The Plan of Redemption

The fall of man filled all heaven with sorrow. The world that God had made was blighted with the curse of sin and inhabited by beings doomed to misery and death. There appeared no escape for those who had transgressed the law. Angels ceased their songs of praise. Throughout the heavenly courts there was mourning for the ruin that sin had wrought. {PP 63.1}

The Son of God, heaven's glorious Commander, was touched with pity for the fallen race. His heart was moved with infinite compassion as the woes of the lost world rose up before Him. But divine love had conceived a plan whereby man might be redeemed. The broken law of God demanded the life of the sinner. In all the universe there was but one who could, in behalf of man, satisfy its claims. Since the divine law is as sacred as God Himself, only one equal with God could make atonement for its transgression. None but Christ could redeem fallen man from the curse of the law and bring him again into harmony with Heaven. Christ would take upon Himself the guilt and shame of sin—sin so offensive to a holy God that it must separate the Father and His Son. Christ would reach to the depths of misery to rescue the ruined race. {PP 63.2} 

Creation vs Evolution

A 2013 Pew Research Center survey found that roughly a quarter of adults (24%) say that "a supreme being guided the evolution of living things for the purpose of creating humans and other life in the form it exists today". The survey also showed that 36% of white evangelical Protestants say humans have evolved over time, while 60% say humans have existed in their present form since the beginning of time.

Some Christian thinkers, like Charles Kingsley and Frederick Temple, began to reconcile evolution with their faith in the 19th century, suggesting that evolution could be a mechanism used by God.

In his encyclical "Humani Generis," Pope Pius XII stated that Catholic teachings on creation could coexist with evolutionary theory, provided that the human soul is a direct creation of God. Pope John Paul II further clarified the Church's view, stating that evolution is "more than a hypothesis" and that the Church recognizes the scientific validity of evolution.

Many Catholics, and other Christians, embrace the concept of theistic evolution, which suggests that God used the process of evolution to create life, rather than a literal, six-day creation.

But what does the Bible say?

NEWSTART: "E" For Exercise

Exercise Principle

From Seventh-day Adventist Diet

“God designed that the living machinery should be in daily activity. For in this activity or motion is its preserving power…. The more we exercise, the better will be the circulation of the blood.”—Ellen G. White, Healthful Living

It’s no surprise that exercise makes the list of Adventist health principles. In fact, exercise is taken pretty seriously by Americans with somewhere between 50-75% of Americas claiming that they exercise at least once a week.

But wait- If that many people actually exercise why there are such high rates of obesity and heart disease?

Well, it’s very probable that people don’t exercise regularly or even when they are exercising- they aren’t doing it effectively or  monitoring their food intake appropriately.

My sister, a frequent gym junkie, often observed overweight individuals who would come into the gym and walk on the treadmill while drinking large sugar filled beverages. Has the power of exercise been over-touted?

Exercise is wonderful and it does amazing things for the body, but there are some ways to exercise that are better than others!

Red Lentil Soup

NEWSTART: "N" For Nutrition

  

Blue Zones are regions where people consistently live much longer than average, often surpassing 100 years of age, and are identified for their unique lifestyle and environmental factors.

Loma Linda, California, the only blue zone in the US, boasts a significant Seventh-day Adventist community and is known for the high longevity of its residents, who tend to live up to 10 years longer than the average American.

The Adventists' lifestyle choices, such as a plant-based diet, regular exercise, a strong sense of community, and a focus on health and well-being, are believed to play a significant role in their increased lifespan.

NEWSTART® is an Adventist, physician monitored, scientifically researched lifestyle-change program based on eight fundamental principles from the Bible proven to help you achieve optimum health.