How Long Would You Like To Live?

WHEN things go well, life is enjoyable. The thought of living on and on, even forever, may well appeal to you. But then hardships, perhaps great obstacles and tragedies, may enter your life. Yet, even then, you are not eager to die.

The fact is that people generally cling to life, cost what it may. In 1974, in the United States alone, cancer patients paid out seven billion dollars in an effort to stop that killer and continue living.

The New York Times of July 22, 1974, reported concerning a cancer patient, a doctor, who used every conceivable means to fight his illness and yet died at the age of thirty-nine, as follows:

“There are many other dying patients who, like Dr. Leinbach, put up a fight to the very last. . . . Their will to live is a basic human instinct . . . his widow insisted that every day he managed to stay alive was of great value to him. ‘Of all the things Gary wanted,’ she said, ‘it was life.’ . . . Just before his death, she had asked him if he considered the vigor of his efforts to stay alive worthwhile. She said he had answered clearly: ‘Yes.’”

When we have health there is a tendency to take life for granted. A magazine writer, after a brush with death during a serious illness, writes: “I don’t know when I have been so happy in terms of enjoying the simplest things​—things which I had taken completely for granted before. I sometimes laugh at myself. It’s like going through a second childhood. I enjoy a drink of water. I enjoy a piece of fruit. I enjoy the sunlight. I go into my garden and look at the trees. I discover that I had never really seen what a tree looked like in all those years that I had good health. And I enjoy the birds’ singing​—just everything!”

A teacher of philosophy expressed the sentiment of many others when he said: “It is outrageous that such a beautiful phenomenon as intelligent, sentient life should be encased in such fleeting vulnerable bodies.”

Potential to Live How Long?

One may grant that it is reasonable that man should live much longer, even forever, but is it scientifically possible? In its discussion of “Death,” under the subheading “Potential Immortality,” the Encyclopædia Britannica (1959 ed., Vol. 7, p. 112A) states:

“It may fairly be said that the potential immortality of all essential cellular elements of the body either has been fully demonstrated, or has been carried far enough to make the probability very great, that properly conducted experiments would demonstrate the continuance of the life of these cells in culture to any indefinite extent.”

Of course, this is the result of an experiment with cells in the laboratory. The Encyclopædia goes on to say that the cause of death is not surely known (that is, death by degeneration, old age). It may be from cell deterioration in the body. Or it may be from a gradual breaking down of organized functions of the cells and their inability to “cooperate” within a total organism, rather than the dying off of individual cells, which, when destroyed, are, in the natural process, replaced by new cells. An exception to this restorative ability’ is found in the nerve cells, which, when destroyed, are not replaceable. However, a damaged nerve cell can heal itself. Even a severed nerve, if properly sutured, can regenerate itself, though healing of the nerves is a relatively slow process.

Says Gary K. Frykman, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the Loma Linda, California, School of Medicine, where one or two attachments of severed fingers are performed every month: “If more than one finger has been lost, or a thumb, the patient may feel that he needs to have them reattached to carry out his job, or even for cosmetic reasons.”

Frykman continues: “Under those circumstances, we tell the patient there is a 50-50 chance that we can reattach the fingers or thumb successfully, but we warn him that it may be several months before he will be able to get anything like full use out of them.” Thus, nerves do possess regenerative or healing power.

What Hope from the Scientific Field?

Medical researchers have labored hard and long on ways to delay aging and to prolong life. Can we look to them with hope? They can help a little. But there is no solid evidence of any progress toward a dramatic increase in the human life-span. The increase of the average life expectancy during the past fifty years is due primarily to a decrease in infant and child mortality. Writing in Bestways magazine, Graduate Pharmacist Louis Stambovsky decries the fact that mankind, maturing at twenty-one years of age, lives only about forty or fifty years of mature life. He calls attention to this interesting fact:

“It seems that every mammal [among animals] who lives in the manner and intent normal for his species, lives six to seven times its maturity age. The horse matures in about three years and dies between 18 and 21. The dog reaches a total growth in about three years and should attain the same span as the horse. This formula is applicable to the monkey, cat, bear, etc. Man’s maturity age is 21. By parallel deduction, he should live between 120 and 140 years.”

What prospect do science and medicine hold out? The Scientific American, summing up the matter, said:

“Even if the major causes of death in old age​—heart disease, stroke and cancer—​were eliminated, the average life expectancy would not be lengthened by much more than 10 years. It would then be about 80 years instead of the expectancy of about 70 years that now prevails in advanced countries.”

These statements are in agreement with the Bible writer Moses, who described the experience of most persons who reach old age: “In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things; for it must quickly pass by, and away we fly.”​—Ps. 90:10.

No Reason to Give Up

Do these sobering facts mean that a young person should not care for life, to make it as long as possible, or that an aged person should give up the idea of doing any worthwhile work or of making any contribution to the welfare of his fellowman? Not at all. We can take courage from a statement by Pharmacist Stambovsky.’

“Longevity . . . can be of inestimable value to the community, to the nation and to the world. Such persons are rich in valuable experience, gained through years of trial and error, successes and failures. Witness Edison whose fertile brain was active in the eighties; Gladstone was selected prime minister of England at 60, many years ago when 60 was really ancient, a position he held until 82. Walter Damrosch embarked upon a career as a concert pianist at 78.”

There are reasons, then, for doing the best we can with this life. How can it be made more enjoyable and profitable? Furthermore, is there an even better hope​—that of everlasting life? Let us survey the matter further.

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A HORSE MUTURES IN 3 YEARS. MATURE LIFE-SPAN IS 6 TIMES AS LONG.

A DOG MATURES IN 3 YEARS. MATURE LIFE-SPAN IS 6 TIMES AS LONG.

A MAN MATURES IN 21 YEARS, BUT MATURE LIFE-SPAN IS ONLY 3 ¹⁄₂ TIMES AS LONG.

Doing What We Can to Maintain a Better Life

EVEN though medical efforts to lengthen life have achieved only slight success, this does not mean that each individual should not do what he can to reach the age of seventy years, or even more, and particularly, to make his life a better one. For, whatever a person might do to extend his life-span, it is of little profit unless his life can be reasonably happy and of some benefit to others.

Many are the ideas put forth today for attaining to longer life​—“health” foods, diets and exercises, both physical and mental. It is a common sight to see health seekers jogging down city streets and country roads. Health magazines and health-food stores abound. Thousands of psychiatrists serve as personal analysts, and there are devotees of various forms of meditation. Environmentalists fight for reduction of pollution that now menaces health in all countries.

It is certainly good to be concerned with our health and to use reasonable precautions to avoid detrimental things. A sensible diet, a reasonable amount of exercise, and care to avoid polluting our environment for the sake of ourselves and others, are all beneficial. It is obvious that excesses of any sort can be instrumental in shortening the life-span. In this classification would fall alcoholism, drug addiction and overnutrition.

Measures That Can Reasonably Be Taken

Carefulness and alertness can prevent sudden termination of our life-span. Great care in driving a car and in crossing streets would preserve tens of thousands of lives. Older persons can avoid the overexertion and fatigue caused by shoveling snow or any unusually strenuous activity. Everyone, young and old, can be seriously affected by overanxiety and tension as a result of rushing to keep pace with the business or social world. Hypertension, brought on to a great degree by modern living, is one of the worst killers of our time.

Vital also to longevity is the proper care of children in their earliest years. Says Graduate Pharmacist Louis Stambovsky:

“When should preventive measures commence to prevent the so-called diseases of old age? As early as possible, even at the moment of conception. We cannot build a strong machine, if the mother’s building materials are inadequate, quantitatively or qualitatively. Pre-natal dietary fortification has achieved amazing results. Controlled studies reveal dramatic evidence of such supplementation; the offspring were superior in every respect and the mother also benefited by uncomplicated delivery with less post partum complications. Assuming that we have a normal child entering the world, a sufficiency of constructional and functional nutritional bio-chemicals are vital from here on if we are to strive for a disease-free long life. . . . Many or most of the pathologies observed during the ‘golden years,’ were germinated during childhood and young adulthood.”

This same authority, discussing causes of overweight, a danger to long life, makes the interesting observation:

“The third origin of obesity commences during babyhood and childhood. Overfeeding during these periods will create an abnormal number of fat cells that never fully disappear. . . . these persons remain fat even after excessive intake ceases and perhaps remain so permanently throughout their entire lives.”

A Better Way

But, after all is said and done along health lines, who knows exactly what is good for the human body? To a great extent each individual has to find out for himself what foods, exercises, and so forth, are practical and helpful for him. Even then, it is virtually impossible to get all the needed vitamins, minerals, proteins and other essentials in the right proportions and combinations. With the adulterated, processed foods and the pollution of air and water and even of vegetables, meats and fruit, a person cannot avoid some of the things that damage his health.

Therefore, it is appropriate to consider very seriously the Bible’s statement: “Bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” In view of this fact, the counsel is given: “Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim.”​—1 Tim. 4:7, 8.

What is meant by “godly devotion”? Well, the Bible describes it simply as doing what is right as directed by the Creator. He said to those who professed to serve him: “He has told you, O earthling man, what is good. And what is Jehovah [God] asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God?”​—Mic. 6:8.

How will the pursuing of godly devotion prove to be the desirable and most beneficial thing? First of all, truthful, honest dealings will eliminate much trouble in your family and among friends and business associates. Honesty will prevent anguish of mind through qualms of conscience. It will induce others to trust in you. Even though your honesty may at times cause you financial loss because you refuse to enter into a dishonest arrangement or to lie to gain a point, those who practice honesty have found that, even in this dishonest world, it pays off in the long run.

To be able to practice complete truthfulness and honesty, a person needs a guide. The Bible is the most reliable guide. Also, it is a great incentive to honesty to know that, not only are people observing your fruitful course, but the Creator sees it and will reward you in the way that will be most beneficial to you. Jesus Christ said of people’s reaction to wholehearted, honest, generous action: “Practice giving, and people will give to you. They will pour into your laps a fine measure, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing. For with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you in return.”​—Luke 6:38.

And as to God’s concern for the person who does what is right because of his love for his Creator and for truth and justice, the Bible says: “As regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.”​—2 Chron. 16:9; Ps. 34:15.

Practicality of Truthful, Honest Conduct

Will the honest, truthful course really prove to be practicable? Examples can be cited that answer Yes. Probably you yourself have found that this is true. Jehovah’s Witnesses have found that it is so. Many people acknowledge that the Witnesses conscientiously follow what they believe to be Scripturally right. They have come from all backgrounds, but have changed their former course of life and, to the best of their ability, have conformed to Scriptural principles. Some experiences may be related briefly that show that truthfulness and honesty, not only contribute toward a good conscience, but also are conducive to better relations with others and bring good to the one adhering to right principles.

In Sweden, where unemployment is an increasing problem, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses applied for a job and was carefully questioned by the managing director and his assistants. After a pause the manager asked: “Do you belong to a religious organization?” On receiving the reply, “Yes, I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” the man said: “Excellent. We already have three Witnesses at the plant and find them really good people. You must keep a very high standard of morals, don’t you?” It turned out that the manager had in the past been a trainee in a company in the United States where Witnesses were employed. The Witness, in relating this experience, added: “It was a proof of the truthfulness of Jesus’ words when he spoke of the material necessities of life and then said: ‘Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.’”​—Matt. 6:33.

A gas-station attendant in Spain pumped petrol (gasoline) for a customer, but before he was paid his co-worker inadvertently served another patron out of the same pump, canceling the quantity and price. The customer demanded proof and became quite annoyed when he discovered what had happened. He remarked: “Why, only if you were one of Jehovah’s Witnesses would I accept your word for it.” The attendant was able to answer truthfully: “I am a Witness.” “Then enough said. If you say forty liters, then it was forty liters. I am an inspector of police in Granada and I know enough about the Witnesses to know that they would not lie.” And he paid for the gasoline.

Many Heartaches Can Be Avoided

Moreover, staying by right morals prevents many diseases and heartaches and much hurtfulness to others. Morality is the primary basis for family life. Those who have ignored this principle have found that promiscuity, even when engaged in openly with the knowledge of both parties of a marriage, results in the eventual breakup of the marriage. Though the couple may be living together in only a consensual arrangement, they experience the same emotional upsets and jealousies that a legitimately married couple undergo when unfaithfulness on the part of either mate takes place. And promiscuity on the part of parents has a most demoralizing effect on their children.

All the problems caused by dishonesty, untruthfulness and immoral living result in frustration, confusion and mental anguish, not to speak of bad consciences. This, in turn, brings loss of joy and, all too often, produces physical and mental sickness.

There is no doubt that a psychosomatic process operates in the human body. The things that affect our physical health affect our mental condition, and our mental attitude has much to do with our physical health. If you are unhappy or discontented, you do not feel well physically. Unhappiness results in tension, discouragement, depression and dejection, often anger and self-pity or self-incrimination. These, in turn, can bring upon us the worst of maladies.

Lost Happiness May Be Regained

Perhaps a person has not lived in a way that is good, and is unhappy. It is never too late to seek to remedy the situation, hoping to regain a great measure of happiness. Consider the example of a man in Niger, Africa, who had the reputation of being a drunkard and spendthrift, who cared little for his family and provided little for them. His wife had left and had obtained a well-paying job as a schoolteacher in another country (Togo). In his unhappiness, the man sought help from the Bible. It was not long after he had begun a serious study of the Scriptures that he started to change his habits. He stopped giving himself to excesses in wine and began to use his money in providing for the needs of his family. He even sent half his salary each month to his wife. The wife finally visited him and was astonished to see the changes that he had made in his life. She decided to give up her job in Togo and remain with her husband, looking into the Bible along with him. How happy this family was to be united again!

Really, who can say that it is not practical to practice good and beneficial things, even in a selfish world? It certainly makes life more worth while now. But is this all? Is there more than a temporary reward?

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Careless driving can drastically shorten one’s life-span

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Honesty and truthfulness are appreciated by others

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The Bible is the only sure guide for a better life

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Untruthfulness and dishonesty can break up a marriage

Present Life Not the All-Important Thing

WHILE it is good to make one’s life as long and happy as possible, there are limitations even to this. It is not good to make this life everything, to do just anything to stay alive. Nor is it wise to pursue goals with such fervor that right principles are ignored, that God is left out of the picture, or that any hope of life in the future is excluded.

For example, some people count it all-important merely to stay alive. They are willing to go against all the standards that they believe in, even violating their own consciences to keep from dying. This was demonstrated during the Nazi war-criminal trials, when the defendants answered to charges of brutality and even mass murder of innocent people by saying that they ‘did it because of fear of their superiors in the Nazi command.’ With them the Bible’s words were proved to be outstandingly true, that they “for fear of death were subject to slavery.” (Heb. 2:15) Certainly a life prolonged a few years through slavery to fear is not a desirable one.

Neither is a life a good or happy one if it is devoted solely to the gaining of a great name. Some have sought to leave a monument of some kind, so that their name might achieve “immortality.” Or they have enslaved themselves to a career or to a pursuit and have become so involved that they do not have time for real enjoyment of life; or they neglect the spiritual aspect of life. Others have made enjoyment of life their whole objective, only to come to the close of their life with a feeling of emptiness.

The Result of Thorough Investigation and Experimentation

King Solomon, famed as one of the wisest and richest men ever to live on earth, made a careful investigation of the pursuits of mankind and their result to the individual. Solomon had the wealth, power and facilities to undertake a thorough study of this matter. He avoided the immoral and sordid things, which may appear pleasurable but bring no real satisfying or lasting happiness. But he did try the pleasurable pursuits that wealth and power could afford. He says:

“I engaged in greater works. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them fruit trees of all sorts. . . . I acquired menservants and maidservants . . . Also, livestock, cattle and flocks in great quantity I came to have . . . I accumulated also silver and gold for myself, and property peculiar to kings . . . I made male singers and female singers for myself and the exquisite delights of the sons of mankind, a lady, even ladies. . . . And anything that my eyes asked for I did not keep away from them. I did not hold back my heart from any sort of rejoicing, for my heart was joyful because of all my hard work.”

Yet, what was the result? Solomon tells us:

“And I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish, and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing of advantage under the sun.”​—Eccl. 2:4-11.

Seeing the futility of pleasure and the building of great works, Solomon looked at those who had human wisdom, including himself, and the results in this life to the person who has become known for his wisdom. He expressed the situation that he then faced:

“I myself said in my heart: ‘An eventuality like that upon the stupid one will eventuate to me, yes, me.’ Why, then, had I become wise, I overmuch so at that time? And I spoke in my heart: ‘This too is vanity.’ For there is no more remembrance of the wise one than of the stupid one to time indefinite. In the days that are already coming in [as a person ages], everyone is certainly forgotten; and how will the wise one die? Along with the stupid one.”​—Eccl. 2:15, 16.

Solomon finally says:

“The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man. For the true God himself will bring every sort of work into the judgment in relation to every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad.”​—Eccl. 12:13, 14.

So, even though an objective may be commendable, a pursuit of it to the point of neglecting our own really important interests, not allowing ourselves time or opportunity to think of what God has in mind as to mankind’s future, actually ends up in vanity. Certainly the world goes on unthankful, and eventually forgetful and unappreciative. And finally the individual has gone out of existence. So, is there a future beyond death to which he could have looked?

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In Nazi war-criminal trials, defendants admitted to violating consciences because of fear of death

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A life devoted entirely to pleasure results in emptiness

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Wealthy King Solomon, after observation and experience, recommended: “Fear the true God and keep his commandments” as the wise course for humans

A Time When Life Can Be as Long as You Want It

ASIDE from taking reasonable care of our bodies, we have little control over the length of our lives. Jesus Christ asked: “Who of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his life-span?” (Luke 12:25) Honesty, morality and the exercise of self-control and love can help to preserve our life, but cannot ‘stretch it out.’

Jesus, when speaking of our helplessness to make our lives longer, was referring to this present life in which all mankind, due to imperfection, can look forward only to dying. This imperfection is due to sin. “Sin is lawlessness,” and is what causes people to do “little” or “big” lawless things. (1 John 3:4) And sin is not merely lawlessness against our fellowmen or against governments, but is lawlessness against God, the Universal Lawmaker and the one responsible for our lives. Therefore, sin works in us against our life, and as long as a person has sin, which reveals itself in human imperfection, he can never increase his life-span.

But God purposes a time when an individual can live as long as he desires, not by his own efforts, but by God’s arrangement.

Requirements for Long Life

Men of science overlook, not only the cause of death, but also the prime requirements for gaining everlasting life. Not only do we need natural food, but we must also have spiritual food to stay alive. Almighty God had this vital fact recorded in his Word, the Bible: “Not by bread alone does man live but by every expression of Jehovah’s mouth does man live.” (Deut. 8:3) When the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to earth, he repeated that statement and also said: “Just as the living Father sent me forth and I live because of the Father, he also that feeds on me, even that one will live because of me.” “I have come that they might have life and might have it in abundance.”​—John 6:57; 10:10; Matt. 4:4.

So, apart from Jehovah God and his spiritual provisions through Jesus Christ, there can be no indefinite continuance of life. To gain life, one must take in spiritual food or spiritual knowledge. In regard to living forever, Jesus said: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”​—John 17:3.

Besides spiritual food, man needs something else if he is to live forever. He needs to be relieved of the inheritance of sin and death. But how could this be done? God, in his love, arranged for his Son to give his perfect human life as a ransom. Jesus said that he came “to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matt. 20:28) He gave his perfect human life as a ransom to bring people out of slavery to sin and death. (Rom. 5:21) That sacrifice provides the basis for the restoring of vital good relations with God, the Life-Giver.

To benefit from that sacrifice, however, one must have faith in God’s Son and what he accomplished on man’s behalf, just as Jesus said: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”​—John 3:16.

God’s Rulership Needed

People can exercise faith in that provision of God now, and may do so, but their life-span is not lengthened measurably beyond the average. Why not? Are the promises of God through Christ untrue? No, but it is because something else is needed. That is a government, the long-awaited kingdom of God, that will enforce God’s law. It must do away with lawlessness in the earth. It must abolish all man-made forms of government and bring in an entirely new system of things. Only in that way can an environmental “atmosphere” be created that will enable those who desire to live lawfully to do so to the full extent. Otherwise, we would have constant repetition of world history. The greedy and unscrupulous would continue to take advantage of the honest and upright ones.

But with the enforcing of God’s just and righteous laws in the earth righthearted persons will have protection. And with such conditions, it is logical that most people will see the advantages of living under such a government and will be happy to do the right thing. The Bible states the principle: “When there are judgments from you [God] for the earth, righteousness is what the inhabitants of the productive land will certainly learn.”​—Isa. 26:9.

At the time that God takes action to remove this present system of things on the earth, do those practicing what is right according to God’s commands have to die? In other words, will they have an end to their life, or can they live on with an unbroken life-span? About what takes place at that time, we have Scriptural descriptions to answer our question. The prophet Daniel, writing of that time, said: “In the days of those kings [who would be ruling at the time of the end] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” (Dan. 2:44) God’s government over earth will not change hands or come to an end. Those on the Kingdom’s side, on earth, will therefore receive its protection for survival. They do not need to be put to death. If they seek God’s kingdom and practice God’s righteousness, they can live as long as God rules the earth, which is forever.​—Matt. 6:33; compare Psalm 37:37-40.

Hope for the Living and the Dead

Another most encouraging prophecy is the vision that Jesus Christ gave to the apostle John. John actually saw a visionary representation of the people who will receive the protection of that Kingdom. He was shown a great crowd of indefinite number and was told: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation [the crushing and the putting to an end of world governments].” There John was told that God’s tent (of protection) would be spread over them, and that they would be led to “fountains of waters of life.”​—Rev. 7:9, 14-17; compare Psalm 145:20.

How, then, can a person live as long as he desires under the rule of God’s selected King, Jesus Christ? It will be by his choice to live in willing obedience to the laws of that Kingdom government. An opportunity will be afforded also to those who have died in the past, and who will be resurrected, to show if they will accept God’s provisions under right conditions. The apostle John describes what he saw further along in the vision, saying:

“I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.”​—Rev. 20:12, 13.

Those who then obey will gradually be healed of their imperfection. The same vision depicts the life-giving benefits of Christ’s sacrifice as flowing in a stream, and adds:’

“And on this side of the river and on that side there were trees of life producing twelve crops of fruit, yielding their fruits each month. And the leaves of the trees were for the curing of the nations.”​—Rev. 22:1, 2.

This healing by the symbolic “leaves” will continue through the thousand-year reign of Christ until all those maintaining faith in Christ’s atonement sacrifice and who render obedience to him will have reached human perfection of mind, heart and body. (Rev. 20:4) The death produced by sin no longer will pull them down, for “the sting producing death is sin.” Then the death that we have inherited from our sinful forefathers will be no more. Then it can be said: ‘The last enemy, death, has been brought to nothing.’​—1 Cor. 15:26, 56.

So, during the thousand-year period of the absolute rule of the kingdom of God, every individual on earth can choose to live on and on, or he can terminate his existence at any time he chooses. If he hates to do what is right and does not have love, respect and regard for his fellowman, and particularly if he does not appreciate the loving-kindness of God, he can choose to be disobedient. But he cannot continue living, for during this time those whose deeds disqualify them from being written in the “book of life” will be put to death permanently. They will be “hurled into the [symbolic] lake of fire,” “the second death,” from which there will be no resurrection.​—Rev. 20:14, 15.

Hence, it is just as Moses said to the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land, to live under God’s government there: “Choose life in order that you may keep alive.” We may now make a choice, not merely to prolong our present life, as those Israelites then could do, but to assure permanent life in a “new earth”​—an unbroken life-span.​—Deut. 30:19; 2 Pet. 3:13.

Is this not fully desirable? Certainly it is to those who appreciate life. But if a person cannot tolerate righteous conditions and insists on carrying on practices that bring harm to himself and his fellowman, he has no place in the “new earth” society.

Bible Knowledge Will Help You to Choose Life

It all comes down to the question: Do you want to live forever? You may not be able to do much toward your life now, except make it more purposeful, better and happier, while entertaining a hope for the future. But you can choose now how long you want to live in ‘the life that is to come.’ (1 Tim. 4:8) Choosing life now by taking hold of God’s instructions and provisions, you may be among the “great crowd” that survives the destruction of the present system of things, which all the evidence indicates is near at hand. Or you can join them in the righteous “new earth” by a resurrection.

To strengthen yourself to maintain a God-pleasing course in the midst of a frustrated, confused and corrupt world, you will want to identify and associate with “God’s household, which is the congregation of the living God, a pillar and support of the truth” in the earth. (1 Tim. 3:15) Those now looking forward to Christ’s Kingdom rule over earth are striving to live so as eventually to inherit life and are happy to help you in your sincere search to see from the Bible what is the truth that leads to life and what is the true congregation of God. Jehovah’s Witnesses devote their time and energy freely and voluntarily to assisting all seekers of Bible truth, that they may find the way to “everlasting life.”​—John 3:16.

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Only by means of Christ’s ransom sacrifice can mankind be recovered from sin and death

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God has provided opportunity for endless life-span for those who have died

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During Christ’s Kingdom rule, obedient humans will partake of God’s provisions for eternal life, a part of which provisions are represented by the symbolic “trees of life”

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By study of the Bible with the help of others having faith in God, one can get the truth that leads to life