Savage Street Church of Christ

What the Bible Says about Living Long

Listen to Class:

What the Bible Says About Living Long 

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • November 15, In the year of our Lord, 2015

Scripture Reader and Reading: Paul Hannan – Ephesians 6.1–3

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Phil Joseph – Songs on the Christian life

1. The world says for living long… 
   1. The world will not tell you the items that the Holy Spirit lists.
      1. Most of what the world addresses has to do with diet and exercise, and
      2. other things concerning the body, but
         1. the world fails to address what gives the body life.
         2. Political correctness, and just plain ignorance,
            1. prevents the world from revealing
            2. what the Bible says about long life.
   2. Who created us?
      1. God did.
   3. Who gave us the Bible?
      1. God did.
   4. Who knows perfectly how we can operate successfully?
      1. God does.
      2. Do you realize that He gave the Bible
         1. for more than just knowing
            1. whether you are in the church,
            2. how to conduct worship services, but
         2. He also instructs us on daily living.
2. The Bible says for living long… 
   1. Keep the commandments of wisdom
      
      1 My son, do not forget my law,
      But let your heart keep my commands;
      2 For length of days and long life
      And peace they will add to you.
      (Pro 3.1–2)
      
      1. How does keeping the commandments of wisdom lead to long life?
         1. Part of the answer might be in the second line:
         2. That the commandments of wisdom will add peace to you.
            1. What does peace do for your soul and your body?
            2. It releases you from constant distress.
      2. Have I advised you to read a chapter of Proverbs everyday?
         1. Having read this passage alone,
         2. do you think that I have given you good advice?
            1. Perhaps I have because
            2. for the most part we are all dying in our 80s and 90s.
      3. Keep listening to the Holy Spirit
         1. as He imparts wisdom to you in the Book of Proverbs, and
         2. apply what you read.
   2. Fear the Lord and depart from evil
      
      7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
      Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
      It will be health to your flesh,
      And strength to your bones.
      (Proverbs 3.7, 8)
      
      1. Three things:
         1. Do not be wise in your own eyes.
            1. Your relationship with yourself.
            2. Do not place yourself above the Lord.
         2. Fear the Lord
            1. Your relationship with the Lord.
            2. Fear departing from His instructions for life.
         3. Depart from evil
            1. Your relationship with evil.
            2. Evil hurts us more ways than we realize.
   3. Be a spiritual tree-hugger
      
      13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
      And the man who gains understanding…

      16 Length of days is in her right hand,
      In her left hand riches and honor.
      17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
      And all her paths are peace.
      18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
      And happy are all who retain her.
      (Pro 3.13, 16–18)
      

      1. Bring happiness into your life by searching for wisdom, for understanding.
      2. If you become a man or woman of understanding, you will gain
         1. length of days,
         2. riches and honor,
         3. ways of pleasantness,
         4. paths of peace, and
         5. the tree of life.
   4. Receive instruction
      
      10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
      And the years of your life will be many.
      11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
      I have led you in right paths.
      12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,
      And when you run, you will not stumble.
      13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
      Keep her, for she is your life.
      (Pro 4.10–13)
      
      1. How can you live long, if you do not learn?
      2. How can you live long,
         1. if you do not learn from the wisdom
         2. your Creator imparted to you in the Scriptures?
   5. Plant instruction in your heart
      
      20 My son, give attention to my words;
      Incline your ear to my sayings.
      21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
      Keep them in the midst of your heart;
      22 For they are life to those who find them,
      And health to all their flesh.
      23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
      For out of it spring the issues of life.
      (Pro 4.20–23)
      
      1. It is not just hearing the words.
      2. It is not just putting in the time.
         1. This is not a superstition.
         2. It is not a good luck charm.
            1. This is the truth, health for your soul.
            2. The instruction of the Book of Proverbs will keep your heart,
               1. so that whatever comes out of it, the issues of life,
               2. will be good things for you.
   6. Go to Wisdom’s House
      
      11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
      And years of life will be added to you.
      (Pro 9.11)
      
   7. Fear the Lord
      
      27 The fear of the LORD prolongs days,
      But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
      (Pro 10.27)

      27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
      To turn one away from the snares of death.
      (Pro 14.27)

      23 The fear of the LORD leads to life,
      And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
      He will not be visited with evil.
      (Pro 19.23)
      

      1. For the most part, observe the people who fear the Lord and
      2. those who do not, and
         1. see what you discover.
   8. Keep a sound heart
      
      30 A sound heart is life to the body,
      But envy is rottenness to the bones.
      (Pro 14.30)
      
   9. Hate covetousness
      
      16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
      But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
      (Pro 28.16)
      
      1. Covetousness people are not happy people.
      2. Contented people are happy people.
   10. Treat creation well
       
       6 “If a bird’s nest happens to be before you along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, with the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young; 7 you shall surely let the mother go, and take the young for yourself, that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days” (Deu 22.6–7).
       
       1. Take the eggs or young birds, but not the mother.
       2. I think this is a general way of saying
          1. do what the Lord tells you to do, and
          2. He expects us to take care of creation.
   11. Love God and obey His voice
       
       19 “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (Deu 30.19–20)
       
       1. God wants us to live and enjoy life.
       2. Is that not why He created us.
          1. The Book of Ecclesiastes makes several statements
          2. that God wants us to enjoy life.
             1. Therefore, we should love Him and do what He says.
   12. Obey Your Parents
       
       1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth” (Eph 6.1–3).
       
3. The Mind/Spirit Connection to the Body 
   1. If you think on it for a moment,
      1. you will remember what the Bible says
      2. just how strong the connection is between the spirit and the body,
         
         26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (Jam 2.26).
         
         1. When the spirit vacates the body,
         2. the body dies,
            1. which means the body ceases to function, and
            2. begins the ultimate breakdown and decomposes.
   2. If that is true,
      1. what then if the spirit has something wrong with it?
   3. Conversely, what happens when the spirit functions as God intended it?
      1. Unless something goes wrong with the body,
      2. the spirit/body combination will continue for a long time.
   4. Just consider these tidbits from the Book of Proverbs,
      
      25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
      But a good word makes it glad.
      (Pro 12.25)

      13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
      But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
      (Pro 15.13)

      15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
      But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
      (Pro 15.15)

      24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
      Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
      (Pro 16.24)

      22 A merry heart does good, like medicine,
      But a broken spirit dries the bones.
      (Pro 17.22)
      

      1. The state of the spirit,
      2. the state of the mind,
      3. the state of the heart,
         1. all affect the life,
         2. in particular the life of the body.