My Father’s Genes – Part VI – DNA Diversity

As we proceed on into Part VI it is important that we try to understand some of the principles and mathematics associated with DNA so that we have a greater appreciation for how God designed all this structure for our benefit.

DNA Diversity

In Part III we learned that the DNA in each organism is chemically identical, but its arrangement in genes and chromosomes determines what the cell will become, e.g. animal, plant or human.

We also learned that there might possibly be over 200 TRILLION combinations of human DNA possible (3 billion times 70,000). There is also the possibility that the total number of possible combinations is not just a straight multiplication of the two numbers above, but rather something on the order of 200 trillion raised to the power of 70,000; i.e., a number exceeding my ability to comprehend, and perhaps yours as well.

As I write this I am sitting in a timeshare condominium situated adjacent to the 12th green of a golf course where I can watch the outside world through the dining room window as I write. Just observing the variety of God’s creation in this limited view puts me in awe of the diversity of DNA as I see the different kinds of trees, the green grass, the sand in the trap, the water in the hazard (complete with fountain) on the other side of the green, the blue jays and robins and squirrels, the multiplicity of plants and shrubs enhancing the beauty of the houses across the fairway, and then realizing that what is within my sight is only an infinitesimally small sample of God’s creation. Add to this the diversity of things I cannot see with the natural eye, such as the air we breathe and the electrons that enable my computer, and I quickly want to return to considering only human DNA before my mind completely explodes with such large numbers. Then I realize again that even the number of human DNA combinations is larger than I can get my mental arms around. It’s time to bring my mind back inside even as I watch the fallen rain rush down the cart path between the condo and the green as it obeys the drainage plan designed by the golf course architect and I thank God for such a beautiful, warm, dry and safe place to work this week.

When I began my professional life many years ago one of the things I learned was how to program a computer. The passing of time saw the evolution of programming methods, enabling programs to be written more efficiently and proficiently. Early programs depended solely on the whims and imaginations of the programmer for their efficiency and proficiency. Testing and debugging of programs became ever more complicated as programs grew not only in size but as the number of entry and exit points “grew like Topsy”, creating almost unmanageable numbers of program interaction combinations. Software scientists eventually developed what came to be loosely called the “theory of interactions”. Basically this said that the number of interactions in a program was not just the sum of the total number of entry points into the program, but was actually almost the number of entry points squared. This discovery spurred the development of functional program modules with only one entry point and one exit point, which greatly simplified testing and debugging programs since it so greatly reduced the number of interactions that required accountability.

These staggeringly large numbers that enable the diversity of humankind do not confuse our omnipotent, omniscient God. Adam and Eve were not “beta test” models, but were fully functional and complete “products”, including free will. It would appear that the supply of human DNA combinations is virtually inexhaustible.

We also learned in Part III that genetic structure is fully formed from the beginning, but is not effective until the egg is penetrated. This may help us understand the Psalmist who says “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.” (Psalm 139:13-16)

In the next Part we will undertake a careful and reverent look at “God’s DNA”, which we might or might not expect to impact our own “born again” status.

My Father's Genes - Part V - The Delivery System continued

In Parts I – IV, we reviewed the Biblical background that established the connection between human birth, sin, and the need to be born again. The discussion then laid the foundation for examining the scientific and genetic principles involved in human birth and introduced the principles involved in delivering the life- giving/life changing elements needed in the spiritual realm. We now continue this in Part V.

The Delivery System - Continued

When we have reached the point of God’s convicting word reaching our willing and open mind and heart and we “confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9 NIV) It is important to be able to recognize God’s convicting word. Oswald Chambers states strongly:

“…conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit blots out every relationship on earth and makes us aware of only one—‘Against You, You only, have I sinned …’ (Psalm 51:4). When a person is convicted of sin in this way, he knows with every bit of his conscience that God would not dare to forgive him. If God did forgive him, then this person would have a stronger sense of justice than God. God does forgive, but it cost the breaking of His heart with grief in the death of Christ to enable Him to do so. The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ alone that enables the divine nature to forgive and to remain true to itself in doing so. It is shallow nonsense to say that God forgives us because He is love. Once we have been convicted of sin, we will never say this again. The love of God means
Calvary—nothing less! The love of God is spelled out on the Cross and nowhere else. The only basis for which God can forgive me is the Cross of Christ. It is there that His conscience is satisfied.”1

Just as in human conception, this is the point at which the “sperm” of God’s DNA enters the “egg” of our ready spirit and our spiritual membrane hardens against the things of Satan and this world; our mind, body and spirit are now tuned in to God and His desires for us and we begin to learn and grow as Christians. This is the “crisis experience”, the “moment of conversion”, the “know-so” anchor of our faith. Our Christian life now begins. We are “born again”! And just as in human life, we begin our growth, first with baby food (Paul called it milk in his first letter to the Corinthians) and then food of more substance as we enjoy our Christian growth. In a later Part we will look in more detail at God’s DNA.

Oswald Chambers continues:

“Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.”1

C. S. Lewis, is his book titled “Miracles” states:

“…if it is, as the theologians say, ‘born again,’ if it surrenders itself back to God in Christ, it will then have a life which is absolutely Supernatural, which is not created at all but begotten...”

John, in the first chapter of his Gospel, records that Jesus “…came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:11-13)

Chambers frequently refers to “the Supernatural Grace of God”. Lewis, in his book “Miracles”, has a useful definition of “supernatural”. Actually, it isn’t so much a definition, in a dictionary sense, as it is a rather long homily developing the idea that the supernatural exists only in the realm of God, not in the realm of man or nature as we know it and believe God created it. Thus when we see the supernatural it is an act or condition bestowed by God from His realm to ours and not otherwise available to us. Therefore, the term “supernatural grace of God” further illuminates the generally accepted definition of “the grace of God” as the unmerited favor of God; i.e. not available to us through any human means, but only through a unilateral decision of God for His own reasons. We joyfully and deliciously bask in His grace even as we are thankful for it, knowing we have done nothing to earn or deserve it. When we are tempted to view God’s bounteous gifts as the fruits of our own labor, let us remember that it is God Himself who gave us the ability and the circumstances to produce those fruits. This may help us catch a glimpse of the unfathomable supernatural grace of God in sending His Son to provide a way for our salvation.

1 Oswald Chambers, in his book My Utmost For His Highest (Oswald Chambers Publications Association, copyright 1963)

In the next Part, we will begin examining what, if any, relationship or comparison exists between human and spiritual DNA.

Tomorrow Poem

I received this poem in an email from "Aunt Liz" just as we were learning of Jill Britt Richardson's downturn in her battle with cancer. It's too good not to share.

IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME

A few weeks ago a woman was killed in an auto
accident. She was very well liked, so the office shut
down for her funeral and it was on the news and so on.
On the day the workers came back to work, they found
this poem in their e-mail that the deceased woman had
sent on Friday before she left for home.

If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all that we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss some tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow..

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity,
And all I've promised you."
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day is the same way,
There's no longing for the past..

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart "

My Father's Genes - Part IV - The Delivery System

In Parts I – III, we reviewed the Biblical background that established the connection between human birth, sin, and the need to be born again. The discussion then laid the foundation for examining the scientific and genetic principles involved in human birth. We now continue this discussion as we move into Part IV.

The Delivery System

In Jesus’ great priestly prayer as recorded in John 17, He prays for His disciples and says in verse 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message…” The apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans amplifies Jesus’ implied delivery system of God’s plan of salvation by stating in verses 12-15: “12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Based on the last half of verse 15, one of my former pastors declared his feet more beautiful than other people’s! Oh, well…)

Just as the human egg may have literally millions of sperm directed toward it before conception, the unconverted human spiritual heart still in need of being born again may hear anywhere from a few words to millions of words or messages before reaching real receptivity. And just as the sperm must survive a highly hostile environment to reach the tube and search for the egg, so the message of salvation must survive an increasingly hostile environment in today’s society and culture in order to penetrate the human mind sufficiently for God’s truth to sink in clearly and with conviction. The hostile distractions to God’s Word in today’s environment are virtually countless. The more we remove God from every area of public life, the easier it is to remove Him from our private life. The more we try to isolate Him to church only, the more we succumb to “out of sight, out of mind”. God’s instruction to “18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (from Deuteronomy 11) is largely ignored today, even in any symbolic application. Practically every medium of modern communication is saturated with exhortations toward self-gratification rather than Gospel seeds that would lead to spiritual birth and growth.

Just as there is a limited window of opportunity for the egg and the sperm to successfully join to create a new life, so experience shows us there is a limited window of opportunity for the Holy Spirit to actively penetrate the human soul and mind with the convicting power of God’s word enough to cause a new spiritual life to be created. Literally millions of words that would direct our attention to our need to be “born again” may be flowing toward us but end up being drowned out by the hostile environment of the competing words and images drawing us toward every conceivable form of self-gratification and away from God. When one thinks of all the radio stations, TV stations (including cable and satellite channels), newspapers and seemingly countless print and web media, and all the public meetings and private conversations that occur in our world today, our minds then begin to be boggled to imagine the small percentage of all that stream of communication which is designed to actually draw us to understand and act on our need to be “born again”.

Please don’t misunderstand me here; there is much legitimate communication occurring related to our work and our world, but I suspect we all permit excessive amounts of the “hostile” communication to enter our lives and this would be especially true of those not yet “born again”. The “messengers” God has sent, who struggle mightily to overcome the “hostile environment” and deliver that message of salvation, are in such a competitive environment for peoples attention that their communication skills and methods must always be up-to-date. While the message of salvation doesn’t change, stale words, skills and methods (just like stale sperm) will not reach the intended destination.

In the next Part, we will continue developing the relationship between the human “delivery system” and the spiritual “delivery system”, along with some exciting expansions of concepts we may now take for granted.