Oppenheimer

If you have heard of Liquid Church in New Jersey, you might know that every Summer they run a series called At the Movies. Pastor Tim Lucas and the rest of the teaching team are known for their use of popular film and media to communicate God's grace and truth with everyone. This Summer I noticed they plan on sharing a message inspired by the film Oppenheimer. This was a movie I already planned to see (I enjoy Christopher Nolan films) so I decided to check it out with my brother and father last night.

While I am not endorsing everything about this movie, I did enjoy it. It was biographical, based on true events, and centered around a very, very important event in human history. So I asked God to speak to me through it. What would He have me takeaway from it? Would there be any thought-provoking content that would point back to God? Here are two things I have to share...

---

God is a Physicist

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him (Colossians 1:16)

The central character of the film is J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist known for his work on the Manhattan Project (first atomic bomb). I don't know a lot of about "invisible" things like physics or quantum mechanics like Mr. Oppenheimer did, but I know someone who does - God. During the film's academia scenes, I was struck with awe at how human beings could theorize and figure out (after decades of research) complex things such as nuclear fission. But you see, my awe turned to wonder and amazement because the Holy Spirit spoke to me that God had already figured all of this out - correction, He didn't figure it out, He designed it this way.

The Bible teaches that God is all powerful and all knowing (ref. Romans 11:33). He is the very reason you and I exist. Oppenheimer and many other scientists, scholars, and doctors are not orchestrating the complex structures (atoms, nuclei, DNA, etc.) that make up our existence. These men and women are indeed gifted and intelligent. They can observe, describe, and harness power based on what they learn. They might even design something based on the laws they theorize and discover (like a nuclear bomb), but their science is merely an exploration and extraction of what God already put in motion when He spoke the universe into existence.

I have faith in God and I simultaneously love science. For those that feel they need to choose one or the other, think again. Faith is believing in what we cannot see. Science is simply an explanation of what can be seen. Can science explain everything? I think so - but God will be the one explaining it to us.

"I feel I have blood on my hands."

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Beware, spoilers and historical facts ahead. The Manhattan Project is successful and two atomic bombs are released on Japan killing hundreds of thousands of people. While Oppenheimer is proud of what they accomplished from a scientific perspective, he cannot help but feel guilty of the lives lost to the bombings. As a result, Oppenheimer and other scientists begin to use their influence to discourage further research on powerful weapons of mass destruction. He goes through some form of worldly sorrow for his transgression against humanity.

This had me thinking about our transgression against God and why it often takes a major life event to bring about godly sorrow (sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation). First, we all start our lives pursuing what we want, what we think will make us happy. But we do so unaware of or simply ignoring the consequences of our actions (who we might hurt, including ourselves). But most critically, in our selfish pursuit, we sin and rebel against God. Without the Holy Spirit, it's not easy to see and sadly many people go their entire lives not realizing or acknowledging what they have done against God.

For Oppenheimer, it took developing and unleashing deadly power to produce sorrow over it. Likewise, it often takes a major life event for a person to realize their guilt.

I'll quickly share my story. As many salvation stories start, I was once blind to my reckless, selfish behavior. But one morning many years ago I came home depressed after a night of partying, getting kicked out of bars, and debauchery only to see that I was oblivious to someone in my family being ill for an extended period of time. I was immediately struck by guilt and shame and soon after I decided to make a change. Thankfully, I listened to the Holy Spirit, repented, and chose to follow Jesus.

My prayer for anyone reading this is that it wouldn't take a major event or "hitting rock bottom" for them to realize their sin against God - especially since there is a deadly, eternal consequence for sin. But instead, I pray that all would repent and freely receive the gift of life by believing in the LORD Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul says it best...

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)