I heard it said on the radio the other day, in one of those nature programmes, that chimpanzees are our cousins! Well, I don't know about you, but I don't reckon that any of my cousins resemble a chimpanzee. And I'm sure they would be highly offended if I suggested as much! But this got me wondering how I resemble - and how I differ from - a chimpanzee. Well, let's start with what I'm made of. It's said that the average human body consists of:-
Enough water to fill a 10 gallon tank.
Enough potassium to fire a toy cannon.
Enough phosphorus to make 2,200 match heads.
Enough fat to make 7 bars of soap or 75 candles.
Enough iron to make a medium sized nail.
Enough sulphur to kill all the fleas on an average dog.
Enough carbon for 9,000 lead pencils.
Enough lime to whitewash a hen coup.
...as well as small quantities of magnesium and a few other chemicals.
But of course we're far more than simply a collection of chemical elements. The major difference between us and the animal kingdom is that we've been given an everlasting soul which will live on beyond our physical death.
GOD'S ORIGINAL PLAN
From the very beginning it was God's intention that we should live forever in close personal relationship with Him, our Maker. It was never His plan that the human race should have to face death, 'the Last Enemy'. It was only through mankind's rebellion against God that death came into the world...
'...sin entered the world... and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men (and women), because all sinned...'
Romans 5:12
GOD'S RESCUE PLAN
But the 'Good News' of the gospel is that God instituted a wonderful rescue plan through the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. The sinless Son of God giving His life for us on the Cross of Calvary, taking the penalty for our sin...
'...our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.'
2 Timothy 1:10
Yes, He 'destroyed' death for the true Believer. And therefore when we become sincere followers of His, the Bible tells us that we're 'clothed in His righteousness'. This means that as God the Father looks at us He sees us through the righteousness of His Son. We've been made clean. No longer do we face judgement and everlasting condemnation.
But of course all this is not forced upon us. We must recognise our need and really WANT to be 'put right' with Him. So if we sense that He is 'calling' us we need to respond by truly seeking Him with an open heart and mind. It's a wonderful invitation that's offered to us... but as far as I know... not offered to chimpanzees!
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