Articles
A 'Disease With A Cure'?
An article on the website for the AMAC [Association of Mature American Citizens] dated November 16, 2017, began with the following question: Is old age a disease? Immediately following the question, we get a statement from the AMAC president, referring to “a significant amount of research that aging is, indeed, a disease,” and then says, “More important, there are many who believe it is a disease with a cure.” The article goes on to cite a few scientific studies that are attempting to find the cause for aging on a genetic level, in the hopes they can find a way to ‘tweak’ human DNA and ‘cure’ aging which, ultimately, means no death.
Several other articles on this realm of scientific research are at least open enough to admit that the scientists involved don’t really believe they will find a ‘cure’ for aging, but rather some means to make our last couple of decades of life healthier. Some, though, including many non-scientists, continue to look for the elusive ‘Fountain of Youth’ and some means to, in fact, reverse aging and overcome death itself.
All I can say is: Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, we have scientists in another field searching for life on other planets [Mars is the current one] in hopes of finding what they postulate are the ‘seeds of life’ for this planet, even as many are now theorizing that these ‘seeds of life’ were somehow carried from other planets, asteroids or even [I’m not making this up] alien spacecraft. Current efforts are trying to find some sort of proof to bolster the theories that all life evolved from single cells and, finding no means of proving such theories from the life that exists here on Earth, are looking for some far-away source of these ‘seeds of life’ that will purportedly explain the origins of life. [Not really; it just pushes back the origin one more step. No explanation has been given as to where these ‘seeds of life’ originated — or even the supposed alien life forms.]
Again. Good luck with that.
The common thread in these seemingly-unrelated fields of scientific research is that the attempts are being made so they can continue to argue [and believe without evidence — their definition of faith] there was and is no Creator. It is truly amazing the lengths man will go to avoid what is blatantly obvious to any honest heart.
And I say ‘blatantly obvious’ not just as my opinion, but because God’s word [and common sense] says so. Long ago, men who “knew God” chose to reject Him and decided to, instead, “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” And why? The Scriptures go on to tell us it was “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Because they rejected God, they also did not “glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image” like human beings and lower beasts (Rom. 1:18-22).
Man, when he decides he doesn’t like or want God to exist, will often begin to malign the character of God, simply refuse to recognize Him for who He truly is, or change His nature altogether — often bringing Him down to the same level as himself or lower so he can justify his rejection of the real all-powerful, all-knowing God to whom he will have to answer. Once the real God no longer exists [in his mind, at least], man can make his ‘god’ into whatever form he desires [one who will permit man to do whatever he wants, to no one’s surprise], declare himself ‘wise,’ and then justify himself in even the most debased actions. If you ever wonder how low man can go, just continue reading Paul’s description of the pattern of human behavior, once God has been rejected and man declares himself ‘wise’ and without any accountability (Rom. 1:23-32).
Yes, friend, there is a God, and as C.S. Lewis once put it, “A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” Mankind’s refusal — and any individual’s refusal — to acknowledge the existence of God, does not change the fact of His existence. As Paul wrote in the text already considered, when it comes to considering this fact, man is simply without excuse. Paul would also make the argument to those in Lystra that God “did not leave Himself without witness” to His existence (Acts 14:17). He would later reveal to the Athenians that God has created every man in such a way “that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26, 27).
The fact is, man has to try pretty hard to avoid seeing the evidence for God’s existence, and recent scientific endeavors prove that point. When scientists “don’t find any evidence” for God’s existence, it is not because there is none; it is because they don’t want to see it. A thief will never seem to ‘find’ a policeman, either.
And since God does exist, that means we are accountable; if we admit our accountability, then the next step is acknowledging we are all in trouble, for none of us is without sin (cf. Rom. 3:23). While some men are trying to find a ‘cure’ for death, the reality is, sin is what brought death into the world and “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). If we go to that judgment having done nothing to remove sin from us, then we will face the wrath of that Creator man is trying so hard to eliminate or deny. Scientific research is not the answer to aging or death; man will never find the means to living forever.
But God offers it freely!
Yes, you read that right: God has offered to mankind the ability to live forever. It’s just not through scientific research, tweaking the genetic makeup of men, or some pill. The means to attaining to eternal life is…blood. But not just any blood. The blood that can be the means to attaining to eternal life is the blood of Jesus Christ, freely and willingly offered by His death on the cross. God has offered it to all who will accept it on His terms.
God has revealed to us this means of attaining to eternal life, and it begins with our admission of the sins we have committed against God, repentance [turning away from the past sins] and committing to following Jesus Christ, and then being baptized into Christ — an act the Scriptures tell us is the point where God makes that eternal-life-giving blood powerful to us that our sins may be forgiven (Rom. 6:3-6; Col. 2:11-13) and granted access to what, before, was not possible. You see, the ‘cure’ for death is not in our genes, but the blood of Jesus Christ!
Still, some will reject the cure because with it comes the responsibility of living a life that now glorifies God and Jesus Christ for all they have done for us. Some simply want to live however they want to live, and want no part of submission, obedience, or self-denial. Well, God will allow them to so live, but such a life will not bring eternal life. What it will bring is eternal punishment, eternally away from the presence of the Lord and with no escape.
Now, what will you do? — Steven Harper
