Why did people in the Bible live so long? I have heard that after the Flood, it changed the climate dramatically, therefore having a huge impact on humans.  I was just curious what the real answer is or if it is just a ‘best guess’ kind of thing.

Sincerely,
Older By The Minute

Dear Older By The Minute,

There is no specific answer as to why God allowed the age of man to deteriorate down to seventy to eighty years (Ps 90:10) from the hundreds of years that people lived during the pre-Flood era, but many creation scientists attribute the drop to genetic degradation.  As mankind’s genetic pool has deteriorated from the perfect specimens of Adam and Eve, the length of our lives has suffered.  At least, that is one theory.

Think of it this way, Adam and Eve were the most healthy, well-made humans ever.  They were genetic royalty!  Everyone since them has been just a little less perfect.  That is the way genetics work.  Slowly over time, genetic mutations (like hemophilia, Down's Syndrome, etc.) have crept into the genetic code of mankind, and other genetic traits have been lost.  This slow process of erosion has brought us to the point where we are today.  Our bodies are genetically inferior to the earlier generations of mankind, and consequently, can't survive as long.  As you said, another factor may simply be that the post-Flood world is harsher than the pre-Flood world, and that has added to our shortened lifespans.

Like you said, there isn't a definitive answer – it's more of a ‘best guess’ thing.

     Is it okay to call people things like a hypocrite, liar, selfish, ignorant, stuck-up, bully, etc. under any circumstances?

Sincerely,
Piping Up

Dear Piping Up,

In almost all circumstances, it is wrong to call people these things because most of the time people use these words to lash out in anger and frustration.  God makes it clear that we shouldn’t do that (Matt 5:21-22).  Though it is okay to be angry, we should never sin in that anger (Eph 4:26).

There are times, though, that Jesus called people liars or hypocrites because they truly were, and they needed to be exposed for the greater good (Matt 23:13).  Jesus was careful to only use that sort of harsh language in the most extreme of circumstances and with only the most hard-hearted of individuals – we should follow His lead (1 Cor 11:1).

     I remember you said one time some of you guys could read Koine Greek.  I have heard it said that Greek is almost never translated into English correctly.  They may take two Greek words with two meanings and put them into one English word. So can you read the Textus Receptus and, let’s say, Westcott Hort Greek text?  If so, how can someone like me who can’t read Koine Greek be able to look up the Greek words?  For example, if I am reading the Bible and want to look up the word ‘blood’ in the Greek and find the meaning, how can I?

Sincerely,
Monolingual

Dear Monolingual,

Whoever told you that Greek is never translated into English correctly… is incorrect.  There are many wonderful English word-for-word translations of the Bible.  The King James, New King James, American Standard, New American Standard, and English Standard versions are all excellent.  Thousands of Greek scholars have poured over those translations to make sure that they are accurate renderings of the Greek language.  Sometimes translations will take two words from the first language and translate them into one in the second – they also will do the opposite.  This is part of accurate translating; each language has varying words with varying colors and definitions; the translator’s job is to accurately convey one language into another, and sometimes, it takes more or less words to do that.

If you want to be able to look up Greek definitions yourself, the easiest way is to use a Strong’s numbered Bible and a Strong’s numbered Bible dictionary.  Strong’s numbering assigns a number for each Greek word in the Bible, so you can look up definitions without actually knowing the words.  Just find the number in the Bible, and then look up the definition using the same number.  A word of caution, Strong’s numbers only provide definitions; they don’t cover the grammatical elements of the Greek language.

     Exactly what is the difference between our souls and our spirit?

Sincerely,
Soul-Splitter

Dear Soul-Splitter,

The words ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are used interchangeably in almost every circumstance.  There is only one verse that points to the fact that there is a difference between your soul and your spirit.  In Heb 4:12, it says that the Bible can pierce even to the divide between soul and spirit.  Apparently, there is a difference between your spirit and your soul… but we have absolutely no idea what that difference is.  As we said, in every other verse, those two terms are used as synonyms.  We could theorize for hours on the topic, but anything we said would simply be conjecture.  As far as we can tell from Scripture, both terms are used to talk about that ungraspable spark of life (where? – we have no idea) in every human that exists even after death.

     Let me start off by saying I'm not trying to hate on overweight people.  I understand not everyone can help it, but my question is: is being obese or overweight because of being lazy (not exercising or eating right) a sin? 1 Cornithians 6:19-20 tells us that our bodies are temples of God.  And 1 Cornthians 3:16-17 tells us that anyone who defiles the temple of God, God will destroy.  So isn't being obese (like not taking care of yourself to the point of obesity) a sin because of the risks of sickness and diseases from obesity?

Sincerely,
Fed Up With Fat

Dear Fed Up With Fat,

Physical health is important, but it shouldn’t be overemphasized.  Physical health is certainly a blessing (3 Jhn 1:2). Paul mentions that there is value, (not high value, but value nonetheless) in physical fitness training (1 Tim. 4:8). Paul told Timothy to make sure and take care of his stomach ailment (1 Tim 5:23). He also mentions that your body is a temple that ought to be used to glorify God (1 Cor 6:19-20).

On the other hand, fatness is also often associated with blessings (Pr 11:25, Pr 15:30). Everyone recognizes that a few extra pounds are a greater blessing than not enough.

The issue comes down to whether or not we care for our bodies – which are gifts from God. If someone woefully neglects their body (through gluttony, poisoning it by doing drugs or smoking, taking excessive risks of bodily injury, etc.), they are sinning. As we make decisions regarding our own health, we must be sure to avoid judging others in this area. The definition of ‘healthy’ is up for debate even among top nutritional scientists. A healthy body and lifestyle will look different for every person. All you can control is yourself. We must strive to live with a good conscience (Heb 13:18) and consider how to glorify God with our bodies.