The Chicago Tylenol murders in 1982

 “Safety seals” and “tamper-proof seals” came about as a result of The Chicago Tylenol murders in 1982. A total of seven people died from drug tampering. The victims had all taken Tylenol brand acetaminophen capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide. A total of seven people died in the original poisonings, and several more in subsequent “copy-cat” crimes. No suspect was ever charged or convicted of the crimes. The crimes resulted in major reforms in how over-the counter products are packaged. These include warnings like “sealed for your protection.” And so they are. If the seal is broken, somebody has tampered with the product. There are people out there who are mentally and morally messed- up enough to poison medicines so that they no longer heal but kill. Common sense tells us medicines need a “safety seal” so we can tell if they have been tampered with.

 If only people would use the same kind of common-sense logic and caution when it comes to the spiritual medicines and messages and cures that are packaged and preached and promoted all around us! Both common sense and the Bible warn us in the strongest terms possible not to buy into and swallow just anything on the counter of moral and spiritual medicines these days. The “counters” where these moral and spiritual and philosophical medicines come from are pulpits, preachers, politicians’ and presidents’ decrees, courts, councils, TV, movies, music, etc! Fundamental moral and doctrinal teachings of the Bible are being poisoned! “Truth” is seen as what individuals choose to believe and do, totally disconnected from any absolute standard of belief and behavior. Whether the issue is “same sex marriage” or “transgendered” males and females and the “right” to use a public bathroom according to the gender they “self-identify” with, or the “right” to smoke pot, kill an unborn child, or believe any religious way is right – it is crystal clear somebody has tampered with God’s message and medicine for mankind’s ills! Long ago, surrounded by wicked people who were shooting at the upright, an inspired man asked in Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” God-fearing people can’t stop others from tampering with the Gospel. But the moral and spiritual truth of God reveals to us in the New Testament does come with a kind of tamper-proof seal that provides a sure way to know if the spiritual medicine we are being asked to swallow is pure or poisoned. Galatians 1:6-12 lays out God’s safety-seal. Take time to read it and you will see that moral and spiritual medicine, beliefs and teachings that are authentic and safe to swallow, come from God. The way to make sure moral medicines are safe to swallow is to measure them by by the standard of God’s word (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). Fail to do that and we may swallow things that kill not our bodies, but our minds and souls. Be aware of God’s safety seal. It is for your protection.

--Dan Gulley