How long can the human body live without water?

The general rule of thumb is that a person can live for about 3 days without water. However, if you are in high heat and exertion you may only survive for a few hours without water. On the other side of the coin, there have been people who survived far beyond 3 days, like Andreas Mihavecz who apparently was accidentally left in a jail cell for 18 days without food or water.

The simple reality is the human body needs water to function. We can’t survive without water. Even if you don’t drink plain water, you are still getting water in whatever you do drink as well as the food you eat.

What if someone didn’t want to drink water? What if, instead they said,

I want to drink mercury! (Don’t do this)

They may have their reasons. Mercury looks cool, being silver and reflective. It’s also liquid at room temperature, just like water. At the end of the day, however, it doesn’t matter what reasoning a person may have or how much they want to drink it. If you drink mercury instead of water, it will lead to madness, vomiting, and then death.

The reality is there are things people need to survive. We need water, oxygen, food, and sleep. Some studies have even indicated that people, especially children, who don’t experience love suffer greatly and some even have died.

We All Have Needs
We accept that the human body has certain needs. It’s just reality. No amount of wishing it wasn’t so or wanting something different can change that reality.

The Bible is very clear. There is only one name by which we can be saved. Faith in Jesus is the only means of salvation. It’s just a reality. It doesn’t matter if we don’t like it or if we want some other savior. We can’t be saved without Jesus.

It’s not mean or intolerant to say this.

Just like it isn’t mean or intolerant to say people need water to survive. It’s just true. In fact, it would not be loving to tell people they can believe in whatever god they want and still be saved. That would be like telling someone they can drink mercury if they really want to and it will be fine.

We can look at it another way, as well.

God has blessed us with water and salvation.

Some look at the declaration that salvation only comes through Jesus as restrictive and unfair. However, what it really is is God blessing us with exactly what we need. We don’t need alternatives because God has already provided the perfect solution.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you water and food and salvation. You have provided exactly what we need for life and salvation. Protect me from the lie that I can choose from multiple sources of salvation and help me trust in Jesus, alone. Help me, also, to be able to speak the truth of Jesus’ salvation in love to those who do not believe.

Amen.