Does Bible study really help?

 

Welcome again to the Teleios blog! We have been exploring together practical ways by which the Bible improves our lives. 

 

Studying the Bible offers numerous benefits that can positively impact various aspects of your life. Here are some key benefits:

• Growth: Studying the Bible can help deepen your understanding of your faith and strengthen your relationship with God.
• Community: Bible studies often bring people together, fostering a sense of community and support.
• Guidance: The Bible offers wisdom and guidance for life’s challenges and decisions.
• Knowledge: It provides historical and cultural insights that can enrich your understanding of the world.

 

“Oh, do I have to study the Bible every day?” Many people consider Bible study a time-consuming chore that they must endure to prove their faithfulness to God. We consider Bible study a wonderful life-enhancing activity that is part of our vital relationship with God. Does Bible study really help?

 

We decided to evaluate the effect of Bible study on the wellbeing of 46 healthy young adults from a Christian community environment. This was a “proof of concept” study since we don’t know of any prior research about this topic. The design was a prospective, randomized, active-controlled, single-blind interventional trial (more details http://teleiosresearch.com/index.php/bible-study-methods-summary/).   

 

Subjects were randomized to either an active (detailed bible study program) or a control (minimally detailed bible study program) group in a 3:1 ratio. Ephesians Chapter 1 was chosen as the study text since it details many wonderful characteristics of our great salvation.

 

The results showed no differences between the active and control groups for any general or specific wellbeing measure. However, when the active group was compared to its own baseline data significant differences were observed in overall wellbeing.

 

It is unclear from our results why there was an increase of overall wellbeing in the active group. We speculate that the gain in knowledge about the security of their relationship with God, by faith alone, allowed for less guilt and greater confidence.

 

Interestingly, increased wellbeing was also observed in the control group, but did not quite reach significance, possibly because of the smaller sample size. This group also studied scripture, but about events surrounding the creation of man in Genesis Chapters 1-4 that did not contain the salvation information from Ephesians provided to the active-intervention group. 

 

Consequently, with a larger sample size it could be that greater wellbeing would have been statistically significant in both groups. If true, it might be that studying any scripture, regardless of the specific content, could have a positive effect on wellbeing. 

 

This proof-of-concept study suggests that increases in short-term well-being potentially can be achieved by a Scripture study program over the course of 4-weeks in young Christian adults. These benefits highlight the profound impact that regular Bible study can have on your spiritual, emotional, and practical life. More research is needed to better understand the effect of improved wellbeing associated with scripture study both in the short and long term.

 

Thanks for joining us today! Stay tuned next Wednesday for another interesting blog.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

 

Don't Let Your Guilt Rule Your Life

Guilt is an emotion that seems to afflict most of us, at least intermittently. Non-Christians think Christianity causes guilt. Is this true? Amazingly, Christian practice has been associated with enhanced wellbeing. Further, increasing adherence to biblical lifestyle principles such as praise, prayer, fellowship, church attendance, service and Bible study have been associated with improved wellbeing.^1,2 Guilt, in contrast, is linked with diminished wellbeing^3,4 No surprise there!

Unfortunately, little information is available that examines the effects of guilt in a healthy Christian population and how to minimize it. Teleios recently examined the influence of guilt on the wellbeing of evangelical Christians especially associated with their adherence and knowledge of their faith. We defined evangelicals as those who accepted the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ’s death on the cross for forgiveness of their sins (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21-26).

 Our study showed that wellbeing scores appeared generally healthy among our evangelical subjects (complete results found https://teleiosresearch.com/the-influence-of-guilt-on-wellbeing/). However, of those who felt no guilt there was greater wellbeing reported with each question (see table) except ‘God cares about me’ than the in those who felt some level of guilt. This finding indicates that the presence of guilt may degrade wellbeing in a generally healthy population. 

The overwhelming cause for those who indicated they felt some guilt was although they had confidence in their salvation, they “feared that they had not performed enough good works to gain God's ongoing satisfaction.” The most common reaction to guilt by participant was anxiety, followed closely by a desire for complete acceptance by God. 

Importantly, when the eight wellbeing rankings were compared to the scores for adherence to the Christian faith, those who indicated they held to the activities or beliefs noted above showed statistically greater scores compared to less adherent participants! This was especially true among those who most often studied the Bible study or praised God.  

How do we explain this? Studying the Bible may be important because it reinforces scriptural principles that salvation is achieved only by God’s grace, not human efforts, and thus removes guilt as a factor in a Christian's life.  Those less willing to embrace scriptural lessons may demonstrate more guilt because they may imagine God’s wrath and rejection based on their own contrived system of works.

 Praise also may help alleviate guilt as it demonstrates an expression of the believer’s view of God's authority and power to save them and helps maintain a correct mental attitude of humility towards God. Humility has been shown in prior work to have psychosocial benefits.⁵

 This study suggests that Christians who conform to basic activities and beliefs of their faith are likely to demonstrate improved wellbeing and less guilt than those who are less adherent.

 Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I look forward to seeing you again next week.

 

1.     MacIlvaine, et al. (2013). Association of strength of religious adherence to quality of life measures. Complement Ther Clin Pract, 19:251-255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2013.05.001.

2.     MacIlvaine, et al. (2014). Association of strength of community service to personal well-being. Community Ment Health J, 50:577-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9660-0.

3.     Piderman, et al. (2011). Spiritual well-being and spiritual practices in elderly depressed psychiatric inpatients. J Pastoral Care Counsel, 65:1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/154230501106500103. 

4.     Satterly, L. (2001). Guilt, shame, and religious and spiritual pain. Holist Nurs Pract, 15:30-39. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12119916

5.     Krause, N. (2010). Religious Involvement, Humility, and Self-Rated Health. Soc Indic Res, 98:23-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-009-9514-x   

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

The effect of religion upon wellbeing

Welcome back to my blog! In recent posts, we have been exploring the exciting topic of how Biblical truth enhances personal wellbeing. We’ve discussed research performed by Teleios through a series of surveys of healthy individuals and ophthalmology patients, as well as a review article regarding religion in the medically ill.

 

Christianity can have a positive impact on wellbeing, both mentally and physically. It can contribute to overall wellbeing by providing a sense of purpose, community support, and effective coping strategies. 

 

Today, we explore another medical literature review we conducted regarding the effect of religion on well-being in the general population. See full report here https://teleiosresearch.com/the-effect-of-religion-on-individual-wellbeing/). Most all the studies we reviewed evaluated members of the Christian faith. Our review showed a positive effect on wellbeing from religion in the lives of healthy people who were: > 10 years old, both genders, and either African American or Caucasian.

 

Religion improved general wellbeing and also in specific measures such as:

·       sense of community

·       purpose

·       satisfaction

·       hope

·       social relationships

·       ability to forgive

 

Even more, the findings indicated that the measures typically used to adhere to and grow in religious faith also increased wellbeing, including:

·       fellowship with other believers

·       scripture study

·       prayer

·       praise

·       outreach in the local community

 

Additionally, increased adherence to one’s faith gave even greater benefits to wellbeing!

 

What does this mean practically? This review helps us recognize that religion, and in this case Christianity specifically, may enhance personal wellbeing generally but its benefit also extends to specific areas of life such as career satisfaction, marriage, family functioning, and socialization.

 

Why would Christianity provide an improved wellbeing? We don’t know of any studies about this, but here’s what we speculate.

 

·       First, on a spiritual level the confidence of God’s acceptance through faith in the sacrifice of Christ helps remove guilt and insecurity about a person’s relationship with God. The importance of such confidence was indicated in several studies noting that medically ill patients who have a negative, insecure relationship with God suffer with worse wellbeing.

·       Second, in practical daily life the Christian scriptures provide advice on wise living in regards to family life, career, ethical choices, treatment of people in terms of mental mindset and speech (i.e., forgiveness, thankfulness, etc.). The benefits stemming from this advice can be gained by adherence to Biblical principles causing maturity (fellowship with other believers, prayer, praise, service and a Biblical learning process).

 

Our review demonstrated that religion, and Christianity in particular, may provide enhanced general wellbeing across various age and ethnic groups and specifically in family and social relationships as well as career. More research is needed, however, comparing wellbeing to other religions and among cultures.

 

What are some specific parameters that can enhance wellbeing? Read here… https://teleiosresearch.com/the-source-and-impact-of-specific-parameters-that-enhance-wellbeing/

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I look forward to seeing you again next week.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

 

Pastors’ attitudes towards Biblical exhortations

 

Hello again, and welcome back to my blog! 

 

Many churches today are grappling with the influence of extra-Biblical beliefs that are emerging from contemporary culture. One significant issue is the increasing rejection of the Bible’s divine origin and complete accuracy, leading to the adoption of unbiblical worldviews, particularly concerning human sexuality². Additionally, there’s a noticeable shift towards creating new worldviews that are only loosely tied to traditional biblical teachings¹. This shift is often driven by a desire to make Christianity more relevant to modern societal values, which can sometimes lead to a departure from core biblical principles⁴.

 

For this reason, recently, we surveyed graduates of three seminaries that hold to Biblical teaching (Master’s, Denver, and Westminster) in spite of cultural pressures to drift from Biblical teaching. Questions were based on exhortations derived from scripture or frequently accepted attitudes within the church but not directly sourced from the Bible. Two hundred pastors participated in the survey. Read the full report here: https://teleiosresearch.com/pastors-attitudes-towards-biblical-exhortations-in-church-based-ministry/. 

 

Our results showed that pastors generally believed it was ‘important’ to ‘very important’ for church members to maintain Biblical exhortations related to their attitudes towards one another, the church body and leaders, their speech, and the outside community. Extra-Biblical attitudes, although perhaps accepted or fashionable within the church, were more often deemed either ‘not important’ to ‘somewhat important’.  Look below at the results.

Why are these findings important? 

• These results should encourage church leaders because they demonstrate that a substantial group of church pastors recognize the importance of maintaining fidelity to Biblical teachings. To our knowledge, this is the first time a survey has shown that pastors trained in a Biblically adherent seminary maintain a current focus on Scriptural exhortations.
• Church leaders can take comfort that extra-Biblical attitudes are deemed generally less important by pastors. These data should encourage both pastors and church leaders to maintain their focus on strong Biblical teachings that are associated with an improvement in wellbeing in many religion and wellness studies.
• This should inspire seminaries not to bend their theological stance with cultural trends. Such seminaries will produce Biblically adherent pastors who will tend to maintain these teachings, thereby providing the best chance of promoting physical and mental health. 

 

This study showed that individuals trained in seminaries that teach Biblical principles continue to hold to those principles once they become pastors.  As shown in the medical literature, these principles contribute to improved wellbeing.

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I look forward to seeing you again next week.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

Marriage – A rich source of wellbeing!

 

Welcome back to the Teleios blog! We have been exploring together how the Bible improves our lives practically. 

 

Traditional marriage, often defined as a union between a man and a woman, has been associated with several benefits across various aspects of life. Here are some key advantages:

1. Health Benefits: Married individuals tend to enjoy better physical and mental health. They often have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and depression¹. Marriage can provide emotional support, which helps in managing stress and promoting overall well-being.
2. Longevity: Studies suggest that married people generally live longer than their single counterparts. This could be due to the mutual care and support that spouses provide each other¹.
3. Economic Stability: Marriage can lead to greater financial stability. Couples often benefit from dual incomes, shared expenses, and better financial planning. This economic partnership can provide a more secure environment for raising children².
4. Emotional Wellbeing: Traditional marriages often report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. The companionship and emotional support from a spouse can contribute significantly to one’s sense of fulfillment and purpose².
5. Social Benefits: Being married can enhance social connections and community involvement. Married couples often have stronger social networks, which can provide additional support and resources².
6. Child-rearing: Traditional marriages can offer a stable environment for raising children. Children in such households often benefit from the presence of both parents, which can contribute to their emotional and social development³.

This long-standing institution has been under attack in our culture for the past few generations! Is marriage, as traditionally defined as a legal union between a man and a woman, worth preserving for society? Is there an advantage to this form of union to individuals’ mental and physical health, and to society in general?

 

To analyze this question, we reviewed past studies in the medical literature that evaluated the benefits and disadvantages of legally binding, heterosexual marriage. We went back as far as 1966! Read the full report here Benefit of marriage - Teleios, Inc. (teleiosresearch.com).

 

The analysis showed overwhelming benefits of traditional marriage on general wellbeing and specific parameters that might affect wellbeing, including physical and mental health, sexual satisfaction, family income, and children’s outcomes. Of the 42 articles evaluated, only 3 did not describe any marriage benefits.  Even more, the stronger the relationship commitment, the greater trend of enhanced wellbeing. Never married, widowed, and divorced individuals suffered the lowest wellbeing.

 

Interestingly, individuals in a committed relationship, even unmarried, generally had improved elements of wellbeing compared to those uncommitted.  But marriage relationships, which typically demonstrate the strongest legal and outward social commitment to a relationship, generally had the highest wellbeing of all relationships. Further, some evidence in diseased and depressed individuals indicated that the better quality of the marriage relationship, the better the wellbeing-related outcome.

 

How to explain these results? We speculated on several reasons.

1. First, a committed partner helping with income, household tasks, and raising children can lessen the burden compared to a single parent.
2. Second, socialization with a marriage partner provides a potential source of personal enrichment, encouragement and empathy.
3. Third, the more committed the relationship, the greater confidence spouses can have in each other thus conserving time, money and emotion required to correct problems in their relationship.
4. Fourth, marriage partners can help maintain good health by encouraging each other to keep medical appointments, take medicines and develop a healthy lifestyle.
5. Last, the marriage commitment may facilitate sexual satisfaction by building confidence that no competing love interest is diverting the attention of their spouse. 

 

Why would a committed marital relationship have a positive impact on children and the community? Again we speculated.

1. First, the ability of a couple to help each other provides sufficient time and money resources to better raise children and serve the community.
2. Second, satisfied couples who are not dealing with internal problems can more easily look outwards to helping their children and community.
3. Last, committed couples who agree together how to raise their children can provide a more consistent, productive, secure, and supportive home environment. 

Our review suggested that traditional marriage generally provides numerous benefits to the relationship partners through enhanced measures of mental and physical wellbeing, and benefits to their children compared to other heterosexual partnership arrangements or single status. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I look forward to seeing you again next week.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.