In this post I discuss the nature of matter and the laws that govern matter, and God's use of that matter to create our earth.
Christ is the Source of Law
Latter-day Saints believe that all things in our mortal world are governed by an influence that comes from Jesus Christ. This influence is known in the scriptures as the Light of Christ.
Which truth shineth. This is the Light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;
As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. (D&C 88:7-13)
These verses say that "all things" are governed by the Light of Christ, which "is the law by which all things are governed". Those verses do not say or imply that Christ is the originator of laws. The verses only say that the laws come from Christ. Christ is a user of natural laws. This is a religious way of saying that the Cosmos is governed by natural laws, the same laws that are being discovered by scientists. Christ used those laws to create worlds.
The Elements are Eternal
The Lord explained to Abraham that the earth was created from existing materials or matter.
And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; (The Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 3:24)
Not only were the elements in existence at the time of the creation, they were eternal elements.
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; (D&C 93:33)
The elements may change form or be converted to energy, but they have always existed and will always exist.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that Jesus used existing matter in creating the earth. That teaching is a parallel to the scientific theory of the Big Bang. According to
Wikipedia,
The Big Bang is the cosmological model of the universe whose primary assertion is that the universe has expanded into its current state from a primordial condition of enormous density and temperature.
If the Big Bang Theory is correct, the Cosmos began with matter of enormous, perhaps infinite, density and energy. Another
description of the Big Bang describes the beginning of creation as finite matter that is compressed into an infinite density.
The
New York Times article
Laws of Nature, Source Unknown explains that scientists accept natural laws as the basis of creation and organization of the Cosmos but that they aren't in agreement about the source of those laws.
If the laws of physics are to have any sticking power at all, to be real laws, one could argue, they have to be good anywhere and at any time, including the Big Bang, the putative Creation. Which gives them a kind of transcendent status outside of space and time.
On the other hand, many thinkers — all the way back to Augustine — suspect that space and time, being attributes of this existence, came into being along with the universe — in the Big Bang, in modern vernacular. So why not the laws themselves?
The LDS viewpoint of natural laws is in agreement with the scientific viewpoint about the existence of natural laws but not about the source of those laws.
There is a traditional belief in Christianity that God is "all powerful" or omnipotent. According to this belief, God can speak, and instantly his words are obeyed. The common belief in Christianity that God created the cosmos out of nothing is based on this belief. However, Latter-day Saints do not believe that God can instantly create things out of nothing. Latter-day Saints believe that God created or organized the cosmos out of existing, eternal elements. Going further with this, let us read from the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 93, verse 33 states
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
In telling us that the elements are eternal, the Lord has given one of the great laws of science: the elements have always existed. They may change form or be converted to energy, but they have always existed and will always exist.
The use of eternal elements implies that God used eternal laws to organize the elements. At least within Christianity, this belief that God followed natural laws in His creative work is, I believe, a belief that is unique to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Book of Mormon establishes the fact that God can not violate the laws of justice and mercy, and this implies that God cannot violate any of the laws that are involved in His creative works. This means that all of the laws of nature that are being discovered by scientists are eternal laws that govern the cosmos, and that God obeys those laws in His work. Jesus Christ used those laws in his creation of the cosmos under the direction of his Father.
God can, of course, bring into play higher laws that might overshadow lower laws. A simple example of such hierarchies of natural laws is the law of gravity vs. the law of aerodynamic lift. An unorganized weight of several tons can not "fly" through the air. It just "sits" on the ground like the lump of matter that it is. However, if that matter if formed into particular shapes and given sufficient thrust, it can move through the air. The law of gravity is still in effect, but the law of "lift" has overshadowed gravity and causes the matter to leave the ground and fly. I believe that God's performing of miracles is such a use of higher laws to overrule lower laws.
I'm grateful that God follows natural laws and that those laws are absolute in their existence and influence. Were it not for this, our universe would be chaotic and inconsistent, and we would be unable to advance in our spiritual and scientific lives. We would always hiding in our houses, caves, or where ever, not knowing what would happen next.
