#10: Earth is Home

Why Christians Shouldn't Colonize Mars

In the beginning, God breathed life into Adam, “and Adam became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). At that moment, eternity was placed in our hearts, along with a sense of discovery and adventure. Our Creator placed Adam in the midst of the garden, not to relax and consume but to cultivate, explore, and expand (Genesis 2:15). Exploration reflects our bearing of God’s image—a reflex of His creative and scientific Mind. God designed man to learn, discover. But most of all “stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14).

When exploration leads to greater awe of God’s handiwork, it fulfills its highest purpose. It becomes, in a way, an act of worship. Yet, like all good gifts, discovery must remain tethered to God’s revealed will. Without this anchor, human ambition drifts beyond its God-ordained purpose, turning discovery into defiance and curiosity into rebellion.

Earth: Man’s Forever Home

From the beginning, God established the Earth as humanity’s dwelling. In Genesis 1:28, the dominion mandate commands us to fill the Earth, subdue it, and exercise stewardship over its creatures. The specificity of this charge is significant: God created man to thrive within a confinement uniquely designed for human flourishing.

Secular scientists tells us Earth is a random dot among billions of galaxies. But that is far from true. There is nothing random about it. Earth is finely tuned to sustain life. From the atmosphere’s precise composition (~78% nitrogen, ~21% oxygen, ~0.93% argon, ~0.04% carbon dioxide, and variable water vapor) to the magnetic field that shields us from cosmic radiation. Think of Earth's perfect distance from the Sun, within the goldilocks zone where water can exist as a liquid, where its rotation provides a balanced cycle of day and night, regulating temperature and supporting ecosystems. The Moon’s gravitational pull stabilizes Earth’s axial tilt, creating predictable seasons, while the planet’s crust allows for tectonic activity that recycles essential minerals. Every detail, from the abundance of water to the intricate design of plant photosynthesis producing oxygen, is furnishing. This is our home. Truly, the heavens and Earth declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). Psalm 115:16 declares, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.” Earth is God’s gift, and man’s sacred trust. Leaving it should provoke deep reflection on both motive and purpose.

When future Christians consider playing a part in colonizing Mars, they need to ask: Are we abandoning this trust? Mars, for all its fascination, is inhospitable to human life by design.

What Drives Us Beyond the Earth?

As this series unfolds, a recurring theme will arise: What drives man to leave Earth? The desire to explore space is not inherently wrong. It reflects our God-given curiosity. But when exploration shifts from discovery to permanence, it reveals a deeper spiritual problem. Are we fulfilling God’s purposes, or trying to rewrite them?

The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) stands as a sobering reminder of misplaced human ambition. Nimrod’s generation sought to build a tower into heaven—not to glorify God but to replace Him and make a godlike name for themselves. For all their efforts, God came down, scattered their purposes, and confused their language. Mars colonization betrays a similar impulse, where technological achievement becomes an idol, and escape becomes a replacement for dependence on God.

God’s Providential Boundaries

While we may never fully colonize Mars, my own sense is that we will attempt it. But as the Apostle Paul reminded the Athenians, God has “determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation [home]” (Acts 17:26). These boundaries are established for our good and His glory. This Blue Marble, with all its fallen beauty and challenges, is humanity’s forever home until the consummation of all things. When the Son delivers the kingdom to the Father, He will make all things new (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

Unlike past earthly frontiers, Mars is not designed for habitation. Its inhospitable conditions prove that it was not intended as a home. While studying the heavens and exploring other planets, mining them for their resources, etc., can be God-glorifying, establishing permanent human settlements on Mars defies the boundaries He has set. It has no furnishings; we have to import them.

Running Away from Home

Scripture quietly warns of the dangers of leaving home outside God’s will. Cain (the restless wanderer), Jacob (exile and hardship), Jonah (fleeing from God’s call), the Prodigal Son (rebellion and loss), Naomi’s family (seeking refuge in Moab), and Lot (enticed by Sodom’s economics) all demonstrate that stepping beyond God’s boundaries brings alienation, suffering, and loss. Their histories remind us to look at our motives before entering new frontiers, earthly or solar.

Space exploration must be framed within a theology of the future that prioritizes worship and stewardship over conquest and ambition. Christians must ask: Are we seeking to leave Earth? For what purpose? To what end?

Eschatological Hope: A New Heaven and a New Earth

Our ultimate hope is not in colonizing other planets but in Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of heaven and this earth. Revelation 21:1-5 points us to the day when He will renew creation, erasing sin’s brokenness and establishing perfection. Mars fascinates many of us, but it can never be a goal or replace the glory of the home God is preparing for His people. Part of that consummation and glory of it all will be a new earth. Remaining here to tend, increases our anticipation of that Day and excites us to treat the home He built for us with great tenderness.

For Christians, exploration is a noble endeavor when anchored in God’s purpose. Colonizing Mars oversteps that purpose. Earth remains man’s God-appointed home—a place of unparalleled beauty and opportunity for glorifying Him. We shouldn’t leave it…permanently.

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