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Thank you for your question. It relates to the age-old question of predestination which has been argued by theologians for centuries. It is probably not one which will ever have a satisfactory answer this side of heaven. Predestination relates not only to the question of salvation (who is "chosen" and who is not) but also to life and everything related to man.
It is certain that God "ordains" the number of our days before we are even conceived. Psalm 139:16 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." So, in that sense, it seems that God has predetermined the number of our days and nothing we can do will change that.
However, if one takes other scriptures into account it seems that our actions have great impact on the length of our lives. For example, Ephesians 6:2-3 says, "Honor your father and mother... that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Simply put, the way we treat our parents has direct impact on the length of our lives.
In Romans 1, in several places, we are told that as a result of man's sin "God gave them over" to further depths of sin, meaning that God lifted his restraining hand and allowed evil to further impact their lives due to their continuing decisions to live sinful lifestyles. And James 1:15 tells us that sin ultimately results in death. While James is referring to spiritual death I believe there is also evidence sin results in premature physical death.
In the Old Testament we have numerous examples of how God brought judgment (and death) upon individuals and nations for their sinful ways. Actions were certainly a determining factor in many of those deaths.
I believe that while God is certainly sovereign and has "ordained" (or predetermined) the number of our days, He also has power to "adjust" those numbers based on our actions. Reckless living can result in God removing His hand of protection and in so doing "adjusting" the length of our lives. Conversely, a life lived by God's principles can significantly "increase" the number of our days (i.e. Healthy living results in healthier bodies; safe driving reduces the risk of being killed in an accident; etc.).
An excellent example of God "changing his mind" with regard to the length of someone's life is found in II Kings 20:1-6. King Hezekiah received word through Isaiah the prophet that God had said he should put his house in order because he was not going to get well, but would die. Hezekiah prayed, asking for a longer life, and God extended his life by fifteen years (v. 6).
Bottom line is that while God has "ordained" the number of our days, He can also adjust those based on the choices we make in life. We ought to live in such a way as to always please Him and ought always to treat our body as the "temple of the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 3:16). In fact, the next verse tells us, "If anyone destroys God's temple (meaning our bodies), God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." Let's live to honor Him.
God bless you.
Pastor Lee
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