Christian Benefits

Psalm 128:1  ¹  Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!

Last year I watched a TED Talk by A.  J. Jacobs on the subject of his book The Year of Living Biblically.  Mr Jacobs spent a year trying to live by the rules and laws in the Bible, Old and New Testaments.  Some of what he went through as an agnostic was funny, but the best parts were how his life changed through taking seriously some of what the Bible teaches.

Now, he did get a bit messed up trying to live the Old Testament Law in 21^st Century America, but overall, it was a good experience for him.  He gave shepherding a try and found it very relaxing.  As a work a-holic, it meant a lot to Mr. Jacobs.

Giving thanks was a new experience.  He found His attitude toward life changed by just giving thanks for the dozens of good things that happen every day rather than just thinking about the few bad things.  Gratitude, he discovered, is the key to happiness.

He came to understand reverence and ritual have “something good and beautiful” about them.  When we begin to value rituals more, we can see advantages to us mentally.  He asked a Conservative Jew why he separated his clothing so he did not mix fibers.  The Jew said he didn’t know, but God knows.  Jacobs said he told the fellow he was crazy.  The Jewish man asked, how much more rational is it to set fire atop a birthday cake only to blow out the candles?

Rituals cause us to remember things, events, moments that mean something to us.  When I go to a wedding, the ritual reminds me of the ritual my wife and I went through over 50 years ago.  I remember the purity of the bride walking down the aisle toward me.  I remember declaring my love for her before dozens of friends and family members.  I remember the friend I hadn’t seen for years.  It warms my heart, and I am grateful for that memory.

Jacobs also said how observing the Sabbath, taking one day off each week to do nothing taught him to slow down and enjoy life more.

He learned not to stereotype people.  Once he set aside his preconceived notions, he found it much easier to talk with people he didn’t know or understand.  He learned a lot about others and about himself.

All of this prompted me to think about what else living biblically does for people.  Of course, our greatest benefit is our eternal life by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus.  Think, though, of the troubles in our world today.  Universal biblical living would go a long way to solve those issues. 

Don’t commit criminal acts, and you won’t end up in jail, you won’t have children who would need to grow up without you or parents who weep nightly for you.  Don’t have sex outside of marriage, and you won’t have to deal with unwanted pregnancies resulting in a lot of terrible consequences: children growing up without a father, mothers having to live in poverty because they had to leave school to support a single parent family.

Commitment to a Christian walk prevents these things and so many more.

Why is this important?

Mr. Jacobs learned even as a non-believer, living by biblical standards leads to a much happier and fulfilling life.

There’s an old philosophical axiom: “God doesn’t say things because they’re good.  They’re good because God says them.”

God doesn’t give us commandments because He wants to punish us or because He wants to see us squirm.  God’s commands are good.  They produce good results when followed.  Christians are, as a rule, happier people than non-believers.  We have hope in the darkest of times.  We have joy even in unhappy circumstances.  A good Christian life is not a perfect one, but it seldom causes the damage a non-Christian life often does.

Christians can be blessed whether rich or poor, famous or unknown, heads of families or children, employers or employees, healthy or sick.  God wants us to be blessed, and following what He tells us is the shortest road to that blessedness.

Psalm 119: 1-3  Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!