Is Earth an intentional design?

As far as we can determine, the earth is the only place in the universe where the blue and green colors indicating life exist. Everything here is fine-tuned for life and man’s existence. Scientists have named 35 characteristics of the universe that must be fine-tuned for any kind of physical life to be possible. These are all present in our earth and solar system in just the right amount and degree. There are at least 122 characteristics of our galaxy and solar system that are exactly fine-tuned for life. If any one of them were slightly changed, life would be impossible here. These are called the “Anthropic Principle” that make this earth and the universe perfect for the existence of life and man.

Hugh Ross (Ph.D., University of Toronto), the founder and president of Reasons to Believe, has calculated that the probability for the occurrence of all 122 parameters is 10 to the 160th power. But that number far exceeds the maximum possible number of planets in the universe which is 10 to the 22nd power. Ross concludes,

Much less than 1 chance in 10 to the 138th power (thousand trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion) exists that even one such planet would occur anywhere in the universe.

(Hugh Ross, “Why I Believe in the Divine Creation,” in Why I Am a Christian, ed. Norman L. Geisler and Paul K. Hoffman (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2006) pp. 148-155. Continuing research by Ross is available at http://www.reasons.org).

For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
    (he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
    (he established it;
he did not create it empty,
    he formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:18).

Everything God does is perfect. His creation cannot be improved. To test this, can you think of a way that would improve how God has made life here on earth? Caution: every change you might make brings with it consequences that affect a long line of things. One unbeliever said that God could have made zippers on our bodies so that body parts could be easily removed and replaced without painful surgery. What consequences do you think that would bring?

Excellent information on reasons to believe in God and resources to inform your study on topics related to the existence of God can be found at these websites:

apologeticspress.org

warrenapologetics.org