Science says faith has real benefits ............. Parables 772

December 2003

An American psychiatrist, Dr. Harold Koenig, says prayer and worship have health benefits. He even says the connection between religious faith and health is a hot topic in science. Science has always separated itself from matters of faith on the basis that science involves theory that can be proven by evidence. Scientists have said you cannot do that with matters of faith.

However, today’s technological ability to gather and interpret large amounts of data enables scientists to make correlations between people of faith and their well-being, and compare what they find with data about people who do not practice any faith. The benefits listed in Koenig’s statement include faster recovery from heart surgery and depression, lower suicide rates, and a longer life span. It is interesting that Jesus promised to give His followers “abundant life.” Could this be part of what He meant?

Koenig also says that attending worship services must be for the right reasons. If you do it just to improve your health, it will not work. He says “The health effect is a natural consequence of following the religious life for religious reasons.”

This ties to another statement made by Jesus. He was explaining to Samaritan woman that the place a person worships is irrelevant. He said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

For Christians, this describes the nature of our worship. While it is usually expressed in externals like praise and singing, true worship originates in our innermost being, our spirit. Christian worship must also be “in truth” which can mean we are being truthful in our motivations and expression, not just going through the motions. However the Bible strongly links Jesus with “the truth” that it seems His statement is a reference more to Himself than a dogma. Jesus claims that true worship involves meeting God through Him, the one who is “full of grace and truth.” He also says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

By that, He emphasizes how we must approach God in worship. Over and over, Scripture says our spirits are dead because of sin, yet can be made alive when God, by His Spirit, gives us new life through faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, we cannot worship God “in spirit and in truth” unless our spirits have been regenerated (or made new) by the Spirit of Christ who comes to live in our spirit.

Jesus promised eternal life to His followers, but also abundant life. He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (physical needs) will be given to you as well.” While abundant life does not necessarily mean the poor will become rich, it does mean a fuller life than we would have without Him. He clearly says if we put Him (and living for Him) first, then He will take care of us. This is a natural consequence of following Him for the right reasons.

Freud once said religion was an “obsessional neurosis” and psychiatrists of his day and up to the 50's were convinced religious people needed more therapy. Because of his analysis, did some people avoid having anything to do with faith? Did they miss that abundance that only God can give? And now with Koenig’s findings, will some be drawn back to God, the Bible, and church?

This is a great resolution idea for this coming new year. Put Jesus Christ first. Worship Him in spirit and in truth. See what happens.