____________________________________________________ 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" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ October 17, 1993 ____________________________________________________ The "Final Frontier" by Tom Edwards The Andromeda Galaxy--also known as Messier 31--is the closest galaxy to our own, the Milky Way; yet it is 2.2 million light-years away and has an estimated maximum diameter of 160,000 light-years. With a light-year being the distance that light can travel in one year, and since light travels at 186,000 miles per second, consider these other figures that we may come to understand just how far away the Andromeda Galaxy is from us, as we put ourselves in an imaginary spacecraft and set off for this galaxy, traveling at the speed of light and pretending to live for more than 2.2 million years: In one minute, we have traveled 11,160,000 miles. In one hour, we have zoomed across 669,600,000 miles of the universe. In one day, we have traversed 16,070,400,000 miles of space. In one year, we have streaked through 5,869,713,600,000 miles of this vast celestial realm. If we would continue soaring through space at this cosmic speed for 2.2 million years, we would have traveled a distance of 12,913,369,920,000,000,000,000 miles--and this is the distance to just our closest galaxy. This number is so astronomical that I don't even know how to say it, other than it is almost 13 to the 21st power. But let us also remind ourselves that this is merely the distance to ONE other galaxy--which is just one among at least millions. How many galaxies are there? According to the Americana Encyclopedia (82 edition), the most powerful telescopes are the large, reflecting type that can ``probe to a distance of at least 5 billion light-years.'' Within this area, there is said to be an estimated 500 million galaxies. It also records ``the greatest diameter of our galaxy to be about 100,000 light-years.'' Doesn't it seem funny how many of us live in this vast universe so nonchalantly, without even the slightest excitement toward being a part of this enormous complexity that God has designed? Should we not be exhilarated as we come to realize, even a little more, of the great omnipotent power that is inherent in God? As the psalmist David testifies, ``The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands'' (Psa. 19:1). Not only was David aware of God's handiwork in the planets and stars of our galaxy, but also as he considered the intricate and complex design of his own body--and of which he joyously declared, ``I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well'' (Psa. 139:14). David--and rightly so--viewed God as being his Maker. In this same chapter, he had said, ``For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them'' (vv. 13,15-16). The mindboggling magnitude of the universe is a reflection of the unfathomable power of God. As Paul related to the Roman brethren, God's ETERNAL POWER and DIVINE NATURE ``have been clearly seen...through what has been made'' (Rom. 1:19,20). When you look up into the heavens on a clear, star-filled night or consider the numerous complexities of the human body with their intricate workings or meditate upon the wonders of any living thing, do you see this as a reflection of God's handiwork or a mere puzzlement to which you are still baffled? There will never be a better explanation for creation with its many parts and counterparts that uniquely work together, precisely, in an orderly fashion, and each with their own special purpose than what God's word tells us in the very first verse of the Bible, ``In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth'' (Gen. 1:1)--and all things therein (Gen. 1,2). To the Christian, God's creation is a marvel in which we may be thankful and give to the Lord the glory and praise; for it causes the faithful child of God to ``look behind the scene'' to the One who has made it all possible, and to realize that his ``final frontier'' will not be in a mere trek across endless space but rather in that exceedingly more glorious bliss of heaven--and for time without end. Are you ready to ``beam up''? (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). ___________________________________________ Is This Our Nation's Future? by Don Truex Dr. Joycelyn Elders was confirmed last night as the new United States Surgeon General. Her response to teenage pregnancy and the AIDS epidemic is a call for increased availability of birth control in our schools, comprehensive sex education in the earliest grades, and more readily available abortions. Her view of the issue reflects a billboard I saw some time ago, arguing that, ``If you can't say `no'....'' and then went on to urge the use of a popular birth control device. ``If you can't say No.'' I challenge that ideal. The psychological ideal advocated by Freud that flaws are genetically inherited and thus we should not and, indeed, must not say ``no'' to and repress our desires, is absolutely foolish. So likewise is the denominational concept that by virtue of our inherited sin we are totally depraved and thus cannot say ``no'' to the flesh. Both ideas reek with an air of blatant self-gratification. Can we say ``No''? Absolutely! Listen to Paul: ``Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). Crucified. Without pity. Without a backward glance. Put to death. Period. And what is involved in the ``flesh''? Listen to Paul again: ``Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality...'' (Galatians 5:19-20). Saying ``no'' to these--rather than trying to find a seemingly ``safe'' way to engage in immorality--would go a long way in dealing with our national scourge: AIDS. How desperately we need to teach our young people that they do not have to satisfy every impulse. That they (and we) can, in fact, say ``no'' to the ``lust of the flesh'' and replace the ``works of the flesh'' with the ``fruit of the Spirit'' (Galatians 5:16ff). No, the flesh is not easily crucified. It fights every step of the way. It desperately wants its place of dominance back. But we do not have to allow it to be so. We can live with moral integrity. We can be ``safe'' in our moral attitudes and actions--not just for safety's sake--but because it is right! ___________________________________________ ``THE ROMANCE IS GONE'' by Ward Hogland She looked him right in the eyes and said, ``Honey, I want a divorce; the romance is gone out of our marriage.'' The terms ``romance'' and ``falling in love'' are so nebulous to the average teenager the court-dockets are going to be loaded with the divorce evil. Divorce is seldom considered in China. A young man in Hong Kong told some preacher that he did not see his bride until he met her at the altar. Their parents had contracted the marriage when they were children. When asked, what about ``falling in love'' and ``romance,'' he replied, ``That is your problem in America. You Americans look upon the marriage as a romance; we look upon it as a commitment.'' Could there be some merit in the wisdom of the Chinese? Our young people are fed a steady diet of ``romance.'' In the movies and on TV, they are told that a happy marriage is predicated on the falling in love syndrome. When they wake up some morning and find that marriage has commitments and responsibilities they are disgusted and disillusioned. They find out that marriage is made up of carrying out the garbage, washing baby diapers, trying to make a payment on the car and furniture and dealing with the in-laws and out-laws? When this happens they feel the ``romance'' has gone out of their marriage. You see, all their school mates don't have this type of life and all these commitments. Somehow they have ``missed the boat'' and the only way out is a divorce and start all over again! Kind friend, marriage is a commitment. Before we get this thing turned around, we must put some sense of dignity to the family. ``Falling in love'' and ``romance'' are both great if they are understood; but the movies and TV are a might poor place to learn! ___________________________________________ "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). ___________________________________________ "Son of Man [Ezekiel], I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die'; and you do not warn him...that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand" (Ezekiel 3:17,18). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________