BODILY EXERCISE AND THE CHRISTIAN
By Ryan Hicks
Many fat people will use v.8 as an excuse to be lazy and not take care of the temple of God, their body (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16). These same people will take better care of their cars (or some other material possession) than they will their own bodies (which is the main earthly possession God has given them). These people are in rebellion against the Bible and true holiness.1 Timothy 4:7-8
7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
Note that 1 Timothy 4:7-8 does not say that bodily exercise is not profitable, rather that it "profiteth little." Yet, look at the context. Bodily exercise and exercising unto godliness are compared. In comparison to godliness bodily exercise profiteth little. This does not mean that we are to neglect one or the other. We certainly should not neglect godliness, but neglecting bodily exercise is to reject something that the Bible says does profit, even though it is only a little profit in comparison to godliness.
Also, we must consider the truth that almost all work during the writing of 1 Timothy was physical (in comparison to modern "work"). People walked to the markets and to home. People may have grown their own food and labored to bring in the harvest. Trips out of town would require much walking and physical movement, even if animals were ridden. Thus, the daily life in this time was such that bodily exercise was not a essential element of their health, because they kept fit through the various physical activities required of them just through daily life.
Bodily exercise can be something as little as walking, lifting weights, riding bikes, etc. for about 15-30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week. Most people waste more time than this a day talking in useless conversations, stuffing their face with food (i.e. practicing their gluttony), watching filthy and "clean" television, viewing ignorant web sites on the internet, reading foolish chain e-mail jokes and stories, reading every book they can find (except the Bible), etc. Some people get enough exercise from their work, and this is fine. Yet, many people have jobs that require no physical exercise and thus need to supplement their lack of exercise by setting up a godly routine of exercise and proper eating for the maintenance of their bodies.
We are responsible to take care of God's temple (our bodies). Laziness and becoming a fat slob is not being a good steward of what God has given us. Most people could exercise at least 20 minutes every third day and be helping their body stay healthy. Instead many people eat junk food and never exercise and then blame God for their sickness and disease. What audacity! If you never do any maintenance on your body like exercise then you have absolutely no right to even suggest that God is to blame for what you brought upon yourself due to slothfulness and laziness.
America in particular, is a country that has many, many fat people who have doctors to make excuses for them. They give them all kinds of fancy titles for their sin that way to take the blame off themselves. Yet, "all-you-can-eat" restaurants are everywhere because these people refuse to stop their sin gluttony.
Why not be righteous and exercise yourself unto godliness and make a little time for bodily exercise?
| < Prev |
|---|
