God of Creation: Chromosomes

Life looks simple from a distance, but get close enough and it becomes staggering. We start with a strange, almost forgotten word, protoplasm, the living substance inside cells, and ask a blunt question: if the best minds can’t produce living matter from nonliving chemicals, what does that say about where life comes from? From there, we trace the anatomy of a cell, from nucleus to chromatin to chromosomes, and we talk about the four marks of living tissue: response, metabolism, growth, and reproduction. The deeper we go, the more the “machinery” of life feels less like a lucky accident and more like a plan. 

Then we turn to genetics and heredity. Why do two people with the same parents differ so much? Why do living things reproduce within clear boundaries? We explain genes as the tiny units on chromosomes that carry inherited traits, and we explore why even change through mutation still operates inside laws that keep life ordered. Along the way, we connect the stability of heredity to the Bible’s repeated phrase “after its kind,” and we challenge the idea that such precision can come from blind chance. 

The conversation doesn’t stop at biology. It becomes personal. If the hand of the Lord has wrought life, what does it mean to ignore your Creator? We close with a direct gospel invitation: Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and the new birth is a gift God gives to those who truly want it. 

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Transcript

Protoplasm And Life’s Mystery

What Cells Do And Contain

Genes Explain Differences And Order

Design Points To A Creator

A Personal Warning To Prepare

Genetics Details And “After Its Kind”

Scientists Admit Life’s Origin Unknown

Christ As The Answer And New Birth

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Good day, greetings, and welcome to each and every one of you. I'm Brother James, and we're so very happy that you've tuned in today to the Preaching of the Cross Radio Broadcast. Thirty minutes of Bible uh teaching and Bible exposition, usually, but a little bit different on this particular series. Not that we are uh have gotten away from our faith in the Word of God and our proclamation of the Word of God, but as you know, for the last uh eleven programs or so, we've been taking a little bit different approach. We are discussing with you some truths from the world of nature, some truths from God's creation. In fact, this series entitled The God of Creation, and we are uh showing by the creation of God that there must be an all-wise and an all-knowing creator, and then bringing out certain spiritual truths uh for you as relates to this particular topic and substance. Now, it's a wonderful thing to know that there is a true and a living God. It's a wonderful thing to know that that true and living God cares for uh you and I and is concerned about you and I. And we've been talking about the the marvels of the human body, if you will. Uh we discussed on the last program uh what we called beauty out of ugliness, and we talked about how even the uh insignificant uh things which we would tend to look down upon. Uh for example, we talked about the worm and the salamander, and yet how they are glorious and wonderful pictures of God's regenerating power. And then we talked about uh the matter of chemistry and the new birth, and how that uh God doesn't simply combine things in the natural realm, but how that he makes entirely new things, and then we discussed uh from that how that when the Holy Spirit of God comes to live within you, you're not just the same old person anymore, but as the Bible says, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, and behold all things become new. Now, let's talk for just the next few moments about what's probably the most mysterious substance in all the universe. Now, what would you think that would be? Well, it would be the most mysterious substance in all the universe. Uh how about this it's kind of a funny word, but it's uh protoplasm. Protoplasm. Do you know what that is? Have you ever thought about it? The wonders of protoplasm, the basic material of all living bodies is a subject well worth our careful study. It's the most mysterious substance in the universe, and I say that because biologists have tried ceaselessly to produce living protoplasm from non-living substances, all attempts have absolutely failed. Now, those of us that are Bible-believing Christians, we would expect them to fail. We know something of the wonders of this amazing material, and we know also that God is absolutely true. If God said that he created the heavens and the earth, that is, he made something out of nothing, and if God Himself said that he brought life out of that which was non living, for example, Adam formed of the dust of the ground, and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul. If God Almighty is the creator and the maker and brings life out of that which has no life, we know before any experiments take place that no scientist or group of scientists in this world will be able to do that, because after all, there is only one true and living God, and he is not a man. The following elements enter into the composition of all living bodies carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, with small amounts of fluorine and iodine in sum fourteen in all. A living cell is made up of many atoms of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen with a small number of atoms of sulfur and phosphorus. The diameter of the living molecule is about one five millionth of an inch, so that a speck of protoplasm one tenth thousandth of an inch in diameter, would require not less than five hundred such molecules in a row to span it, and there would be no less than one hundred and twenty-five million of such molecules in the mass. To hope to create, for example, a bacillus would be as absurd as to expect to be able to manufacture a human body. A brief glance at the wonders of protoplasm will show the absurdity of holding the view that once upon a time a fortuitous concourse of atoms was accidentally the cause of this greatest of all mysteries. Couldn't possibly be. Living matter shows four distinct phenomena. Number one, irritability, that is the property of responding in a particular way to the application of a stimulus. Number two, metabolism, that is the chemical changes produced as food materials are built up into higher forms and complex molecules already built up are broken down and their effete products are excreted. three, growth that is increase in the size of the particular body until it reaches its destined form. And number four, reproduction, the process by which each living body ensures the continuation of itself through its descendants. These four processes constitute the operation of these microscopic bits of protoplasm called cells, from which various other tissues are ultimately formed by a series of complex and exact changes which are impossible to understand because their intricacy is so great. Each bit of living tissue seems to take its place in the lineup as if under strictest orders from general headquarters. And of course, they are. The internal structure of these protoplasmic units reveals a thickened central portion known as the nucleus, surrounded by food material known as cytoplasm. In this latter there may be pigment granules, fat globules, glycogen particles, and spaces containing fluid. The most important part of the cell consists of chromatin threads, which are to form the miraculous chromosomes, the basis of all the changing forms of life, and all this in a tiny particle of tissue only one one hundred and twenty fifth of an inch in diameter. If you'd like to know how large that is, sharpen a lead pencil to a fine point. Press it very gently, just ever so gently on a piece of paper just to the touch. And there you have it. That is our size, by the way, as we begin to develop. The manner in which these cells divide and redivide into countless thousands and millions, separating themselves into various groups to form the different tissues and organs is an astounding miracle of miracles. Now we mentioned chromatin threads, the basis of the chromosomes. A brief study of these living forms will bring us face to face with the living God. Each of us is a complex being, different from every other person of the past or future, there's no question about that. No two blades of grass or exact duplicates, neither are any two minds or bodies exactly the same. Nature varies inheritance with a mathematical precision which prevents the exact duplication of any organ. Nearly all living things begin with the fusing of two sex cells, one from the male, the other from the female. This is fertilization, whereupon development begins. The single fertilized cell, thus formed, divides into two cells, these into four, the four into eight, and so on, until in time there are millions of cells organized into the complete unit, plant or animal, as the case may be. These processes form a complicated chain, but they go forward with a miraculous precision to the predestinated end, and in so doing they give rise to innumerable questions. If all living things are thus formed, why are they not all alike? For example, if Brother James is six feet tall and has brownish hair and brown eyes, and his hair is uh wavy, why is it that his brother is six feet five almost and has very straight blonde hair and light eyes? Why is that? Same father? Same mother? How do you explain that? Why do two trees have roots and trunks and limbs? Why do fish have fins instead of hands? Why do mules have long ears and practically no power of reproduction? The fascinating answer to all these questions is in one small word genes G E N E S genes. The scientific definition of a gene is a minute organic particle capable of reproduction, located in a chromosome and responsible for the transmission of a hereditary characteristic. Now this definition contains only statements of fact for which there is sufficient experimental evidence to prove them beyond reasonable doubt. But to understand this definition we have to begin with a description of cells. Cells then are no more uniform in structure than automobiles. They range in size from those of the bacteria which are on the very limit of microscopic visibility to nerve cells several feet in length, while in volume they range from an infinitesimal nothing to that of an ostrich egg. Nevertheless, they are alike in many respects. All living cells are filled with water. Moving through this water is the substance called protoplasm. As we have noticed, in this protoplasm is a denser spot known as the nucleus. Until a cell is ready to split in two, the nucleus is a tangle of chromatin threads. As the cells prepare to split, the threads shorten and thicken, forming segments whose number is characteristic of the kind of cell. In man this number is forty eight. These rod like segments are the chromosomes and are made up of strings of genes. If we think of a string of beads, we may get a clearer idea, the entire string standing for the chromosome and the individual beads for the separate genes. The remarkable facts which have just been presented strongly support the great truth which these studies have been trying to stress, the undoubted evidences of marvelous plan in every detail which we have examined. When we think of these infinitely small particles of material constituting the essential structure of the tiny beads on the string called genes, our imagination reels at the intricate and accurately working mechanisms which carry on their operation ceaselessly and with absolute precision. These ultra microscopic bits of chromatin tissue seem to have a definite program laid out for them by an unseen power, a power which they must obey under all conditions of environment. They appear on the scene and immediately begin their destined career without any visible direction. Yet they never make a misstep, proceeding from one phase to another until their work is done. Then they die or buried, and their places are taken by new groups that suddenly enter the struggle and carry on as their predecessors have done from time immemorial. Now let me ask you again. Is it possible to believe there's not a controlling intelligence behind all this exact marvelous working? These protoplasmic atoms by countless millions have been doing their job with meticulous precision for thousands of years. But when we know that infinite numbers of them are performing these wonders constantly, our minds are forced to the conclusion that there must be a god. No God of man's making could do these things. Why many times the Bible directs us to consider the works of God and then when we understand what has been done, we are asked to worship. Job tells us that even the animals if they could speak would certainly give their testimony in regard to this amazing God. There were many skeptics in Job's time, just as there are in ours, and he turns on them in the twelfth chapter and says, No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you, but I have understanding as well as you. I am not inferior to you. Yes, who knoweth not such things as these? I am as one mocked of his neighbor who calleth on God and he answereth him. The just, upright man is laughed to scorn, but ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee, or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee, who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this, in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind? Now you know, as I read these strong words in the Bible from this wise man long ago, I have to admit he's speaking the truth. Don't you agree? If you've not considered the inescapable result of a careless neg neglect of your Creator, I urge you, I plead with you. You know as well as I know that the hand of your living soul, the breath of your living soul, your living soul itself is in the hand of Almighty God. You'll give an account to him for the deeds done in this body. You'll give an account to him for whether or not you received his son as your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's your maker, he's your creator, and you will have to deal with him. You know, I talked to a man, it's a funny thing, I was uh getting a little gasoline for the car uh just last night and uh chatting with the man as uh my wife was pumping the gasoline outside and I was waiting to uh pay him for the total, and oh, we just had the most wonderful talk. We chatted about this and about that. He talked about his family and his job and his having moved to this area and so forth. You know, the minute I asked him if he'd ever been born again, he got so hostile and so rude, and he said, I don't want to talk about that, and I don't want to discuss that, I don't I don't deal with those kinds of things. I told him, I said, Sir, you are going to talk about it someday. You are going to discuss it someday, you are going to deal with those things someday. Now, you may not talk to me down here and now, you may not talk to any other Christian down here and now when you could be saved and born again, but someday you will meet your maker and your creator, and you will deal with these things, and you will discuss these things. My friend, you need to prepare to meet your great maker and your great creator. You know, in the last few years, the ultra microscope and X-rays have given us a much better insight into what these genes are and how they perform their intricate operations. The evidence indicates that they are a single complex protein molecule. They reproduce by growing a new gene inside the old one rather than by splitting in two, that in the chromosome they form strings held together by some unknown force, and that the order of the genes in these strings determines the characteristics of the particular cell containing them. In size they range up to six and seven millionths of a centimeter in diameter. In higher orders of life, there are thousands of these genes present in each cell strung out like beads. Changes called mutations occur when these strings cross over and interchange some of their genes. From these changes result white races are black, uh geniuses or adults, men or women. If mutations occurred at random, we might expect extreme changes in an organism from generation to generation instead of the general similarities which carry through, but mice give birth to mice. Human beings reproduce human beings because of this inherent nature of their respective chromosomes. They work according to an absolutely inviolable law. Where and how did this law originate unless from a supreme law giver? When chromosomes get together and trade genes, they deal only with those chromosomes which are similar to themselves. For instance, as a crude illustration, let's imagine a community made up of French, Swedes, English, etc, each of whom has several commodities to barter, but French will exchange only with French, Swedes with Swedes, and so on. It will be easily seen that the distribution of wealth in the community will be changed much less under these conditions than if all the residents got together and traded indiscriminately. Similarly, the chromosomes in the nucleus discriminate in favor of their own type, and thus the exchange of genes is not a random thing, but is controlled to such an extent that like produces like. It is not hard for a Bible believer to understand this, for ten times over in the first chapter of Genesis we read the words after its kind. How did Moses know so much about the mysterious laws of genetics in that far off day unless his words were divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit of God? When a cell splits, the chromosomes also split along their length, and each cell then receives its full complement of these priceless genes, presence of which is essential to the continuity of life, of organization, of species. But if each cell has its full allotment of genes, one would think that the number must double each generation when the two sex cells combine into one. In a remarkable way this is prevented. When cells which are to become sex cells split away from their parent cells, they are automatically endowed with only half the usual number of chromosomes. It is as if some omnipotent power says to a forming sex cell, wait, when you grow up you will be a sex cell, take only half as many chromosomes, you are going to find a mate with an equal number and everything will be right. Is it possible for anyone familiar with these wonders not to believe in a personal, designing, omnipotent and omniscient god? Can you not see that life is far more than a mere mechanical process? The body of an organism is much more than a machine. This is just as true as of a plant as an animal. doctor D H Scott, eminent British botanist, wrote in Extinct Plants and Problems of Evolution, page two hundred twenty five Leaves are a mechanism. The stem is a mechanism, so is the plant as a whole, but the general design and the scheme of the machine were laid down once for all years ago and have never been departed from. Who, it is pertinent to ask, laid down the plan? The answer is God. This unchanging purpose runs through the entire system of plant life. No one knows what this life principle is who does not believe the Bible. It cannot be examined, and science is completely in the dark as to its nature. They see how it works, but its real character eludes all efforts to discover it because the Bible says that these things must be believed and received by faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Dr. Alfred Russell Wallace wrote in The World of Life So marvelous and so varied are the phenomena presented by living things, so completely do their powers transcend those of all other forms of matter subjected to mechanical, physical, or chemical laws, that biologists have vainly endeavored to find out what is at the bottom of their strange manifestations and to give precise definitions in terms of physical science of what life really is. Horatio Hackett Newman, the geologist, wrote in the Nature and Origin of the World and Man, page fifty two, in all frankness it must be admitted that the problem of the origin of life has not been solved. Gerald Smutz, a scientist, said recent astronomical theory has come to strengthen this view of life as an exceptional feature of the main track of the universe. For the origin of our planetary system is attributed to an unusual accident, and planets such as ours with a favorable chance for life are taken to be rare in the universe. Perhaps we may even say at the present epoch there is no other globe where life is at the level manifested on Earth. Now he could more properly have said that life is unknown at all anywhere except on this globe in a physical realm as we know it. James Haldine, the distinguished physician, said the mechanistic speculations of the last century no longer afford any prospect of understanding life. Professor Khan said there is not the slightest evidence that living matter could arise from non living matter. Spontaneous generation is universally given up. So what do we do? Well, David said it best in Psalm number ninety five. Oh come let us sing unto the Lord. Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. For the Lord is a great God, a great king above all gods. Oh come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our maker, for he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. You know something? The Lord Jesus Christ He's the one they're afraid of. He's the one they don't want anything to do with, but he's the only answer to their questions. And without the answer, the Lord Jesus Christ, they'll never find the answer. It's a common diversion among those who hold the Bible in small esteem to express themselves in opposition to its statements about the origin of man, his sin, the fall, judgment of death pronounced by God, the great plan for man's salvation which occupies such a large portion of the Bible, but these same skeptics can't find any scientific errors in the book. And they can't find any scientific answers outside the book. The Word of God is never guilty of agreeing with the primitive science common to those who wrote contemporaneously with the Bible. The Bible never makes the same foolish errors and mistakes that Darwin and Huxley and the National Geographic Society make. I think we're justified under these conditions and paying strict attention to everything the Bible has to say, especially in connection with its warnings regarding the necessity of making provision for sin, which as we know according to the Bible, condemns one to eternal life. Now, what does the Bible say? If science doesn't have an answer to how physical life originates, you'll you're seeking in vain to science and education for an answer to how spiritual life can be obtained. Jesus Christ the Lord said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Do you want to get to heaven and spend your eternal, everlasting life with God in the glories of heaven? Well then, my friend, you must receive life, a second life, a new birth, the same way you received the first life. Now the first life was a gift of God. That gift of God, physical life, you are enjoying right now. But Jesus said, Ye must be born again. You must have a second birth, a spiritual birth, and that also comes as a gift from God. But this gift God bestows and God gives only to those who desire it. If you don't want to live forever with God in glory, uh you may freely consign yourself to hell. If you want to spend eternity in a lake of fire, God's not going to force you to do otherwise. But if in your heart you have a sincere desire to receive God's gift of eternal, everlasting life, God has it available for you and will give it to you freely. If you will simply call upon Him, ask Him to save you, forgive your sins on the basis of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and trust His Son Jesus fully and completely as your Lord and Savior. And having done that, God has promised He will not lie, cannot lie. God has promised to give you eternal and everlasting life. Would you receive Jesus Christ today as your personal Lord and Savior?

Invitation To Receive Christ And Closing

SPEAKER_00 28:00

Thanks for tuning in today. Join us every weekday for another episode of the Preaching of the Cross Radio Podcast. For hundreds of hours of in-depth expository Bible teaching, our YouTube channel at BamStell.com, our terminal audio page, Bible Baptistoland, or our website, BibleBaptistoland.com. Until next time, and throughout eternity, make names of Christ.