Editor’s note – Debra Hodges borrows a line nearly everyone recognizes – the opening of Star Trek – and turns it toward a better question: what are we really exploring, and why? Her answer moves the “final frontier” from galaxies to the human heart. We’re running this piece because it’s an accessible route into something serious – whether our pursuit of knowledge leads to worship or merely to pride.
Examining the famous introduction to Star Trek
Introduction
Almost everyone in the Western Hemisphere has watched or heard about the Star Trek TV series and movies. Most people recognize images of pointy-eared Mr. Spock, calm, courageous Captain Kirk, grouchy Dr. McCoy, and Mr. Scott, the engineer with the thick Irish brogue. Each episode begins with the same poignant opening, which speaks to people’s inner longing for adventure and knowledge.
Space: The final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its 5-year mission:
To explore strange new worlds,
To seek out new life and new civilizations,
To boldly go where no one has gone before.
Editor’s note – Our hunger for discovery is real and God-given. The question is simply where we aim it.
Exploring the right space
Exploring the space between one’s head and heart matters a lot more than exploring outer space. Getting these in sync means examining one’s beliefs about life after death. Spending time thinking about where one will spend eternity seems like a much better use of time. This is how I would rewrite the famous Star Trek introduction from a Christian perspective.
Eternity: the final frontier.
These are the voyagers of the planet Earth.
Their lifelong mission:
To explore God’s Word and give Him glory.
To seek out new life and new believers.
To boldly go and bring Good News
To those who haven’t heard.
Exploring space and discovering new planets, stars, and galaxies may be fascinating and intriguing, but how useful will that knowledge be? Will this knowledge bring people hope, faith, courage, wisdom, love, joy, or peace? Maybe, but it will more likely bring about pride in humanity’s accomplishments.
Evidence for God’s existence grows as scientific research shows His hand in the information found in DNA, in evidence that the universe had a beginning, and in the fine-tuning of the constants of physics.
Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. [Isaiah 40:26]
Editor’s note – The fine-tuning argument is worth taking seriously. Plenty of scientists, not just believers, have noted how improbable a life-permitting universe is by chance.
Putting trust in the right place
God speaks to us through the Holy Bible. In these pages, He has revealed His plan of redemption, victory over death, evil, and injustice, and the restoration of creation. God created great scientists who were believers, such as Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle, Michael Faraday, James Maxwell, Gregor Mendel, Francis Collins, and many others. [1] They all believed in a transcendent Creator who designed, ordered, and sustains the universe.
Knowing this, our stance should be humble awe, gratitude, and worship of Almighty God. God made us in His image to know Him and give Him glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). The real frontier is seeking to know Him and live by His perfect will.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. [Psalm 19:1]
The Bible says humanity is God’s masterpiece, fearfully and wonderfully made in His image (Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 139:13-14). As such, we’re supposed to have responsible dominion over creation and use our knowledge for the good of others (Genesis 1:28). We must guard against arrogance and pride and recognize God’s sovereignty. When we do this, we realize we’re not insignificant creatures lost in a vast, cold, hostile universe, without meaning or purpose. The God who made the cosmos to sustain life loves us! He is personal and offers salvation through trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, who paid for our salvation on the cross with His blood.
Editor’s note – Dominion was never meant to produce arrogance. Hodges makes a plain point: knowledge is a stewardship, not a trophy.
Conclusion
The final frontier then isn’t to conquer space; it’s to conquer ourselves and our sinful nature. Proverbs 16:32 says it’s better to have self-control than to conquer a city. Christ gave us our mission: to go and make disciples of all nations.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Contact with extraterrestrials, conquering new civilizations, and technological advances still won’t solve mankind’s main problem: the heart. Everyone has sinned against God and needs to be made right with Him (Romans 3:23).
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. [Romans 10:13]
Therefore, the Christian mission matters more than any space exploration voyage because it gives people what they need most: hope that their future is eternally secure in Christ.
References
1. Doc, & Doc. (2021, September 26). 34 great scientists who were committed Christians. Famous Scientists. https://www.famousscientists.org/great-scientists-christians/
A Word from the Editor
Star Trek promised a five-year mission to boldly go where none had gone before. Scripture already gives us a lifelong one: carry the gospel to every nation until Christ returns. The stars will still be there long after our curiosity fades. That mission is the only frontier that was ever truly final.
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
Distributed by – BCWorldview.org
Editor Comment: It is true that eternity is the ultimate frontier.
This article appeared on Medium and is reprinted with modifications and by permission.