THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF COSMOLOGY is the study of the world primarily as the sphere of redemption. The word Cosmology comes from the two Greek words, "Kosmos" meaning world or world order, and "Logos" meaning speech or reason. Hence the treatise or reasoned discourse on the world especially as concerning creation and preservation.
The various meanings of the word world in the Bible denote a varied sum of things. Cremer in his lexicon says in the general sense it denotes the "ordered sum total of what God has created." Thus, "the heavens and the earth" of the Old Testament. For in the Old Testament there is no word denoting the sum total of creation. In a narrower sense of the word world is used to denote the sphere of human activity, a human system world order of things, as lying in the wicked one, belonging to the sphere of Satan's usurped authority. As John said, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" meaning not the trees, flowers, nor geography of the earth, but the worldly system opposed to God. Again the word is used as a translation of the word "aeon" or age. As the world of time, the progression of the world as a movement, is ages. This study shall be primarily concerned with the Universe as a whole and this earthly sphere in redemption, and an outline of the sum total of creation..
The Christian viewpoint of Cosmology or the study of creation is in the light of God's plan of creation. The scriptures affirm that this earth is the center or focal point of all creation as far as the universe is concerned and man is the center of this earthly interest. The earth was made for him and in a real sense the heavenly bodies were made for him. Gen. 1:14-18. The sun was to give light and life to the earth and man, to divide night from days for signs and for seasons. Yes and with the renovation of the earth with fire, the heavenly bodies shall also perish with this present order. II Pet. 3:10. But greater than this, the paramount importance `of earth, is the advent of God's Son upon it to accomplish redemption here. The Scriptures and for Him. Col. 1:16. It was made to be the theatre of God's crowning work of recreation. Upon no other planet or within no other universe would God die upon a cross to save sinners. This earth and its redemption, with God's Son dying upon a cross certainly constitutes the central theme of God's creative power and wisdom. Herein lies our interest in Cosmology.