For many, the new year is always a time for resolutions. Some of the most popular are starting to get in shape and lose weight. Gyms across the country are eventually overrun by the “resolution rabble.” But most of them fizzle out and give up. Like this. People go on diets, and they have all the willpower at first, and then they get bored and go back to their old ways. The pounds are still there, and the shape is still quite round. On the other hand, an interest in food and exercise can turn into loyal followers of a whole range of workout routines, products, diets, and practices. What does the Bible say about this? What does the Bible say about health and fitness that can help us get there?
Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. -1 Timothy 4:7-10, ESV
A Higher Goal for Fitness and Health
The main reason for the failure of health and fitness commitments is arguably a lack of vision and purpose. Why get fit? What is your reason for wanting to lose weight? Without this, people give up when they face hardship. Both diet and exercise are part of the futility that resulted from the Fall (Genesis 3:18, Romans 8:20). Both diet and exercise take a long time to see results, and this can lead to frustration and quitting. The frustration of apparently meaningless suffering can only be overcome by a cause greater than ourselves and our enjoyment.
The Bible is very clear on that purpose. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism tells us that our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. That has to be the motivation behind everything we do, including how we treat exercise and nutrition. We want to be in shape for the glory of God. We want to lose weight for the glory of God. That is the goal that transforms a resolution easily forgotten into a good habit with tangible results.
Two Incorrect Methods
Of course, this produces two extremes to be avoided. The first one is over-importance on exercise and nutrition. Some diets, like the ‘Daniel Diet,’ may be considered paths of righteousness, and their contrary can be considered defiling the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. The Bible makes it clear that believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit, as He lives inside of them. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.
So, glorify God in your body. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. But Jesus was very clear that our food and drink do not defile that temple: “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mark 7:15). So he declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and only sexual immorality defiles them. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says that a man only sins against his own body by sexual immorality. Junk food, drink, and tobacco can’t do that. Diet and exercise are not the way to holiness. The same is true of any effort to use physical severity as a means of avoiding sin:
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. – Colossians 2:20-23, ESV
No matter how we pamper our bodies, there’s always the indulgence of the flesh. Remember, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit through faith, not through deprivation of the body. We must not spiritualize nutrition and exercise by overstressing the importance of our physical bodies.
The opposite mistake is to ignore diet and exercise altogether. Some have even used Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion,” to justify not exercising. They also reject any idea of dieting, noting that fat was sacred to the LORD in Mosaic Law (Leviticus 3:16). They eat, drink, and smoke enough to hurt their bodies, if not sinfully overindulge in these things. They rightly avoid the error of under-spiritualizing the flesh as a result of over-spiritualizing it. First, they are flagrantly committing the cardinal sin of Bible study by taking these verses out of context. They ignore all the proverbs that say not to be a glutton (Proverbs 23:2, 21, 25:16, 27), not to be slothful (Proverbs 6:6-11, 13:4, 19:24, 21:25) and the ritualistic aspect of the laws about fat. It’s an attempt to make the Bible say what we want, to justify our wishes, rather than putting the Bible above our desires, like the “cultural cop-out.”
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Self-control and stewardship
But the Bible, instead, is filled with references to stewardship. Through tithing we saw that all our possessions ultimately belong to God. He gives us everything, and then He asks us to take care of it for His glory. Our bodies are part of it. When he tells husbands to love their wives as their own bodies after the example of Christ with the Church (Ephesians 5:28–29), he presumes that we love our own bodies by feeding and cherishing them. Physical health is good, but not more important than the pursuit of holiness.
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. -1 Timothy 4:6-10, ESV
Notice how Paul uses an athletic analogy to describe the effort and self-discipline needed to pursue godliness. No matter how well or poorly we take care of our bodies here, they will be replaced by our glorified bodies for eternity. So while that kind of physical training has some value, it doesn’t last beyond this life. We may have cared for our bodies as well as we could, but without the godliness that comes from sanctification, starting with repentance and faith in the gospel, we will not be able to enter glory at all. Therefore, since physical training is of some value, but godliness is of value in every way, it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come; we should train for godliness as an Olympic athlete trains:
I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. -1 Corinthians 9:22b-27, ESV
It requires a lot of self-restraint. Paul talks about controlling and disciplining his body. In the ESV and NASB, this “discipline” (or “subdue” in the NET) is to pummel like a boxer. “Enslave” (literally, “keep it under control”) is just as harsh. The imagery here is punching someone in the face until they give up and do what you say. So Paul treated his body this way because he wanted to pursue godliness and further the Kingdom. The background to this passage is Paul’s giving up of a number of rights for the sake of the gospel. He watched what he ate and drank for the good of the kingdom, sometimes abstaining from things, sometimes indulging.
He was beaten when it was for the good of the kingdom (Acts 16:19-24), but when it was not, he used his rights as a Roman citizen to avoid being beaten (Acts 22:23-29). His bodily austerity was not due to “self-made religion and asceticism” (Colossians 2:23). He knew that physical harshness alone could never elevate him to the status of deity or holiness. He had been ready to put his body through whatever was necessary for the kingdom and godliness. His physical body was enslaved to Christ and lived in him to do Christ’s commands, Galatians 2:20.
Also, we are to follow the example of Paul, who is imitating Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1; see also 1 Thessalonians 3:9), and we should be willing to subject our own bodies to whatever harshness it takes to maximize our piety and usefulness in furthering the kingdom. Self-control is the infliction of severity upon the transient body for the sake of the eternal advantage. Also, practicing self-control in one area will help us practice self-control in other areas too. For example, self-control in our diet and exercise will help us exercise self-control in our Bible reading, prayer, and many other areas. But if you are self-indulgent in one area, such as eating junk food and living a sedentary lifestyle, you will be self-indulgent in other areas as well. This is the focused self-denial and self-discipline of an Olympic athlete training for gold medals, not masochism or self-flagellation.
Taking Care of the Temple
And this makes one wish to serve God as long as He will. God is in control of every aspect of our lives, even the number of breaths we will take. God designed our bodies to function better and longer if we eat healthy and exercise. If we take better care of our bodies (through food, exercise, sleep, hygiene, and proper preventative medical care), they will often last longer. This will mean more vitality and a greater ability to serve the Lord actively for a longer period of time. Of course, in the nature of our fallen world, even the healthiest of us are susceptible to crippling illness or injury. But God can still use the sick, crippled and dying in ways He does not use the well to glorify Himself and advance His kingdom. Leading a healthy lifestyle, like many proverbs, will often, but not always, lead to a longer, more profitable life of serving God. Let us care for our bodies by the natural means that God has so graciously provided so that we may serve Him to the best of our ability.
It’s all about keeping our bodies in good shape so that we can keep worshipping God in the end. The Jews took care of their temple, and we ought to take care of our bodies. The Jews’ abandonment of the Temple to ruin was often accompanied by spiritual backsliding. The revival, however, came at the same time as the rebuilding of the Temple. Scripture calls our bodies the temple of the Holy Spirit, so we should take that same stance. This is especially important for those of us who are in jobs that promote inactivity, such as the pastorate.
Pastors spend long hours reading, studying, writing sermons, planning lessons, planning services, counseling, and doing other activities that require a lot of sitting. This, along with a hearty celebration of God’s kindness through the eating of tasty foods and drinks, can result in expanding waistlines and health problems that grow right along with them. And so you encounter preachers who could stand to lose a few pounds. I am not saying pastors have to be skinny, but I would recommend to pastors everywhere to lead by example in the management of their meals and scheduling regular exercise. Yes, this does mean I am asking pastors to add one more thing to their already crazy schedules, but this is a time commitment that can extend your ministry for years. Remember, God builds His Kingdom one brick at a time, and a successful pastor values longevity highly. Let’s resolve to eat a balanced diet and cultivate the habit of exercising so that we can serve God and advance His Kingdom for as long as we are able.
A Few Useful Remarks
Now that you’ve got the foundation, let’s close out with some helpful tips for turning fitness and health goals into routines. First and foremost, it is critical to begin any diet or exercise program with a goal in mind. The overall goal of exalting God has been discussed, but it is also important to get a general physical goal out of that. Do you want to lose weight to lower your risk for some diseases? What fitness goal are you working towards? Would you like to participate in an event like a marathon? Your strategy will be determined by the answers to these and many other questions.
Next, set up a plan for your diet and exercise routine, setting goals along the way. Plan your nutrition, exercise regimen, and progress tracking. Much of this is working out what you are actually going to do. If you are not motivated, a high-intensity workout is useless. It requires extreme discipline. It’s one you will be motivated to follow. It’s far more beneficial. A much less rigorous diet.
And, as I’m a bit of a gym regular, let me help people who might be nervous about going to the gym. You won’t be the only one out of shape there. You’ll feel comfortable. Gyms are full of people of all sizes, ages and skill levels. And don’t worry about comments that are not positive either. Most people working out in a gym are in it for themselves, and you should tune out the few who will speak negatively. Don’t hog the equipment; wipe it down when you’re done; listen to music without headphones; and show consideration for people around you, and there’s nothing to worry about. You will (rightly) annoy people only by breaking gym etiquette. Stick with it and you may soon be a gym regular who dreads January and the resolution mob that will descend on “your gym.”
So make those resolutions for the glory of God—not to “get in shape,” but to develop an exercise habit that will keep your body strong for the King’s service; not to “lose weight,” but to care for your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Physical discipline is useful only in this world, but it does add to holiness, which is worth it forever. Let us therefore honor God by taking good care of the bodies He has given us.
