Whenever new research would emerge that seemed to contradict the truths found in the Holy Scriptures, the late pastor Dr. Adrian Rogers would say with conviction:
“Just be patient. Science will eventually catch up with the Bible.”
It always does.
Amidst the raging debates over abortion, gender confusion and other lifestyle choices popularized, (and wreaking havoc today) it’s the wisdom and counsel about those issues from thousands of years ago that holds up over the long-term and provides clarity in the chaos.
Whether it’s the inane claim that men can conceive and bear children or that babies themselves aren’t human beings, all we need to do is look to the Scriptures to debunk and dismiss the foolishness of “woke” professors and activists blind to the truth.
Yes, there are only two genders (Genesis 1:27), and pre-born babies are a gift from God (Psalm 139:13-16).
Because the Bible is inspired, infallible, and inerrant, we can be assured that it’s also reliable, timeless, and relevant.
Not all the issues are heavy. Some are downright practical. Case in point – a series of stories publicized this past weekend highlighting new studies and science about how we care for our bodies.
Saturday’s Wall Street Journal touted a new study declaring that a good night’s sleep is good for your heart.
“The more we learn, the more we know how instrumental sleep is to heart health,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and director of the university’s sleep center.
Dr. St-Onge shared that solid sleep restores the body’s circadian rhythms, reduces inflammation, and helps to maintain healthy hormone levels and metabolism.
The Bible has been affirming the health benefits of rest for thousands of years. While too much sleep can cause problems (Proverbs 20:13), it’s also used by God to create, restore and rejuvenate. Rest comes in various forms – physical, mental and spiritual. God modeled the need for setting aside time to recover by taking the seventh day off. It’s not that He needs a break – but He knows we do.
This same weekend, The New York Times shined light on a new, wide-ranging study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggesting the elixir to good health is a balanced combination of nutrition and exercise. In other words, you can’t always depend on running off all those sugary calories.
The call for balance is a recurring theme of the Bible. The development of self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23), and the writer of Ecclesiastes spoke elegantly that “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (3:1).
Yet another study out this weekend in The Lancet, a leading medical journal, concluded that people under 40 are at the greatest risk of negative effects of alcohol consumption. According to the story, if you were under 40, there are “zero benefits” associated with drinking.
Christians hold to differing convictions regarding alcohol, but surely there is a consensus on the negative consequences for youth. But it was in Proverbs we read about those who drink to excess: “It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights” (31:4-5).
There is even research suggesting faithful church attendance can lengthen your life between five and nine years.
Why?
“Churchgoers tend to engage in positive behaviors including high social interaction and lower rates of alcohol and drug abuse,” said Dr. Bill Fiala, a licensed psychologist and professor in Azusa Pacific University’s Department of Higher Education. “In addition, religious support and coping are both related to positive outcomes in mental health.”
Everybody dies eventually, of course, and no matter how careful and self-disciplined you might be, bad things still happen. Chalk it up to the product of a fallen, sinful world. It’s nevertheless still fun and helpful to read the news through the lens of the Scriptures.
But on your journey and when in doubt, keep in mind the great observation of Dr. E. Stanley Jones, the famed American missionary to India.
“When man listens, God speaks,” he said. “When man obeys, God acts. When man prays, God empowers.”
As you consume news, listen, obey and pray to the Lord – it’s a trustworthy trifecta that leads to truth and a more joyful life.
The post 3 Studies on Sleep, Exercise and Diet Affirm What the Bible Has Taught for Thousands of Years: Christian Living is Good for You appeared first on Daily Citizen.
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