Only God Can Give It Life

One day God was approached by a group of scientists. A spokesperson for the group said, “Listen God, we’ve decided that mankind doesn’t need you anymore. These days we can clone people, transplant organs, genetically modify just about anything to improve on what you made and do all sorts of things that used to be considered miraculous.” God replied, “Don’t need me huh? How about we put your theory to the test. Why don’t we have a competition to see who can make the better human being, say, a male human being?” God also declared they should do it like he did in the good old days when he created Adam. The group of scientists talked it over and concluded they too could do it the “old fashion” way.  “Fine,” says the scientist spokesperson. And so the scientists went about collecting all the things they were going to need to make the male human-being. As one scientist bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt for the project God objects, “Whoa!” says God, waving his hands back and forth and shaking his head in disapproval. “Not so fast! You get your own dirt!” I read an article not long ago about another team of scientists that attempted to construct a kernel of corn. They had analyzed an actual kernel of corn and broken it down to its molecular makeup and had determined exactly what it was made of. Then, using the same “materials” they constructed an exact replica of the kernel of corn. When they planted it, however, it didn’t grow. You see, even though they could duplicate the physical makeup of the seed, they couldn’t create the germ of life. Ironically this experiment probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, when God could give them a kernel of corn for free.

[Genesis 1:11-12] It is amazing how God puts life in each seed and how, when the conditions are right, that seed grows to produce a plant that will bear even more seeds (Matthew 13:3-8). As the old saying goes: you can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you cannot count the number of apples in a seed! One seed brings forth amazing things when God is involved. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul touched on some important points concerning what we know today as annual plants – and this information is related to our salvation. “But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just the seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.” (1 Corinthians 15:35-38) In this passage, it is revealed that the plant must die to produce the seed that will bring new life. We also see that seed must be sown (planted) to produce. And finally it is important to note that seeds do not directly grow from the seed that is planted, but a plant grows from the seed. Now, let’s make the spiritual application for us today. Just as only God can make a seed grow, so He is the only one who can give us true life. Men have developed many plans of salvation, but when “planted” they will not grow into eternal life. We must give up on trying to make salvation for ourselves and accept God’s. When we die to self (are “planted”) in faith and baptism, God gives us a new life (Romans 6:1-7). Then when we are “planted” in faithful death, and on that final day God will raise us up with new bodies fit for heaven (1 Corinthians 15:42-57). Just be the submissive seed and let God be God and He will grow you into something beautiful – in this life and the next. Still think we don’t need God?