Volume  3    Issue   10  January 12th, 2003

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

    In recent days announcements have been made that the first human clone has been “born”.  There is still much doubt that this claim is true.  In light of these events and discussions that have taken place in recent years, many have wondered if this practice of cloning is an acceptable practice in the eyes of the Lord.  This question, like any question surrounding the mind of God, is a question of what God has authorized.  The Bible is the provider of all information pertaining to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3).  Therefore we can conclude that the Bible is the proper source to look to for our answer in this question.  The Bible does show mankind the God approved plan for procreation of the human race.

    In the beginning of the creation of the universe in what we know as the sixth day, God created man and gave the plan for man to procreate.  (Genesis 1:26-28) “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”  God’s plan was for man and woman to bear fruit, not for man and woman to sit in a lab and create a formula through the mixture of human genes to try and play God.  There simply is no authority for man to try and alter God’s plan.  Our ideas are not going to be better than God’s.

    When man began to be too dangerous for their own good at a place known as Babel, God punished them by scattering mankind and confounding their language (Genesis 11:1-9).  It is very interesting to note the Lord’s concern of the events at Babel: Genesis 11:6 “And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”  Why would God be concerned that man may accomplish more and more?  The answer is found here: Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  So, does mankind really want to play God?

    It takes 23 chromosomes from a male and female to procreate.  The Bible teaches that there is a seed of man and woman (Genesis 3:15).  God’s plan with Adam and Eve was the same plan he had after the flood (Genesis 9:1).  What man’s science is trying to do is create flesh and bones.  The Bible teaches that life is much more than flesh and bones; the Bible teaches that man has a soul (Matthew 10:28, Matthew 16:26-27, Luke 16:20, and II Corinthians 4:16-18).  Science may be able to clone a sheep, clone flesh of some sort, but only God will provide the soul and man cannot accomplish that.  Man’s science rejects the true nature and purpose of life, thus they cannot see the error of their ways.  In mankind’s many attempts to play God they have never succeeded.  Man cannot be God.  (Isaiah 55:8-9) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
 
 

Quick Notes

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Marie Glunt (a friend of the Papp’s who has been diagnosed with Cancer), Steve Burgoon as he recovers from his surgery, and Joan Croyle who has been struggling with her health.