Time to die

Yes, but no.

Your friend is taking scripture out of context.

In God's context, you CANNOT die without his knowledge &/or permission (this term depends upon how you describe His sovereignty).

Yes, we are appointed to die once (Ecc 3: 1 & ff if I remember correctly). Then comes the judgement ... But, how we live will affect when and how we die.

 

I believe God is in complete control, and we die when He says. Anything else means He is not in complete control (sovereign).

 

Hello fellow Zonie, I imagine you’re going to get Calvinistic responses about predestination with this question. That aside I believe we’re instructed to take good care of the temple and if we do we are liable to live a longer and better quality life while here in the flesh. I do not think it is being a good steward of what God has given us as a vessel for Him to just let it all go thinking that trying to maintain health is futile. I think we should take care of the body and do it for God in the spirit and be not weary in well doing.

The main think we need to profit in is godliness, and that godliness is seen in part, even if for a short time while here, when we take care of the body.


(1Ti 4:8) For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

 

Sounds to me like that person is making excuses for not taking care of his/her self.

I agree with you. I don't belive God "takes" us from the earth, I believe God takes our spiritual selves when our physical selves die. Our physical selves are a slave to sin, and part of the consequences of that sin is premature death (such as in an accident) or death due to our physical selves breaking down.

Yes, but I think we too often hasten that by being careless and reckless.

I eat right and excercise regularly. Why? Because I am married to a person 10 years my jonior, and I don't want her to be a widow at 50.

 

God knows when we are going to die because he knew how we would take care of ourselves. He knows all, but that is no excuse for sinning by not taking care of this vessel.

 

Rogue,

I wouldn't say Satan is in control of death.......not sure if thats what you mean. But God is in control of both life and death.

However, I don't agree with your friend either when taken to its logical end. Otherwise we'd be able to just try to commit suicide all the time until one time it worked then we'd know that it was our time and God wanted us to die then.

While God is sovereign and knows everything that will happen, that does not mean that we have no responsibility to take care of ourselves and others.

 

I look it this subject kind of like I look at; all I have to do is believe to be saved. That doesn't mean I should go back out into the world and live like the wicked witch of the west.In fact the bible says in 1st John that God may take that person home early. That doesn't fit now does it?
I do believe God knows when were coming home and is in control of it.

 

Isa 46:9-10
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: KJV

 

I believe and I think that scripture will back this up. Our obedience to God and our disobedience to God will effect our time of death. If we are obedient, then God will allow a longer time to live,i.e. honoring our parents. If we stray in sin then God will allow those results of the sin to effect our lives, sometimes resulting in death. Ultimately, God is never surprised about our death and knows when it will happen.

 

God can't overrule the law of the nature He created. In other words, He has a definite plan for your life, but if you jump off of a 30 story building and die, you'll thwart His perfect will. There is a difference between His perfect will and His permissive will.

If you eat junk food, never exercise and sit in front of the TV all day, statistics show that you'll probably die earlier than if you eat right, exercise, etc. Of course, there is always the exception of the person we consider to be in perfect health that drops dead of a heart attack.

Exercise profiteth the body little, but that doesn't mean it doesn't profit us some.

 

That statement, taken at face value, makes God little more than a human.

 

That statement, taken at face value, makes God little more than a human. </font>[/QUOTE]You have taken my comment out of context. I.e., God doesn't want anyone to commit suicide, but if you put a gun to your head and pull the trigger, he's not going to overturn His physical laws. That doesn't in any way make Him human.

 

I think we all need to realize that we are infinately incapable of seeing how an infinate God works. Putting our human minds to try and comprehend God will leave us with only inadequete answers to questions like these.

He is the almighty God. And we have a free will. Between only those two facts leaves our minds in confusion.