The word "apathy" is from the Latin apathes - a means "without" and pathos "without feeling or emotion." How do you feel about God? (Shoulder shrug.) How do you feel about Hell? (Another should shrug.) Those responses are apathetic, and apathetic people are pathetic!
The Bible aside, if I had the secret to longevity, non-caring people may even ask, What is longevity? They might even care more so if they know it means a long life. Once they understand longevity, maybe their interest might be peaked. I do know the secret to a longer life! Do you want to know how to extend your years? Respect authority!
Indeed, if people respect authority, stress would be reduced, conflict prevented, no rage, no overeating, and less heart trouble. It's that simple. Add to that, exercise regularly, and life will be lengthened. Who made that rule? God, when it was written, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise" (Prov 6:6). The ways of the ant are busy and productive. When they work, they aren't eating. The number of obese people indicate that they are apathetic about the length of their lives.
There are several commands for respecting authority. One in particular promises to lengthen lives: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exod 20:12). Omit "and thy mother" and the idea becomes more apparent; "Honour thy Father." The preceding Ten Commandments are about honoring your Holy Father in Heaven. Why would not the Fifth Commandment follow suit? It has a double meaning as scripture often has.
Honoring your parents, if you care, according to scripture, provides a longer number of days on earth. God didn't shift spiritual gears from Him to about others. The Fifth Commandment is a transition from Him to us! Do you want to live longer? Honor your parents; honor God! By doing the first helps with the latter. Both ways, it is respecting authority. Thus, the secret to a longer life on earth is respecting all those in authority.
To live forever requires (not optional) respect for God's authority. He is your Heavenly Father, and to live forever, it is necessary to lift God up - to elevate His authority, as is written:
3 Jesus answered and said unto him (Nicodemus), Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:3,7,14-15).
To live forever is lifting-up God. How is that done? By showing what God did; His blood was on the lifeless serpent on his own "tree." The brass serpent, shing red in the sun, resembled blood on a dead serpent. That lifeless snake was THE Serpent dead on his Tree of Knowledge, which I call "The Philosophy Tree." The brazen Serpent was Satan and him crucified on his own cross (tree).
A longer life is determined by how much we love others. An eternal life is determined by how much we love our Father, demonstrated by loving others. Extended life is simple, but eternal life is simpler. But most people just don't care about living longer until nearer the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). - which is death. The time to care is now; later the apathy may be so imbedded that even death cannot change it. Someday, everyone will care and to God all knees will bow and everyone will confess Him as Lord. (Rom 14:11).
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