways science is only beginning to glimpse?
The Unity of the Physical and Spiritual Realms
Physical science describes what is bound by space-time—mass, energy, forces, particles. Spiritual law, by contrast, describes what transcends space-time—faith, love, moral truth, eternal existence. Yet both reflect the same Creator, hinting at a deeper unity between the two. The writer of Hebrews captures this beautifully: “By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:3). Far from conflicting, science and faith together point toward a reality that is ordered, meaningful, and reflective of God’s nature. The physical and spiritual realms are not opposing forces, but complementary expressions of the same divine truth—a cosmos both measurable and mysterious, logical and transcendent.