Can man's science and medicine save or prolong life?

[StewardoftheMystery]

I proposed this question several years ago. Can man’s science and medicine save, or prolong life? Most people would say yes, but I disagree. To start, I guess it would be best to define Life. That is, how is our physical body animated, and how are we made alive?

Jesus said in John 6:63 that it is the Spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. Jesus also said the words He spoke are Spirit, and they are Life. And we know God created and gave life to all living things by His Word, which is Spirit. So it is God’s Spirit that gives Life to our physical bodies, and when the Spirit of Life departs, the body is dead without the Spirit.

So the question is, does man have the power to keep the Spirit of life from departing the body? That is to say, does man have the power to save or prolong life in man by his science and medicine?

The answer is right here in Ecclesiastes 8:8 “There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”

So if no man has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of his death, then why do men boast they can save or prolong Life? I believe this is a false belief and false stronghold of this world that boasts itself against the knowledge of God.

If you want to prolong, or save your life, put your trust in God and in His words, and not in men. Peace

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

With all due respect, I understand what you're getting at, but God did repeatedly instruct his people to honor their parents - so your days may be long. That's the 5th commandment, and it's not limited to your own parents, but usually extended to the past generations and the wise traditions they held on to. As you have concluded, we don't have the power to prolong our earthly life. However, our own choice of lifestyle can dramtaically speed up or slow down the aging process. A godly, obedient lifestyle could steer you in the right trajectory and allow you to live happily and healthily up to the full potential that God has granted you; an ungodly, rebellious lifestyle, on the other hand, could bring you down into an early grave.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

With all due respect, I understand what you're getting at, but God did repeatedly instruct his people to honor their parents - so your days may be long.

That is why it is called the first command with a promise.
Ephesians 6:2
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

But notice what I said in the OP….

If you want to prolong, or save your life, put your trust in God and in His words, and not in men. Peace

As you have concluded, we don't have the power to prolong our earthly life.

Yes, the thread is about man making the boast that he has power over the Spirit, to retain the spirit of life. If man had power over the Spirit of God, then he would be like God and be able to raise the dead by the Spirit. But we know man’s science and medicine does not have that power.

However, our own choice of lifestyle can dramtaically speed up or slow down the aging process. A godly, obedient lifestyle could steer you in the right trajectory and allow you to live happily and healthily up to the full potential that God has granted you;

1 Timothy 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.

an ungodly, rebellious lifestyle, on the other hand, could bring you down into an early grave.

Sometimes the righteous die early, and the wicked live long lives.

Ecclesiastes 7:15
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

1 Timothy 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.

Paul also wrote in 2 Thess. 3:7-10 that he and his companions worked hard to earn their stay, and "bodily exercise" was surely involved in the "hard labor" in 3:8. This verse clearly says that godliness is profitable unto ALL THINGS, including but not limited to physical wellbeing.

Sometimes the righteous die early, and the wicked live long lives.

Yes, but as a matter of fact, the brain may rapidly degenerate long before the heart stops beating, just take the president for example. Mental health should be taken into consideration.

 

[GodB4Us]

I proposed this question several years ago. Can man’s science and medicine save, or prolong life? Most people would say yes, but I disagree. To start, I guess it would be best to define Life. That is, how is our physical body animated, and how are we made alive?

Jesus said in John 6:63 that it is the Spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. Jesus also said the words He spoke are Spirit, and they are Life. And we know God created and gave life to all living things by His Word, which is Spirit. So it is God’s Spirit that gives Life to our physical bodies, and when the Spirit of Life departs, the body is dead without the Spirit.

So the question is, does man have the power to keep the Spirit of life from departing the body? That is to say, does man have the power to save or prolong life in man by his science and medicine?

The answer is right here in Ecclesiastes 8:8 “There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”

So if no man has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of his death, then why do men boast they can save or prolong Life? I believe this is a false belief and false stronghold of this world that boasts itself against the knowledge of God.

If you want to prolong, or save your life, put your trust in God and in His words, and not in men. Peace

I think the battle is in the question of our responsibility of maintaining the quality of life if not somehow by it, adding to the length of our life. Perhaps the delusion is there?

Matthew 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Once He help us to turn over the quality as well as the length of our lives to Him, we may have peace of mind on that matter.

It gets hard to do when society has made you dependent on insulin when you are a diabetic or other medicine for other health problems. Sometimes it takes turning that over to Him also even though one has to take the medicine.

It does make one think that maybe they should not be alive this long; but then again, there are others like us that are diabetics and have other illnesses that maybe we are this way for Him to minister to others by?

1 Corinthians 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

So even when we think we are worthless to Him in ministry, and you hate what you have to go through, maybe just taking one day at a time with the Lord in walking with Him is the point of the matter as a witness to others? You'd never know. until you get Home of what He had used you for and we shall praise Him for that also.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

Another question would be, why are Christians afraid of dying?

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Another question would be, why are Christians afraid of dying?

Because the body slowly deteriorates. If it's a quick death, then a real Christian would not be afraid of.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

Because the body slowly deteriorates. If it's a quick death, then a real Christian would not be afraid of.

Either quick or slow, a born again Christian should not afraid of death.

Ecclesiastes 7:1
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

 

[God's Truth]

I proposed this question several years ago. Can man’s science and medicine save, or prolong life? Most people would say yes, but I disagree. To start, I guess it would be best to define Life. That is, how is our physical body animated, and how are we made alive?

Jesus said in John 6:63 that it is the Spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. Jesus also said the words He spoke are Spirit, and they are Life. And we know God created and gave life to all living things by His Word, which is Spirit. So it is God’s Spirit that gives Life to our physical bodies, and when the Spirit of Life departs, the body is dead without the Spirit.

That is not what that scripture means.

The people thought Jesus meant to literally eat his flesh, so Jesus explained it would not profit them to literally eat his flesh.

Our flesh does profit us something though.

Jesus suffered and and died for us, by his stripes we are healed, he was pierced in the flesh for our sins.

So the question is, does man have the power to keep the Spirit of life from departing the body?

We all have our own spirit, and the saved have another Spirit to live with them forever.

That is to say, does man have the power to save or prolong life in man by his science and medicine?

That can happen.

God gives the ability to humans to do great things.

God also gave herbs and trees for our medicine.

The answer is right here in Ecclesiastes 8:8 “There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”

Hezekiah asked for more years and received it.

There was a king who had an illness and many doctors, but the prophet said he should have asked God to heal him.

So if no man has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of his death, then why do men boast they can save or prolong Life? I believe this is a false belief and false stronghold of this world that boasts itself against the knowledge of God.

If you want to prolong, or save your life, put your trust in God and in His words, and not in men. Peace

You are giving mixed and contradictory messages.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

That is not what that scripture means.

The people thought Jesus meant to literally eat his flesh, so Jesus explained it would not profit them to literally eat his flesh.

Our flesh does profit us something though.

Jesus suffered and and died for us, by his stripes we are healed, he was pierced in the flesh for our sins.

We all have our own spirit, and the saved have another Spirit to live with them forever.

That can happen.

God gives the ability to humans to do great things.

God also gave herbs and trees for our medicine.

Hezekiah asked for more years and received it.

There was a king who had an illness and many doctors, but the prophet said he should have asked God to heal him.

You are giving mixed and contradictory messages.

Shew fly

Ecclesiastes 10:1
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: …

 

[God's Truth]

Shew fly

Ecclesiastes 10:1
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: …

Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Matthew 9:34
But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons."

Matthew 10:25
It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

 

[God's Truth]

2 Chronicles 16

The Death and Burial of Asa

11And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

 

[God's Truth]

Ezekiel 47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Isaiah 38:21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

Another question would be, why are Christians afraid of dying?

John 11:26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

 

[GodB4Us]

Another question would be, why are Christians afraid of dying?

I'm not. But I admit I am afraid of surviving a near death experience and then by that event, my quality of life would be worse than it is now. Under the current oppression, the Lord would have to perform more of a miracle than what He is doing now for getting me through this betrayal as well as the worst American nightmare any American can go through. But I digress.

I am not at that stage yet to rejoice in my persecution but I am thankful to the Father in Jesus's name for His peace in carrying me through it all.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

I'm not. But I admit I am afraid of surviving a near death experience and then by that event, my quality of life would be worse than it is now. Under the current oppression, the Lord would have to perform more of a miracle than what He is doing now for getting me through this betrayal as well as the worst American nightmare any American can go through. But I digress.

I am not at that stage yet to rejoice in my persecution but I am thankful to the Father in Jesus's name for His peace in carrying me through it all.

Not sure what you mean by betrayal and nightmare, but whatever it is, keep the faith and put your trust in the Lord.

 

[GodB4Us]

Not sure what you mean by betrayal and nightmare, but whatever it is, keep the faith and put your trust in the Lord.

I trust & hope in Jesus Christ as my Good Shepherd & Friend to keep me from falling and to present me faultless to His glory.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Either quick or slow, a born again Christian should not afraid of death.

Ecclesiastes 7:1
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

No, not death, but DYING, either in a deathbed, a rocking chair or any other place. Big difference.