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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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November 13, 2016
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Contents:
1) Marionettes, Robots, and the Human Being (Tom Edwards)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
Marionettes, Robots, and the Human Being
Tom Edwards
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As I imagine you know, the previous paragraph is in the binary code,
which a computer uses. But what you might not know is that the
above contains only 11 words, along with punctuation marks and
numbers, which declare the following:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis
1:1).
Even though the binary code uses only two different digits, what are
the odds of each one being the right one in its own place to write
this simple, short sentence from Genesis 1:1, if each of those 568
digits had to be selected from a vast number of them and then put in
the right places while blindfolded? Would we not think of that
as an impossibility?
Similarly, in thinking of the wooden marionette in the above
picture, would I be able to convince you that given enough time —
such as billions or trillions of years — that such a puppet could
simply evolve on its own to form all the right parts with all the
right shapes in all the right places, including the strings and the
necessary bendable joints with their needful pins to allow
movement? I imagine you would think me to have no more mind
than a marionette when it comes to even suggesting such a thought.
But why is that so seemingly impossible for a lifeless and mindless
piece of wood to develop without an intelligent source to design it,
but not so in the thinking of many people today towards the
existence of every different living creature, with its own brain and
needful parts, that inhabits our planet on land or in water?
We, of course, are far more advanced than any simple, inanimate
marionette, and regardless of how skillfully it has been made. For
it exists without knowing, without experiencing, with no sense of
being, as if it never was.
While we, on the other hand, have been designed with wondrous
complexity of exactly what is needed – the many parts with their
individualized and special functions which all work together to make
one body.
And think, too, of not only the five senses we have been given of
sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste; but also of the senses of
balance, of hunger, of thirst, of physical attraction, of motion,
etc. So much we can experience, and we have also been provided
with a free will “to pull our own strings.”
But have you ever imagined yourself as being some type of advanced
robot — or, more precisely, instead of being some kind of cybernetic
organism, you were simply developed as just an organism with only
biological parts and without any mechanical or man-made substance?
Is that rather far-fetched?
When we think of all in which man has been able to invent, why
should we think it so strange that there is a Superior Being much
greater than man who also has the ability to have ideas and bring
them to reality? But unlike man, God can even give life to
that which He makes!
Recently, I watched an interesting 60-Minutes documentary, hosted by
Charlie Rose, that originally aired October 9, 2016, on the subject
of Artificial Intelligence and focused on “Watson,” a super-computer
built about 5 years ago, which actually, unlike other computers, has
been reading and learning on its own and has even been used to
diagnose cancer patients and suggest proper treatments. Watson
can read the equivalent of 1 million books in 1 second, which makes
it easy for it to keep up with the 8,000 medical research papers
that are published every day; and, therefore, able to base cases on
the latest findings, rather than using that which might be a year or
two old. In 1,000 patient-cases, Watson suggested the same
treatment for 99% of the patients as the physicians had. But,
in addition to that, it also suggested treatment, which the
physicians had not known about, for 30% of the other patients, thus
helping 300 more. After spending a week in initially being
taught to read medical literature, Watson then read 25 million
papers in a following week, plus scanned the web for more clinical
information. Watson also reads medical charts and can spot
abnormalities
(http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-artificial-intelligence-charlie-rose-robot-sophia/).
How helpful Watson can be! But there are those with some
reservations: Perhaps Watson will become too smart – and without
caring for mankind. He was still in just his “infancy” when
winning on Jeopardy a few years ago and has advanced since then.
In some futuristic movies, robots, which of course, had to initially
be made by man, had evolved into being able to build
themselves. Unfortunately, some of these ended up
turning against man, viewed him as a threat, so sought to destroy
all human kind.
I wonder where the sci-fi writers got an idea like that?
How many people today, who owe their very existence to God, are
actually in rebellion toward Him, their Creator? How many have
closed their ears to His beckoning? How many are running away
from Him? Ignoring Him? How many of His prophets, who
came to declare God’s message, were persecuted and killed for doing
so? How many today try to destroy even the thought of God from the
thinking of others, to strive to turn them away from Him, too?
And how can we ever forget what man had done to God’s Son, Jesus
Christ (through whom we have been made – – John 1:1-3), whom they
severely scourged and torturously put to death by nailing Him to a
cross — thus killing their Creator!
Perhaps why it is easy to liken our body to some type of machine is
because of all the intricate and interrelated parts that make our
bodies what they are –- nerves, arteries, veins, all running where
they need to go; heart, lungs, brain, stomach, kidneys, intestines,
liver, etc., needful organs with their own special functions for our
very existence; eyes, ears, mouth, nose, fingers, toes, hands, feet,
legs, arms, skin, etc. You truly are a marvel when you take
the time to ponder these things!
Though it can be interesting to imagine ourselves as some type of
advanced biological robot that has been given a mind that can be
developed, still we find the most meaning of all in our existence
when facing the reality of it and realizing that we are what we are
because “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27). So man is
not an animal, nor a machine, nor just some meaningless entity; but,
rather, a human being who has been given dominion over all that God
has made on earth (v. 26). And even more wondrous than our
physical body is our eternal soul, for that is the part of us that
has been created in God’s image. For “God is Spirit…” (Jn.
4:24), but “…a spirit does not have flesh and bones…” (Luke 24:39).
Yes, we are each truly marvels when we take the time to really
consider all that makes us what we are, as David did when he
declared, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my
mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it
very well” (Psalm 139:13,14).
And as we think of the contrast between us and a marionette, will
there not be even more of a contrast between the earthly body of man
and that which the redeemed will have in heaven? For as Paul
writes, “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the
imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep,
but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will
be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable
must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on
immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the
imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then
will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP
in victory. ‘O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS
YOUR STING?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the
law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:50-57).
In view of this wonderful change that is coming for the faithful
child of God, let us take heed to what Paul goes on to say:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in
vain in the Lord” (v. 57).
The apostle John also writes of this, by saying, “Beloved, now we
are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will
be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because
we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope
fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2,3).
If a mindless puppet required someone with intelligence to make it,
how much more should we realize the need for our Creator in making
us what we are?
In creating man, God also provided us with a free will and the
ability to develop intellectually, socially, and spiritually.
He made it possible that we can strive to fulfill our primary
purpose for being here, which Solomon declares in Ecclesiastes
12:13: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God,
and keep his commandments: For this is the whole duty of man.”
Yes, God could have made various puppets and pulled their strings to
do whatever He chose; but those puppets would never be able to show
love to God, commune with Him in prayer, have spiritual fellowship
with Him and enjoy and be thankful for His blessings.
But we, who have been created in God’s image, can. By our
faith and obedience to the Lord we can honor, submit to, worship,
and love God, thus also enjoying and being grateful for the
blessings He has made possible for us in His Son Jesus Christ! (cf.
Jn. 14:21; Jn.15:10; 1 Jn. 5:3).
Though there are those who believe that humans have descended from a
single-celled organism that had first come into being in some mud
pond more than 3.6 billion years ago and went through many
evolutionary changes, over long periods of time to become what we
are today, that is not the account that our Creator gives in His
Divinely Inspired word, the Bible. And how much more
comforting God’s truth is — to know that we are a part of His
doing! Our bodies, as well as our eternal souls, were made
possible by Him! And those who have been redeemed, through
that wonderful atonement that Jesus made by His death on the cross
of Calvary for every sinner (cf. 1 Pet. 1:18,19; Heb. 2:9; Rom.
5:6-10), will one day come to see what even greater things God can
do for them in eternal glory, if they remain true and faithful to
Him while here on earth. For now Jesus rules over all, from
the right hand of God (cf. Matt. 28:18); and to whom we willingly
and gladly submit, as we await that great day when all the saved
will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air and ever be
with Him in glory (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-18). Oh, what a day to be
ready for — a day of great change from the earthly to the heavenly,
from the mortal to the immortal! What great design God will
have for us there! For He is the Designer of that as
well. As we see in the Lord’s promise to His apostles: “In My
Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would
have told you; for I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:2,3,
emphasis mine).
We often give recognition and praise where it is due. Artists,
sculptors, inventors, writers, musicians, etc., are often acclaimed
for their great works. Isn’t it sad that so many see the many
wonders of creation, but know of no one to whom they can acknowledge
as the Designer of it all to give praise and thanksgiving
toward? But just as seeing a marionette or a robot reminds us
that someone made it, seeing the wonders of creation, should cause
us all to do likewise, in realizing our need, as well as all other
created things, for an Intelligent Designer.
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News & Notes
Doyle & Joyce Rittenhouse have both been
sick lately — with symptoms that sound like a bad cold.
Doyle will be returning to see his doctor tomorrow if there is no
improvement by then.
Others who have been on the sick list are Tori McCarthy;
Deborah Medlock; and Baxter Cribbs
who was with us last Wednesday, but remained on the back row and
left immediately following the service, so as not to pass on a
sickness that he had.
Danny & Jan Bartlett were also both sick
recently, but we were glad to see them back Sunday.
Others that we also want to keep praying for are Kay Byars,
La Donna Andrews, Lexi Crawford, Camp Tatum, Kelli Fleeman,
Shirley Davis, Melotine Davis, Jim Lively, Bennie Medlock, Ray
Richards, and Mary Vandevander.
The WordPress version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/the-gospel-observer-november-13-2016/
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John
20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts
2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not,
salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 p.m. (Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com (Gospel Observer website with
pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go (Older version of Gospel Observer
website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)