Post-Tour: Asexuality, Reproduction and Fruitfulness

We made the statement that nothing in the creation brings forth fruit unless it is in the relationships that God has designed for it. Now, one may have a question about this by pointing to organisms that reproduce “asexually." This exists quite often, although it is rare at the higher levels of complexity. At the smallest level, cells can divide through binary fission, creating two genetically identical cells; at the plant level, some plants reproduce through runners, like strawberries, or tubers, like tulips; at the animal level, one may point to the copperhead snake that can, when necessary, produce clones through a process called parthenogenesis. 

However, if one looks at each of the “asexual” examples, it becomes apparent that the cloning occurs within a very complex system. Even at the cellular level, the single living cell is a highly complex system of systems with a myriad of tiny molecular machines doing amazing things in coordination with other machines. The copperhead snake cannot reproduce asexually without the complex parthenogenesis system, nor the light and air and water and all of the other things that are necessary for life. The entire creation is an exquisite system of systems, of systems of systems. The bacteria, the tulip, and the copperhead all exist, survive and reproduce only because they exist within their ecosystem, apart from which they are non-existent.

But focusing on reproduction is a very narrow view of “fruitfulness." We have our eyes in these tours on the larger view. When Jesus told the parable of the talents, He was not pointing to sexual reproduction. Even the parable of the barren fig tree is in the context of its design to produce food for mankind, not merely reproducing itself. If a couple is barren or reaches the age or stage of life when they do not “reproduce” anymore, it would be short-sighted not to recognize the immense potential they have to be fruitful.

You will find more clarity on this in the next tour and even more so in Tour 4 and beyond. Stay tuned!