That Your Days May Be Long

The article in the Washington Post announced, "Study Finds Regular Churchgoers Get More Life Out of Life." Its lead paragraph said, "Live longer, go to church. A major study of church attendance and mortality indicates that people who attend church every week live an average of seven years longer than people who never attend."

Life expectancy was 53.3 years beyond the age of 20 for people who never attend church. For those who regularly attend at least once a week, the increase was 61.9 years. For those who attended more regularly, there was an extra year added to that, making life expectancy for them, 83. The study was funded partially by the National Science Foundation. Other studies had noted a positive link between religion and physical and mental health. But this was the first study on a national level. Suggested explanations are that frequent churchgoers are less likely to engage in "unhealthful" behavior of the less principled. There are also the supportive ties between members. And there is the possibility that worship decreases the stress which is at the root of many illnesses.

While germs, viruses, and genetic flaws can appear at random striking anyone, it should not surprise us that even approximation to God and righteousness is beneficial even in this life. Even religion that is deficient would have benefit as it approached the ideal. In emphasis on God rather than self, upon excellence rather than indulgence, upon principle rather than pleasure, there is bound to be some benefit. The response of the unprincipled leaders of our day is predictable. There will be the sit-com canned laugh line, "Religious people don't live longer, it just seems longer." But that denies the actual math, doesn't it? They just don't understand that the pleasures of righteousness are not so fleeting as theirs, which need a constant "fix" in new indulgence.

Here are some relevant promises of God. "Godliness is profitable... having the promise of the life which now is, and of the life which is to come" (I Tim. 4:8). There is national benefit as well as personal. Immediately after giving the Ten Commandments, and teaching love for God, Israel was required to do "right and good, that it may be well with you" (Dt. 6:18). Moses said the commandments to fear the Lord, "are for our good always, that He might preserve us" (Dt. 6:24 ). And in the Commandments is a requirement and blessing. "Honor your father and mother that your days may be long in the land" (Ex. 20:12 ). Of course it was understood that the parents were walking in and teaching God's laws.

The results of the above study were declared long ago by Peter. He said there is a "blessing" in righteousness, and then declared the blessing: "He that would love life and see good days... let him turn away from evil and do good... For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto their supplication (I Pet. 3:8-12). Living longer is not going to convert lovers of sin and haters of righteousness. Nor is it going to make us love God more. It is faith that humbly and joyfully compels us to the feet of God to worship Him. The advantage is icing on the cake and some vindication in the face of the assault on faith and piety. And thank God for that gift. But especially for the hope we have in Christ for eternal life in utter joy and undiluted blessedness. -- Dale Smelser

Why Do the Elite Want to Censor Jesus

No, the word "censor" is not too strong. You can stand in public and proclaim or carry a sign advocating limitless causes. Freedom of Speech and all that. Let someone go public with anything Christian and a climate has been created so that the perception is that it violates the separation of church and state. Never mind that the first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
The original wording of the fist clause helps us understand the intention of the framers of the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law establishing articles of faith" (National Archives). That’s it. There was to be no state religion. But, the restrictions placed on religious expression, note, restrictions placed on religious expression, prohibit that which is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Yes, many of these restrictions and prohibitions violate the Constitution in prohibiting the free exercise of religion. But one says, the Supreme Court has limited that expression. Yes, but you can read the words of the Constitution and marvel at that. Certain judges have a stake in squelching the gospel, and it appears their ambitions prevailed more than their legal knowledge. Why would they do that? Why, indeed? For reasons similar to those who hounded Jesus, spied on him, and plotted his death. Some present judges, educators, and politically elite find Jesus dangerous to their agendas. In this they are like the treacherous high priests Annas and Caiaphas, like Herod, and even Pilate who initially and officially found no fault in Jesus, yet gave in to pressure and sentenced him to death.
"But hearing about Jesus is offensive to some." So? I am constantly offended with profane use of the name of God, and the crude vulgarities people have been given the right to spout. I tire of hearing shallow comedians mock truths I hold dear. Let expression and ideas compete. That is freedom. Right now there is an uneven playing field. There are no limits to where the religion of Jesus may be criticized. But there are prohibitions upon where they may be advocated. And free people advocating their faith, or praying in public, is not the same as Congress making a law to establish a religion.
But why do the elite fear Jesus so? It seems the elite always have. Jesus healed a man’s withered arm in a synagogue. The response of the leaders? "They were filled with madness and communed with one another what they might do with Jesus" (Lk. 6:11). Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after being in the tomb for four days. Just as expressions of the power of Christ today, that had to be squelched: "The chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many...believed on Jesus" (Jn. 12:10-11). If the people follow Jesus they might lose their power over the people. Similarly, the "high priests" of our secularism must get information about Christ out of sight.
Why? It really boils down to this. They do not hate the Bible and its message because it teaches kindness, or love of neighbor. They hate it because they want no restrictions on their sexuality, whether abortion which is a cure for their immorality, or same sex unions. Kill Lazarus. Get Jesus out of the public square. The elite today find Jesus a road block to their ambitions, just as the elite in Palestine did 2,000 years ago. And politicians who voluntarily give in to pressure and eliminate Jesus from the public square, act out of the same motives as Pilate, their brother, their own ambitions.
Would you like to learn more about Christ? Would you like to take your stand with us and refuse to be silenced about this greatest love ever shown for man. Email us: dalsmelser@aol.com. Check our web site: www.nwchurchofchrist.net