THE TWIN SISTERS

(Part 1)

By Kenneth Karuga

EVERLASTING GOSPEL HERALDS April 2013

THE TWIN SISTERS

(Part 1)
The birth of a child is a joyful moment for every mother. It expresses the gift that God gave to mankind, and also animals, that gift of procreation. How much more joyful it is when the pregnancy results in giving birth to two babies commonly referred to as twins? Twins are rare and special, occurring in about 2% of all pregnancies. Of that number, 30% are identical twins. The other 70% are non-identical, or fraternal twins. Another way is that twins are in 1 out of 80 births. The physiological process of how twins are formed is one that is impressive and important to know! Below are some few facts concerning twins. 1. An additional 90,000 sets of twins (180,000 individuals) are born each year. 2. Twins are invaluable for demonstrating genetic and environmental factors in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers, AIDS and more. Twin studies help all mankind! 3. In 1980, one in every 53 babies born in the United States was a twin. By 2009, that number had risen to one in 30, according to new research released by the National Center for Health Statistics. Over those three decades, the twin birth rate (number of twins per 1,000 births) rose 76%. 4. Chances of having a twin pregnancy is increased by maternal age (30+). 5. Fraternal twining is genetically predisposed and the result of a woman releasing more than one egg at the same time. 6. Identical twins are the result of a random split of a single egg and cannot be genetically predisposed. 7. Identical twins share the same DNA but do not have the same fingerprints. 8. Nigeria has the highest rate of multiple births and more identical twins. 9. China has the lowest rate for multiple births averaging 1 in 300. 10. A study shows vegans are five times less likely to have twins than women who consume diary. 11. Over 50% of twins are born before 37 weeks.

Thats just a glimpse into the human world of procreation, that of twins and amazing facts concerning them.

Enough of that said, the Spirit of inspiration also tells us of some remarkable twin sisters that exist in Christianity, and of whom we need to be well acquainted with as Christians heading to our Heavenly home.

Love and Duty Remember that Duty has a twin sister, Love; these united can accomplish almost everything, but separated, neither is capable of good. {Testimonies for The Church Vol.4 pg 62.2} Love has a twin sister, which is duty. Love and duty stand side by side. { Testimonies for The Church Vol.3 pg 195.1}

Lets look at each of these twin sisters, Love and Duty

LOVE
No matter how high the profession, he whose heart is not filled with love for God and his fellowmen is not a true disciple of Christ. Though he should possess great faith and have power even to work miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless. Obedience is the test of discipleship. It is the keeping of the commandments that proves the sincerity of our professions of love since this is what the Bible refers to as love; Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. -Romans 13:10 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to Love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. -Joshua 22:5 Love for Jesus Christ leads us to obey God's commandments, which are a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, securing for us the illuminating, purifying, blissful presence of both the Father and the Son. He who is obedient can commune with God even as did Enoch. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. -John 15:10 Everyone who truly loves God will have the spirit of Christ and a fervent love for his brethren. The more a person's heart is in communion with God, and the more his affections are centered in Christ, the less will he be disturbed by the roughness and hardships he meets in this life. Those who are growing up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus, will become more and more like Christ in character. Christ's believing people are to perpetuate His love. This love is to draw them together and the love expressed on Calvary should be revived, strengthened, and diffused among them. As you stand before the cross and see the Prince of heaven dying for you, can you seal your heart, saying: "No; I have nothing to give"? And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. -1 John 2:3,4

L LO OV VE E DUTY

D DU UT TY Y

To love God and man is the Christian's whole duty. The law of love is written upon the tablets of the soul, the Spirit of God dwells in him, and his character appears in good works. Jesus became poor that through His poverty we might be made rich. What sacrifices are we willing to make for His sake? Have we His love enshrined in our hearts? Do we love our neighbor as Christ loved us? If we have this love for souls, it will lead us to consider carefully whether by our words, our acts, our influence in any way, we are placing temptation before those who have little moral power. We shall not censure the weak and suffering, as the Pharisees were continually doing, but we shall endeavor to remove every stone of stumbling from our brother's path lest the lame be turned out of the way. In the Bible every duty is made plain. Every lesson given is comprehensible. Every lesson reveals to us the Father and the Son. Search the Scriptures, for they are the voice of God wherein man's duty to God and to his fellow man has been distinctly specified.
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Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. -Ecclesiastes 12:13. Without obedience to His commandments no worship can be pleasing to God. This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. 1 John 5:3; Proverbs 28:9. The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He is the Creator and that to Him all other beings owe their existence. But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through the merits of Christ, no man can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known sins, or neglecting known duties. God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the soul. {RH, November 4, 1890 par. 4}

Apart from these twin sisters-Love and Duty, the Bible also reveals to us another set of twin sisters whom we shall look at in the next article THE TWIN SISTERS Part 2. Make sure to get your copy!

May God Bless You!

Written by, KENNETH KARUGA (Church in Ngong) April 2013

EVERLASTING GOSPEL HERALDS

P.O. Box 59461-00200 NAIROBI, KENYA everlastinggospelheralds@gmail.com