Can A Man Prolong His natural Life, Or Is His Days Numbered?

[salzer mtn]

I know the bible does not contradict itself but from several passages of scripture that I will quote a person could believe it one way or the other. I tend to believe God controls life and death but can a person actually take control of himself and destroy their bodies by taking into themselves harmful substances or just plain living a destructive life, or prolong their lives by doing well ? The first scriptures I will write are those that teach man's life is in God's hands: Job 14:5 Seeing his day's are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again ? All the day's of my appointed time I will wait, till my change come. Act's 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation. Job 12: 9-10 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. The second scriptures are those that refer to long life is in man's hands. Eph 6:3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well will thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 1 Pet 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good day's, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Prov 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. 1 Kings 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statues and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy day's. So how can one reconcile these scriptures ?

 

[SolaSaint]

Ask Michael Jackson, he said he wanted to live to see 150. If I remember right he used to sleep in a special chamber to prolong his years. He died at 50.

 

[Alcott]

Is this a "General Baptist Discussion" or a Jack Lalanne message board?

 

[Revmitchell]

The title of the op should read "...Or are His Days Numbered?"

 

[salzer mtn]

The title of the op should read "...Or are His Days Numbered?"

So Rev. now that you have that off of your chest, can you answer the question of the OP ?

 

[Van]

Interesting topic, Salzer Mtn.

When we see apparent conflicts in the Bible, often the cause is our understanding differing from what is actually being taught.

For example, does our days our numbered, actually indicate a specific span, or only that God knows every day we wake and has a plan for us for that day. The NASB renders Job 14:14 all the days of my struggle rather than appointed time.

At Acts 17:26 we see that God made all the nations from one (the man Adam) and appointed the times and boundaries for the various nations to emerge, flourish and decline. This statement would be true, whether God determined or allowed these events in mankind's circumstances.

Again, God is sovereign, He gives life and takes it away. The issue is does He cause deterministically every thing that occurs or does He allow man's autonomous actions to bring about circumstances within the bounds He allows?

So none of the aforementioned passages must be understood to teach exhaustive determinism. OTOH, the latter passages also must be understood to provide improved probabilities for not needlessly shortening the duration of our lives. A person can do all the Biblically taught behaviors but still be struck by lightning as a young person.

I think it is fair to give God the credit for the rewards garnered from living righteously, i.e. He will lengthen our days, without claiming He did not keep His promise if we are struck down before some of those who practice evil.