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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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What We Can't See For millennia the mystery of disease had puzzled mankind. Various theories had been put forth as to why people became ill, such as spontaneous generation, evil spirits, an imbalance of bodily “humors,” and bad air caused by eclipses and comets, among other conjectures. Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) of Delft, Netherlands, was employed in the textile business there where magnifying lenses were used to perform thread count in cloth. He began to hone his skill in grinding and polishing miniature lenses of high curvature, and magnifications of several hundred power. His curious mind led him to prepare specimens of the natural environment and examine them through his new lenses. These revealed, to his amazement, a new world of life, including what he called “tiny animals.” van Leeuwenhoek thus became the first person to ever see bacteria and is commonly called “The Father of Microbiology.” When
people such as Louis Pasteur in France began to assert
that such microscopic organisms might cause disease
and steadfastly insisted that surgeons sanitize their
hands and equipment before surgery, they were often
met with resistance and even ridicule.
Many scientists and physicians found it
ridiculous that something so tiny could harm a human
being and would viciously attack proponents of such
“quackery.” Doctors
such as Ignaz Simmelweis of Vienna, who insisted that
doctors cleanse themselves before delivering babies,
were made outcasts in the medical community.
Of course, in time, Simmelwies, Pasteur and
others would be vindicated as the danger came to be
realized. * Sin
can also mislead people in a very similar way bacteria
did in times past.
Indeed many today view sin as a harmless and
meaningless threat to their well-being, ridiculing and
scorning those who point out its devastating effects
on human existence.
Despite the age-old euphemism, wisdom leads us
to realize that.... “For the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God loved us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross to save us from the devastating effects of sin (John 3:16). He will save those who respond to this amazing gift of God’s grace on His terms: believing in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Christ (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Although we may not see its effects immediately, sin WILL ultimately DESTROY us! But
God has a remedy: the BLOOD
of Jesus. YOU
can be cleansed of sin Won’t YOU? -- Terry Livingston / David A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood * Contributed by Mr. Always Owen, of Mobile, AL To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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