Vaccination Against Death

In the late eighteenth century, hundreds of people were dying in England of smallpox.  The disease ravaged the country and seemed unstoppable.  There was little hope for anyone who became infected with the deadly virus....

Dr. Edward Jenner noticed that very few milk-maids in England were susceptible to 
the disease and, in fact, seemed immune to it.  Further investigation revealed that 
their immunity was developed by having been sick with what was called "cowpox", 
a disease found in cattle and sometimes contracted by humans who were in close contact with infected animals.  Cowpox was a milder virus that made people sick for 
a while, but was seldom fatal. 

 With this knowledge in mind, Dr. Jenner, in 1796, courageously injected live cowpox virus into an eight-year-old boy named Jamie Phipps.  Six weeks later, he took an unbelievable risk by injecting Jamie with live smallpox virus.  Jamie was unaffected by the virus and the rest is history.  By 1979 the World Health Organization declared smallpox completely eradicated from the world!  Inoculation against smallpox was indeed a "vaccination against death."

When we come to understand the difference between right and wrong and that we are ALL infected with the deadly disease" of sin, we find ourselves in need of a vaccination against death.  Paul wrote in Romans 3:23 – "for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  Then in chapter 6 and verse 23, he wrote – "For the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is -ETERNAL LIFE- in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God has provided a vaccination to protect US from -ETERNAL DEATH- 
because of SIN.  To be made immune to that "second death" (Revelation 20:6), 
we must believe in Jesus, God’s Son who died to atone for the sins of the whole world.  (John 8:24).  We must acknowledge our faith in Him before men. (Matthew 10:32-33).  
Then, we must repent of sin and turn away from it, (Luke 13:3,5).  Finally, by being baptized (immersed) for the forgiveness of our sins, we can be saved from the deadly "disease"  of sin which would otherwise bring us -ETERNAL DEATH- (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38) 

Have YOU availed yourself of this wonderful, free gift of -ETERNAL LIFE- and freedom from certain -ETERNAL DEATH-  because of sin?

God bless you!

Glenn Sargent

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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