“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3 ESV).
A common objection to passages such as Hebrews 11:3 is found in the following question: “Isn’t it possible that the universe came into existence through random chance?” This objection finds its origin in the belief that the universe might have come into existence through an arbitrary (or random) process. But this premise runs into trouble if we stop to examine it closely.
In this context, the word “chance” describes the likelihood that something will occur. In other words, “chance” conveys the statistical probability that something will take place. While these definitions have many valid applications, the issue is that “chance” cannot do anything. This creates a problem when we try to apply this theory to the creation of the universe.
To illustrate that problem, let’s say that two people are engaged in a card game. Player number one shuffles the deck of cards and then deals several cards to player number two. Given this scenario, let’s ask some questions: did “random chance” influence the cards that player two received? Did “random chance” manipulate, change, or alter that card sequence? Did “random chance” have the power to ensure that player number two received one card over another?
Well, the answer to those questions is no. “Chance” simply describes the statistical probability that player two will receive one type of card instead of another. This helps to explain why “random chance” cannot be responsible for the existence of the universe. Chance doesn’t make things happen- it only describes the probability that something will happen.
Here’s another way to demonstrate this concept. Let’s say that someone flips a coin into the air. In this instance, the chance that a coin will land on “heads” is 50%. (1) However, “chance” doesn’t make a coin land on heads. Instead, that outcome will depend on several different variables.
For instance, the size, shape, and weight of the coin will affect the end result. The number of revolutions that a coin makes before it lands will also influence that outcome. Environmental conditions represent another contributing factor, along with the surface upon which the coin lands. It will also be affected by the decision to catch the coin in midair or let it fall to the ground.
The point is that “chance” does not make a coin land on heads or tails- that result is determined by many different factors. Chance only describes the statistical probability that a coin will land in a particular way. In a similar manner, the belief that “random chance” brought the universe into existence cannot be accurate because chance has no power to “do” anything.
(1) For the purpose of this illustration, we will discount the nominal possibility that a coin will land on its edge after it is flipped.