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Writer's pictureEdward D. Andrews
Nov 229 min read

What is Materialism's Core Belief About Matter and Reality?


Materialism is a philosophical view that asserts everything in existence is made of matter or is reducible to material phenomena. In this view, matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including thoughts, emotions, and consciousness, are ultimately products of material processes. In contrast, the Christian worldview posits that matter is not the only or ultimate reality. Jehovah, the Creator of both the material and immaterial realms, has sovereignly brought the universe into being, as Genesis 1:1 declares: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." This is foundational to understanding the distinction between materialism and theism.


The belief system of materialism is particularly significant in its denial of anything spiritual, reducing everything to physical processes. Materialists argue that the mind, soul, or spirit—anything non-physical—is either an illusion or simply a product of matter. This stands in stark contrast to what the Bible reveals about humanity’s spiritual dimension. In Genesis 2:7, we read: “And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Here, man is not merely a collection of material elements but a being who possesses life and spirit, distinct from animals and the rest of the created world.



Is Matter Eternal or Created?


Materialism assumes that matter is either eternal or self-generating. This view is represented by Carl Sagan’s famous statement: "The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be." Such a view directly contradicts the biblical teaching that the universe had a definite beginning when Jehovah, through His spoken word, brought everything into existence. Hebrews 11:3 affirms this: "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." This Scripture decisively refutes the idea of the eternal existence of matter, demonstrating that everything that exists in the physical universe had a point of origin when God created it from nothing.


Moreover, the first law of thermodynamics, which materialists often appeal to, states that energy cannot be created or destroyed within the closed system of the universe. However, this law pertains only to the current operation of the universe and says nothing about the universe’s origin. Genesis 1:1 provides the ultimate answer: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This stands in opposition to materialism, which seeks to explain the existence of the universe without acknowledging a Creator.



What About Consciousness? Is the Mind More Than Matter?


Materialism struggles to explain human consciousness. According to strict materialism, consciousness is merely a byproduct of brain activity, reducible to chemical and electrical processes. This view asserts that when the brain ceases to function, consciousness ceases as well, effectively denying any possibility of life after death.


However, the Bible teaches that human beings possess more than just a physical brain; they have a spirit and soul created by God. In Ecclesiastes 12:7, it is said: "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." This clearly points to the reality of a non-material component in human existence. While materialism insists that the mind is dependent on the brain, Scripture presents the human spirit as distinct from the body and capable of existing beyond physical death.


The reductionist view that mind and brain are the same is an example of what is known as the "reductionist fallacy." The Bible describes the soul and spirit of man as enduring, even beyond the death of the physical body, a truth materialism cannot accommodate. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus warns: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." This verse demonstrates that the soul is distinct from the body and has a destiny that transcends physical death.



How Does Materialism Approach the Question of Immortality?


Materialists generally deny the existence of any form of immortality or afterlife, claiming that humans are entirely mortal and that consciousness ceases with death. This is consistent with their view that everything about a person, including their consciousness, is reducible to physical processes. Therefore, when the body dies, so does the person, with no hope for existence beyond the grave.


Interestingly, the Bible agrees that humans are not inherently immortal. Genesis 2:7 shows that man became a living soul, not that he was given an immortal soul. Immortality is something that is bestowed by God upon those whom He chooses. 1 Timothy 6:16 declares that God "alone is immortal," and it is only through the resurrection and transformation that some will receive immortality, as described in 1 Corinthians 15:53-54. "For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality."


Thus, while humans are not naturally immortal, God grants eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Materialism, by contrast, offers no hope of life beyond death, as it denies the existence of the soul or any form of spiritual reality. There are humans who will receive a heavenly resurrection, immortality, as spirit persons, to reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years as kings priests, and judge. IMMORTALITY: (ἄφθαρτος aphthartos) immortal, imperishable, indestructible, cannot be destroyed, so, of course, it means lasting forever. However, the vast majority of humanity who are declared righteous, they will receive eternal life on earth. ETERNAL LIFE: (ζωὴν αἰώνιον zōē aiōnion) means eternal, an unlimited duration.



Can Materialism Account for the Existence of Moral Law?


One of the major philosophical problems materialism faces is the question of moral law. If everything is merely matter in motion, how can we account for objective moral values? Materialism suggests that morality is a product of evolutionary development, designed to help humans survive and thrive in social groups. However, this explanation reduces morality to subjective and relative preferences rather than objective truths.


The Bible, however, teaches that moral laws are rooted in the character of God, who is the ultimate standard of goodness and justice. Psalm 119:137 declares: “Righteous are you, O Jehovah, and upright are your judgments.” God’s moral law is not a social construct but a reflection of His perfect nature. Romans 2:14-15 explains that even those who do not know God's law explicitly have His moral standards written on their hearts, a concept materialism cannot account for.


Moreover, the moral argument for the existence of God is a powerful refutation of materialism. If objective moral values exist—and everyone acts as if they do—then there must be a transcendent source for those values. Materialism, which denies anything beyond the material world, cannot explain the existence of such objective moral laws. Instead, it falls into the trap of moral relativism, where right and wrong are based merely on personal or societal preferences, which fluctuate and change. This is in direct conflict with the biblical understanding of morality as absolute and grounded in the character of God (Malachi 3:6: "For I am Jehovah, I change not...").



Why is Materialism Self-Defeating?


At its core, materialism is a self-defeating worldview. It claims that all reality is reducible to material processes, yet the very assertion of this belief is a non-material thought. As C.S. Lewis pointed out in his book Miracles, the materialist argument that everything is just molecules in motion undermines the possibility of rational thought. If thoughts are merely the result of chemical reactions in the brain, then they are determined by physical laws, not by logic or reason. This means that the materialist's belief in materialism is not the result of careful thinking but merely the product of random physical processes. Thus, materialism undermines itself by destroying the rationality on which it depends.


Romans 1:22 speaks to this futility: "Claiming to be wise, they became fools." Materialism’s rejection of the spiritual leads to a dead-end philosophically, as it cannot account for abstract entities like logic, mathematics, morality, or even consciousness. These realities are best explained by acknowledging the existence of a Creator who is both transcendent and personal. The mind of man reflects the image of God, not the random collisions of atoms.



Does the Bible Reject Materialism?


The Bible clearly rejects the materialist worldview. From the opening verse of Genesis to the end of Revelation, Scripture teaches that there is more to reality than the physical world. Colossians 1:16 explains that "all things were created by him and for him, both visible and invisible." Materialism denies the existence of the invisible spiritual realities that the Bible affirms so strongly.


Moreover, Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the spiritual dimension of human existence. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus declares, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." This statement underscores the insufficiency of material sustenance for human life; true life comes from God and His word. Materialism, by contrast, offers no nourishment for the soul and denies the existence of the spiritual sustenance that comes from God.


Additionally, materialism’s denial of God and the supernatural is directly contradicted by passages such as Romans 1:20, which declares that God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—are clearly seen through creation. The Bible reveals a world teeming with spiritual realities, from the work of angels to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Materialism’s attempt to explain away these realities is ultimately futile.



How Did Pagan Philosophical Ideas Infiltrate Christianity?


The false doctrine of the immortality of the soul, which is a product of pagan Greek philosophy, is one of the clearest examples of how materialist and Platonic ideas entered into Christian theology. As mentioned in the article, early Christian thinkers, influenced by Greek philosophy, began to interpret Scripture through a Platonic lens, leading to a distortion of biblical teaching on life, death, and the nature of the soul.


The Bible teaches that humans do not possess inherently immortal souls. Instead, man is a living soul, and immortality is a gift given to believers through the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:53). However, Greek philosophy, particularly the teachings of Plato, taught that the soul is immortal by nature. This idea was adopted by early Christian philosophers such as Augustine, whose Neoplatonic background influenced his interpretation of Scripture.


Over time, the concept of the immortal soul became entrenched in church doctrine, even though it has no basis in Scripture. Jesus' teachings clearly refute the notion of inherent immortality, as in John 3:16, where He promises eternal life only to those who believe in Him. The Platonic idea of an immortal soul undermines the biblical teaching that life is a gift from God, not a natural part of human existence.



The Inadequacy of Materialism in Explaining Reality


Materialism, when held up to the scrutiny of both Scripture and reason, is shown to be inadequate in addressing the full scope of reality. The Bible presents a worldview that embraces both the material and spiritual aspects of existence, grounding human life, consciousness, and morality in the eternal Creator, Jehovah. Materialism, on the other hand, reduces all things to matter and denies the spiritual reality that is evident in the world and attested to by Scripture.


Jehovah, the source of all being, is the one who sustains the physical and spiritual realms. Colossians 1:17 affirms that "in him all things hold together." Materialism’s denial of the spiritual is a rejection of the very foundation of existence, leading to a view of the world that is not only philosophically unsound but also spiritually bankrupt.


About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).


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