Used as a noun, the word “progress” is defined as “the gradual
betterment or the progressive development of humankind”; used as a
verb “progress” means “to develop to a higher, better, or more
advanced stage – to move forward.”
In my opinion, after the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden (the
Fall) God has patiently tried to lead humans up a “spiritual ladder” in
order to redeem them. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is an account of
God’s trying to coax humans up this “ladder.” But these fallen
creatures, originally made “in His likeness,” keep undermining God’s
efforts.
God provided concessions to the evil nature of humans: eating other
animals and divorce, for example. Each step of the way, hard-hearted
humans would fight progress; then, after killing a prophet or two – and
thousands of sacrificed animals – they would comfortably settle in at a
rung of the “spiritual stepladder,” follow their arrogant, religious
leaders, and imagine that they were doing God’s will.
Then God would have to send more prophets and the same thing would
happen all over again: up another rung of the ladder, settling in again,
more “religious” arrogance and persecution, etc.
Finally, God sends His only begotten Son Jesus. And we all know what
happens: His crucifixion, more persecutions in the name of God, etc. –
as the saying goes: two steps forward, one step backward; except that in
reality, it is more like 100 steps forward and 99 backwards. When will
humans truly learn to follow the peacemaking teachings of Jesus!
A couple thousand years later, those who call themselves by His name
justify killing, and arrogantly perform unspeakable atrocities against
“the lower animals” – all the while citing the Bible (the Word of God)
as giving them permission for their abominations! Since these people can
no longer exert their power over human slaves, they enslave billions of
animals.
There are people in our society who call evil “good” and good “evil”;
who try to equate anything or anyone “progressive” as subversive. But
God is not mocked. No matter how clever they are in fooling the public,
God reads the heart, and He is a God of justice.
In a previous Blog I wrote the following:
In John 14:12, Jesus says,
12. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works
that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;
because I go to the Father.”
~ New American Standard Bible
Jesus lived 2,000 years ago when slavery and cruelty (public
crucifixions, for one example) were commonplace; isn’t it time that we
humans move forward and become more enlightened? What greater work can
we do than to extend our compassion to all living creatures?
Then we will move up one more rung as we progress up the “spiritual
ladder.”
