Preliminary data and images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) challenge secular ideas of galaxy formation and the big bang, but confirm biblical creation. 

In Christ all things are held together (Colossians 1:17).  Since God is an intelligent and logical Being Who holds the universe together by His power, and since we are made in His image and have revelation from Him, it is possible for us to discover some of the logical patterns by which Christ holds His universe together.  There are four fundamental forces in nature, each of which is an expression of the mathematical way God’s mind upholds creation.  Each of these four forces is associated with quantum particles called gauge bosons.  These gauge bosons are the glue that holds matter together.  When we study these forces, we are learning something about the mind of God.

The Lord has determined the laws of nature and the kinds of particles that can exist so that our universe has the right properties for life.  Biology is possible because of chemistry, which is possible because of physics: the elementary particles God created and the rules governing them.  A slight change in the properties of particles or the laws they obey, and atoms could not exist and biological life would be impossible.  The intelligence needed to construct the right particles and laws such that biological life can exist is far beyond the combined mental capacity of all people who have ever lived.  Quantum particles give us a bit of insight into the infinite mind of the Lord.

The Lord created certain types of fundamental particles and also determined the rules these particles obey. These are what allow for the rich diversity of substances in the universe today. We here consider baryons – the substance of the cosmos. We will find that baryons confirm biblical creation and challenge secular explanations.

In the core of every atom is a nucleus consisting of one or more protons, and (except for hydrogen) some neutrons as well.  Protons and neutrons are responsible for most of the mass of an atom.  The electrons “orbit” around this central nucleus, generally in equal numbers to the protons, which makes the overall atom electrically neutral.  Electrons are elementary – meaning they are not made of any smaller particles.  But protons and neutrons are composite particles; they are made of smaller particles called quarks. 

The electron is merely one member of a group of particles called leptons.  The term lepton comes from the Greek and means “small,” or “thin” and refers to the extremely low mass of leptons.  The electron, for example, is 1800 times less massive than a proton.