“God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” Ecclesiastes 7:29. Imagine a superhuman being, immortal, super intelligent, and wiser than Solomon; this was the will of God for humanity. The first humans were truly intelligent. They were created a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5). Everything was beautiful. Genesis gives an in-depth description of the infinite masterpiece, the first paradise, and God’s creation. But, because of disobedience after the fall of man, humankind has declined miserably. When I think about our planet earth before sin, nature must have been fascinating to behold, with everything acting in complete harmony. We have the assurance and comfort in knowing that one day this earth will be restored into its Edenic beauty and harmony.
God did not create the race in its present feeble condition. This state of things is not the work of Providence, but the work of man; it has been brought about by wrong habits and abuses, by violating the laws that God has made to govern man’s existence. “God endowed man with so great vital force that he has withstood the accumulation of disease brought upon the race in consequence of perverted habits and has continued for six thousand years. This fact of itself is enough to evidence to us the strength and electrical energy that God gave to man at his creation…. If Adam, at his creation, had not been endowed with twenty times as much vital force as men now have, the race, with their present habits of living in violation of natural law, would have become extinct.” –Our Father Cares, p. 194
Today everyone can feel the impact and consequences of sin. In the time of the antediluvian world, life expectancy was approximately 900 years, and today the world in which we live is very polluted, with a life span of lower than eighty years. This should arouse our conscience and lead us to repentance. Woefully people are becoming more evil, and exceedingly wicked.
This selfish attitude originated with Satan. The Bible states that Satan was perfect in his ways from the day he was created (Ezekiel 28:15). But, iniquity was found in him—self-exaltation, elevating himself and his status, thirsting for power, and planning to overthrow God. He did not succeed in heaven, and thus through much subtle was able to deceive Adam and Eve into making a very expensive mistake. When they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge this one mistake opened the floodgates of woe on this earth.
Egocentrism is a problem. When we allow our ego to dominate, we become carnal. We stop thinking about others and always think about ourselves. An egocentric person believes that all eyes are on them and that every move or decision they make is noticed by others. This can create much pressure for that person, causing anxiety around their decision-making and social interactions.
Many people from different racial and ethnic groups discriminate against each other, while claiming to be Christians. We need to overcome self, wrong habits, behaviours, traditions, and worldly cultures and then conform to the character and conduct of Christ. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Our lives are in jeopardy if we take into account all of the factors affecting our health. Despite the growth of scientific knowledge and technology, the reality is that things are getting worse. In considering the aging process, the human body goes through many changes as it ages, such as gray hair and wrinkles, not to mention the many chronic illnesses that plague humanity. People age at different rates because of various factors such as heredity, lifestyle, and environment. A person may eat well, exercise, and have a good lifestyle but have a hereditary tendency to having diabetes or a heart condition. However, their chances of living longer increase if they keep themselves healthy.
A person may live in a healthy environment but eat foods that are not conducive to good health. Thus they introduce toxins such as free radicals into their body, which cause a lot of damage. Or then they may eat healthy and exercise regularly, but work every day in a factory that has toxins in the environment that they are breathing every day.
A poor diet and lifestyle can shorten one’s life with the introduction of toxins that cause damage to the body, resulting in chronic illnesses and early death. Stress also plays a significant role in early aging, leading to damage in cells, organs, and body systems. Continuous damage to these structures and functions may be perceived as part of the normal aging process.
In the diagram, we see depicted telomeres which shorten with age. A telomere is the end of the chromosome (a long DNA strand) and protects the chromosome from damage. When the telomere is gone, the DNA unravels much quicker. All these unhealthy lifestyle factors mentioned speed up the process of telomere shortening.
But, the truth is, by living healthily it is possible to be healthy to an older age. Although man came under the dominion of death following the mistake in Eden, let us not hasten the dying process by sinful habits that are destroying our health.
Life is the condition where both plants and animals are characterized by the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death. There is also a difference between plants, animals, and humans. Although we live and breathe and have similar body organs and functions as animals, we were created for a purpose. God created man in His image, to rule over the other creatures that He had made. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69. The truth is, we are not saved as a church, we are saved as individuals. The church is comprised of individuals, so when we, as individuals, reach that level of righteousness that Jesus desires, the church will be ready, and Jesus will return. Let us each allow the Holy Spirit to transform our characters into Christ’s image.
It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, which Jesus promised He would send into the world, that changes our character into the image of Christ; and when this is accomplished, we reflect, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord. The character of the one who thus beholds Christ is so like His, that anyone looking at him sees Christ’s own character shining out as from a mirror. Gradually, we are changed day by day from our ways and will into the ways and will of Christ; into the loveliness of His character. Thus, we grow up into Christ, and unconsciously reflect His image.
“There is enough to discourage us everywhere, but we must look to the Author and Finisher of our faith, and by beholding His loveliness and purity become changed into the same image. You can feast your soul on His love; you can know that you are obtaining the victory every day; you can rejoice in the Lord.” –The Review and Herald, August 5, 1890
Although Adam and Eve made an expensive mistake in Eden, each time you and I commit one small sin, it is an expensive mistake. “Can we not understand that the most costly thing in the world is sin? It is at the expense of purity of conscience, at the cost of losing the favor of God and separating the soul from Him, and at last losing heaven.” –Faith and Works p. 17.
By beholding we become changed into His likeness, for we are complete in Him. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. Amen.
Daniel Kimeu