THE GOSPEL IN THERMODYNAMICS — ORDER, DECAY, AND THE PROMISE OF NEW CREATION
In the quiet laws of nature, God whispers His truth. The Second Law of Thermodynamics is one of those whispers: in any closed system, disorder increases; energy disperses; decay is inevitable. Stars burn out, rivers silt, bodies age, machines rust. Left to itself, creation runs down. There is honesty here—scientific, observable, unflinching—and yet, within this honesty, the Gospel shines brighter than any equation.
The Bible too bears witness to decay. “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its bondage to corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21). Sin, like entropy, spreads naturally; corruption advances; death exerts its dominion. Left to ourselves, there is no reversal, no repair, no ultimate hope. But God has entered the system—not to rearrange the old, but to redeem, renew, and restore.
Christ is the energy from outside the system. Where the universe trends toward disorder, He brings order; where humanity trends toward decay, He brings life; where the law of sin demands death, He brings resurrection (Romans 8:11). The cross absorbs the cost of entropy—the ultimate disruption of creation’s order—while the resurrection inaugurates a new creation that cannot decay. This is not mere maintenance; this is transformation. This is not repair; this is redemption.
Even the Spirit is like an ongoing infusion of energy, keeping our weary hearts alive, sustaining our faith, renewing our minds, and pointing us beyond what is temporary to what is eternal. We live amid decay, but we do not despair. We breathe amid entropy, but we hope in the One who will remake all things. “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new’” (Revelation 21:5).
The quiet law of decay in nature, when seen through the lens of faith, is a mirror of our own mortality—but it also magnifies the glory of Christ. He enters our broken world, absorbs its destruction, and promises that the ultimate outcome is life, order, and beauty beyond measure. Even in the relentless march of entropy, God’s hand is not slack; His promise is sure; His power is supreme.
Lord Jesus, You who entered a decaying world to bring life, remind us that even when all seems to be falling apart, You are working to renew and restore. Help us trust Your sovereign power amid the entropy around us, and let our hearts cling to the hope of Your new creation. Sustain us with Your Spirit, that we may live with courage, joy, and faith, knowing that You make all things new. Amen.
BDD
