Sermon: Stewardship of God's Temple (Part Five)
Parallels Between Physical and Spirital Exercise
#1627
David F. Maas
Given 27-Nov-21; 64 minutes
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transcript:
I Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price: therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s (referencing Romans 1:20 and I Corinthians 2:16).
Sadly, some have foolishly denigrated the value of physical exercise by taking Paul’s admonition to Timothy out of context.
I Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
The Amplified Bible renders this passage, “For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Godliness should always come first. Our relationship with God remains of the utmost importance in our lives! But let us not miss the first half of the verse, “For physical training or exercise is of some value.” There is value here. God’s people should never be tempted to cast it aside as a meaningless activity. Both true science (not the science which the apostle Paul warned about in I Timothy 6:20) and Scripture recognize the importance of exercise in our lives to improve physical, mental, and above all spiritual health.
As grace does not do away with commandment keeping or works, I Timothy 4:8 in no way negates exercise rather it stresses that all exercise is valuable, but it prioritizes exercise correctly by saying that godliness (or should we say godly exercise) is of greater value. It is not a matter of either-or separating or bifurcating activities into less important physical or more important spiritual compartments.
It reminds me of the story of the man who tells his girlfriend: “Darling, I wish I had as many arms as an octopus so I hug and caress you continuously-to which his girlfriend replied, “I don’t know if I can believe you. You don’t even hug me with the two arms you do have.” Or the story about the man who tells his friend, “I make all the big decisions, but I leave the insignificant decisions to my spouse.” His friend asks, “What big decisions have you made?” to which the man says, “We haven’t had any big decisions to make yet.” Scripture insists that if we cannot be responsible for the little things God has entrusted to us, we will have no track record of success when we approach the big things.
In his article, “Spiritual Discipline: Stewardship of the Body,” Jonathan Reavis asserts emphatically that “what we do to our bodies either supports or betrays our worship of Christ, emphasizing God created man in His Image as a bodily being (referencing Genesis 2:7) declaring that it was very good (Genesis 1:31).”
Our Lord and Savior and Elder Brother Jesus Christ came in the flesh (John 1:14) and in Him the fullness of God dwelled. All things in heaven and earth have been created by Christ and for Christ (Colossians 1:16). Therefore, our bodies have a noble purpose, namely, to aspire to His image, glorifying God in our physical bodies.
In his November 2000 Forerunner Personal, “Eating How God It Is! (Part One),” John Ritenbaugh declares that “Our bodies belong to God, but He has bestowed their care on us as a stewardship responsibility to glorify God in our body as well as in our spirit.” Please turn over to the parable of the Unjust Steward in Luke 16, beginning with verse 9.
Luke 16:9-12 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust in much. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
John Ritenbaugh points out that, “In this parable, Jesus mentions unrighteous mammon (in verses 9 and 11), which He also terms “what is least” (verse 10) and “what is another man’s (verse 12).” Each term is synonymous with the other two. Jesus does not say to ignore these. He simply points out that they are secondary to the “true riches” (verse 11), “what is your own (verse 12) and [what] is much” (verse 10). Similarly, each of these is synonymous with the other two. He points to a direct connection between the two levels of responsibility by saying, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (verse 10). Care of the body falls within the parameters of unrighteous mammon, what is least, and what is another mans.”
This important principle is repeated in the parable of the minas in Luke 19:17 in which the nobleman tells the faithful servant, “Well done good servant, because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.” Or the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:21), in which the Master (symbolic of Jesus Christ) said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of the Lord.” As we scroll down to verse 35, where Jesus separates the goats from the sheep, the principle of tending the least or insignificant as a requirement for greater responsibility again comes to the forefront.
Matthew 25:34-40 Then the king will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick or in prison and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least My brethren, you did it to Me.’
As John Ritenbaugh has repeatedly said, “Everything matters” (referencing Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 and Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Giving a cup of water to someone or exercising the body once a day do not seem like significant tasks, but they are vitally important; Everything matters.” The Greek word for “little” in I Timothy is transliterated oligos, denoting temporary, brief, a season, a short time, or a while. Rod Meredith used to repeatedly stress that the emphasis was for a little while. That little while constitutes our entire physical life, whether we expire at age 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 years—which is but a tiny micro-speck in the infinitude of time or eternity.
To the extent we adhere to what seems to some as insignificant physical laws will demonstrate to Almighty God how much we treasure eternal life and responsibilities as a family member in His eternal Kingdom.
In his booklet, “The Seven Laws of Radiant Health” (available from several locations on the Internet as a free, down-loadable PDF), Dr. Roderick Meredith declares that the overfed, but undernourished children of Jacob in modern Israel are hopelessly out of shape, plagued with heart disease, hardening of the arteries, obesity, strokes, and a host of other degenerative diseases. Dr. Meredith laments that in this day of pushbutton gadgets, automobiles, and labor-saving devices, millions of people are only half the physical specimens they ought to be because of lack of exercise.” He continues, “Am I talking about a need for huge, bulging muscles? No, not at all. But nearly everyone today does need an intelligently planned program of exercise.
Exercise stimulates deep breathing and increases blood circulation. It aids in the expelling of poisons from the system and tends to produce “normalcy” in all bodily functions.” Rod continues, “While work leaves one tired and sometimes enervated, proper exercise is of remarkable assistance in building up energy. The body is often recharged after systematic calisthenics, exercising all of the muscles of the body—whereas regular work or games often neglect many of these.”
In the middle of the government mandated lock-down earlier this spring, I started to worry that my skin where muscles used to be seemed to be turning to crepe paper—reminding me that “what we don’t use, we lose.” I realized that atrophy had begun to set in with a vengeance. In April, Julie convinced me to join the Planet Fitness gym here in Simi Valley, something which did not initially appeal to me. Thirty-seven years ago, when I was dating Julie, I was on a regular program of weightlifting in Harry Snider’s gym at Ambassador College. My dubious claim to fame was, during a bench press, to heave 250 pounds over my shoulder putting a huge dent in the floor. After a few close calls on my own weight bench in the back yard, I decided I had probably outgrown my desire to appear buff or fit in front of the ladies.
Now, at 77 years of age, I no longer feel a compelling need to develop bulging muscles, but I also realize that to neglect the stewardship of the body God has entrusted to me to tend and keep, allowing my muscles to atrophy and my skin to shrivel like crepe paper, is tantamount to willful malicious sabotage of His precious physical creation. As our Lord’s half-brother reminds us, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (referencing James 4:17).
Rod Meredith has proclaimed that few of us in this degenerate age are inclined to get too much if any exercise whatsoever. Yet we do need a proper amount to build the kind of abundant, radiant health that God intended all of us to enjoy.
Remember the apostle John offers a prayer to Gaius and all of God’s people that they may prosper in all things and be in health , just as their inner spirit also prospers. The Amplified Bible renders this passage in III John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].”
Building strong and resilient bodies requires some effort, but it is eminently worthwhile—especially in this day when we are inclined to let machines do everything while our bodies stagnate or deteriorate.
Shane Idleman in his enlightening series on “A Biblical Approach to Physical Health” asserts, “I want to challenge those who do not have the time to eat properly and/or exercise. [These challenges go double for those of us who have graduated to senior age 60, 70, 80 , 90 or 100.] We often forget just how precious time is. How many days, weeks, or even months do we waste because we don’t prioritize our lives? We need to be careful when we say that we that we don’t have enough time. What we are really saying is that it’s not important. If it were important, we would find the time. If we don’t schedule time, time will schedule us. We’ll never get everything done that “needs” to be done in the course of a day.”
Consequently, since April of this year, I have for three or four times a week used the express 30-minute workout, using 10 Matrix weight machines (5 designed to exercise the arms and the upper body and 5 designed for the legs and the lower body), exercising every muscle group in the body followed by a 10-minute hydromassage. After the workout, I walk one hour on my scenic Stairmaster, namely the boulders, mesas and canyons of the Corriganville Conservancy—a former movie ranch.
I cannot say that I particularly look forward to the gym, a task that requires considerable raw willpower. But I do look forward to the results when it is over—when I can see tangible results. Becky Lehman, a certified health coach in her article, “The Benefits of Exercise [12 Reasons to Work out Today!]” appearing on the So Very Blessed.com blog builds an extremely powerful case for the immense importance of physical exercise, suggesting that it may resemble or serve as a kind of physical Pearl of Great Price.
The first benefit is that we will feel more energetic following the workout. Coach Lehman admits that it is almost counter-intuitive to think that exercise can give us more energy. After all, it takes energy to exercise. But exercise, according to Coach Lehman, has this magical (or should we say God-ordained) way of teaching our bodies to run more efficiently. When we take the time to exercise, our blood circulates better, allowing more oxygen to reach the brain and muscles, which helps us to feel more awake, alert, and energetic. The Scriptures remind us that life is in the blood (referencing Leviticus 17:11, 14). We will have more stamina and better endurance whether we choose to run a marathon or after a mischievous child.
Secondly, Coach Lehman assures us that it boosts our confidence. She concurs that exercise is indeed hard, but we can do hard things if we start with daily bite-sized steps and work up to harder ones. Whether we measure progress in the incremental weights of barbells or the gradual mastery of a difficult musical score, one must start with what is possible to master now and then slowly and gradually work up to more difficult objectives. As we grow stronger with daily practice, we see ourselves going farther, beating our puny previous records. When we continue to exercise, accomplishing more than we ever thought possible, we improve our body image, build confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth as we grow into the image and stature of Christ (both physically and spiritually) glorifying our heavenly Father (referencing Ephesians 4:13).
Exercising improves our posture, making us literally and figuratively stand taller! As confidence emerges from the gradual improvement, we will inspire others to want to exercise as well.
Thirdly, Coach Lehman assures us that exercise helps encourage our body’s natural work-rest cycle. God designed our bodies to vigorously move and physically work, but sadly many jobs today involve sitting at a desk or worktable for eight hours or more. If we would invest time to exercise during the day, our bodies will reward us with more restful sleep at night. Solomon reminds us that the sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much (referencing Ecclesiastes 5:12). If we have been leading sedentary lives, a regimen of exercise will not necessarily benefit us overnight but will gradually improve over a few weeks or a longer. The cumulative effect will pay big dividend with continuous exercise. The more regularly we exercise, the more often we can expect to sleep soundly, even if we have battled with insomnia or suffered from sleep apnea.
Fourthly, Coach Lehman promises us that any weight-bearing exercises (such as walking, running, cycling, lifting weights, and playing volleyball) helps to increase our bone density. Our bone is living tissue and those activities cause more bone tissue to grow, making them stronger and resistant to fractures. Regular exercise decreases the risk of developing osteoporosis because stronger bones can help succumbing to fractures.
The fifth benefit identified by Coach Lehman is that regular exercise helps us to age more gracefully, making it a far less painful process than many now feel. When we exercise, we not only strengthen our bones, but we also increase our muscle tone, balance, joint function, and flexibility, which is incredibly important for preventing falls as we get older. Over the past six months, a significant number of prayer requests have involved falls resulting in cracked ribs or other serious injuries. As many of us remember, the late John Reid lost the use of one his eyes after a fall.
Dr. Meredith devotes a short, but important section in his Seven Laws of Radiant Health on avoiding bodily injury, focusing upon carelessness and the irreversible effects or consequences of accidents which leave a lifetime of painful mementos. Personally, I have been hit by an automobile twice as a pedestrian—once by a drunk driver in Superior, Wisconsin that left me with a lotus nail shish-kabobbing my crushed right tibia and the second episode in Chicago in which a taxi ran into me, pitching me airborne and onto the hardest part of my anatomy—namely the back of my skull. Both incidents have left me with permanent unpleasant bodily reminders which will remain with me until my death. Rod Meredith reminds us that one careless moment can easily undo and wreck the physical well-being we have nourished for years.
Exercise can reverse the panicky feeling many seniors experience not being able to get up of the floor or the helpless feeling of losing their balance. When I moved from Texas to California, about 40 pounds heavier than I currently am, I knelt down on the floor next to my granddaughter to have our picture taken. After the picture was taken, I discovered that I did not have the strength to stand up, forcing me to crawl over to a chair to leverage myself off the floor. Through pure neglect, we senior citizens inadvertently make ourselves prisoners of our sofas or recliners (appropriately called Lazy Boys).
Additionally, exercise aids us in keeping us mentally sharp, lowers our risk of dementia, and helps treat conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. In a February 23, 2021 WebMD article titled “Live longer with Exercise: Getting Fit for Life,” the contributor states that exercise can help us live a longer, healthier life because it can keep our bones, muscles, and joints healthy. It makes us less likely to have afflictions like diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. Regular exercise also significantly lowers our blood pressure. Becky Lehman assures us that we do not have to do high impact aerobic activities such as krav maga or taekwondo to reap these benefits. No matter what activity level we find ourselves currently, we can discover lower impact activities like water aerobics, tai chi, resistance bands, stretching, or even isometrics. Back in April of 2013, I posted an article on Scribd, titled “An Internal Gym for Couch Potatoes,” featuring a daily 10-minute isometric exercise—flexing the arms and upper torso and the lower body and legs alternately. The entire set of exercises can be performed while lying down.
The sixth benefit Coach Lehman highlighted is that exercise improves brain health. Several studies reported by Web MD.com reported that parts of our brain that control thinking and memory grow as we exercise. Working out literally gives us bigger brains as well as muscle mass. Any aerobic exercise (walking included) can stimulate and keep our brains functioning and growing, even helping us to think more creatively! Our memory will continue to improve, and we will concentrate better, learn faster, becoming more productive. Coach Lehman posits that exercise will actually help us change our neural pathways, aiding us to change those old bad habits we thought we could never stop, building new neural circuits and healthier habits.
In her informative article “How to Keep Your Brain Fit”published in WebMD.com, Marisa Cohen reported that “a large Canadian study found that the more physically active adults were, the higher they scored on tests of memory and problem-solving. Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain, increasing the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory which naturally shrinks as we age.” Remember from my last message Dr. Batmanjelidgh’s vivid but troubling comparison of a plum gradually turning into a prune resembling the brain cells beginning to shrink from prolonged dehydration.
The seventh benefit of exercising highlighted by Coach Lehman (certainly no state secret) is that exercise strengthens muscles. When we exercise, our daily tasks will become easier and less enervating, enabling us to carry groceries, pour dog food from a huge bag, or moving furniture across the room. We will be able to do more, and it will feel progressively less difficult. We remember that the Proverbs 31 woman is praised for stewardship of her body, girding herself with strength and strengthening her arms (referencing Proverbs 31:17).
The Amplified Bible renders this passage: “She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong.” When we take the time for exercise, our daily life gets easier. We discover that it is easier to walk up and down stairs.
We must be continually preparing our bodies to take on life, moving regularly, lifting things, so we can be ready to take on whatever vigorous work that comes out way. As we age, we learn that strengthening our muscles from our upper torso and arms to our legs is also one of the best ways to prevent injuries. All of us know how easy it is to bend the wrong way and tweak our backs doing the simplest activities. Daily strengthening of the upper and lower body muscles can significantly prevent lower back pain and other injuries.
The eighth benefit of exercising identified by Coach Lehman is that we will feel happier. Endorphins are one of the God given responses to stress. When exercise is the source of the stress (the best kind of stress), endorphins are released into the blood stream, making us feel more at ease and happier. People who exercise regularly feel greater excitement and enthusiasm, lower their risk of depression, elevate their mood, boosting their mood and significantly alleviates anxiety. Just a simple 10-minute walk will go a long way in bringing us a brighter, more cheerful day.
The ninth benefit identified by Coach Lehman is that exercise boosts our immune systems.
Due to previous poor diets, many of us have experienced acute or chronic inflammation.
Thankfully, a daily 20-minute workout can produce an anti-inflammatory, cellular response. Consequently, exercise can help all of us keeping us from becoming sick less often, preventing strokes, reducing our risk of disease, improving our heart health, preventing colds lowering cholesterol, lowering our risk of certain cancers, lowering our blood pressure, and lowering our risk of diabetes.
The tenth benefit highlighted by Coach Lehman is that exercise significantly reduces our pain.
The endorphins discussed in the eighth benefit actually dampen the discomfort of pain during and after our workout. Consequently, exercise has been demonstrated to increase our pain tolerance, which is great news for people currently dealing with chronic pain.
The eleventh benefit identified by Coach Lehman is that exercise improves our skin, giving it a healthier more youthful glow. Peter Jaret, in his WebMD article “Exercise for Healthy Skin,”states that “By increasing blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells and keep them vital. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working throughout the body, including the skin. In addition to providing oxygen, blood flow also helps carry away waste product, including free radicals, from working cells. Consequently, by increasing blood flow, a bout of exercise helps flush cellular debris out of the system, cleansing the skin from the inside. Additionally, because exercise increases blood flow and decreases stress, we can minimize the effects of skin conditions like acne and eczema. Our workouts can even help skin repair itself more quickly, speeding up wound healing.”
The twelfth benefit identified by Coach Lehman is that exercise can help us lose weight. Exercise is not, to be sure, the fastest way to lose weight because diet must be carefully factored in before it will do any good. Certainly, exercise (especially strength training) boosts which is great for burning extra calories. Exercise provides incentives to add additional healthy choices, such as intermittent fasting, getting more sleep, or consuming more water, creating a healthy ripple effect. After reading this stimulating, informative article, I ran out of excuses to avoid going to the gym and my scenic Stairmaster in Corriganville. Physical exercise provides many valuable insights to which we can apply to spiritual exercise, namely the activities of prayer, Bible study, meditation, and fasting. Scripture alerts us that to apprehend the spiritual laws or behaviors (often difficult to visualize), we should definitely become familiar with the physical laws or behaviors, which we can see (referencing Romans 1:20).
In his insightful article, “Spiritual Exercise,” Kevin Cauley identifies four significant grounds of comparison, linking physical and spiritual exercise, namely the principles of Readiness, Repetition, Resistance, and Resolution, insisting that the principles and truths of physical exercise apply to spiritual exercise as well. Cauley insists that in order to exercise, we have to be ready to exercise, requiring a decision of mind, a willingness to begin, and a burning desire to act.
I Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind , be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Amplified Bible renders this passage as follows: “So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit, steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Thankfully, God’s people are given the assurance that He will give them this readiness of mind to will and do.
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and do for His good pleasure.
The Amplified Bible renders this passage this way: for it is [not your strength, but is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.
Before we can do anything physically or spiritually (physical exercise, praying, Bible Study, or fasting) we must have an ardent desire to follow through with our purpose.
Readiness is required for many spiritual tasks .
I Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
We absolutely must have a readiness of mind if we are going to practice spiritual exercise, with an ardent willingness to begin, as the apostle Paul demonstrated in Romans 1:15, declaring “So, as much as in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.” Consider the attitude of the Bereans in Acts 17:11:
Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness [the Amplified adds the descriptor eagerness] and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Whether we engage in physical calisthenics or spiritual exercise, we must be willing to get started and make a flying leap to begin. Once we have made the decision to begin, we need to act! John 13:17 teaches us that if we know these things [the laws of Almighty God], you are blessed [happy and favored by God] if we put them into practice [and faithfully do them]. Jesus’ half-brother James admonishes us to prove ourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s laws and precepts] and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].
The second principle as well as grounds of comparison binding physical and spiritual exercise together identified by Cauley is repetition. In order to exercise physically or spiritually, repetition must be involved. Walking two steps does not constitute exercise, nor does one or two lifts constitute physical exercise. One must repeat whatever one is doing multiple times before it can be characterized as exercise.
Spiritually speaking, one short prayer, like a bead on a rosary, cannot be called prayer. Reading one verse does not constitute Bible study. Merely attending services once a week could hardly be called faithful. The principle of repetition occurs often in the scriptures. II Peter 1:12-15 stresses the importance of frequent repetition:
II Peter 1:12-15 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth which is held firmly in your grasp. I think it right, as long as I am in this earthly tent, to inspire you by reminding you, knowing that the laying aside of this earthly tent of mine is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. Moreover, I will diligently endeavor [to see to it] that even after my departure you will be able, at all times, to call these things to mind.
An old Latin proverb reads “Repetitio est mater studiorum” (repetition is the mother of learning). Motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar provided the addendum: “Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.” Jesus implied repetition when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily [which the Amplified enlarges as setting aside selfish interests, expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come, including suffering and death] and follow Me.” Paul instructs God’s people then and now to pray without ceasing” (referencing I Thessalonians 5:17).
If we want to exercise ourselves spiritually, we need to exercise ourselves in spiritual activity - prayer, Bible study, meditation and fasting on a regular basis just as one works out in a gym or footpath on a daily basis. Some may feel inclined to think such activity is a boring chore, but just as physical exercise often seems boring but good for the body, spiritual exercise may seem tedious, but good for the implanted Holy Spirit growing into a glorified spiritual body.
The third principle as well as grounds of comparison binding physical and spiritual exercise identified by Cauley is resistance. In order to exercise there must be some kind of resistance—just like Julie tells me in order to have good movie or television drama, conflict is required. Is it possible to build muscles by pumping air or getting a good cardio while sitting on the couch? The apostle Paul in I Corinthians 9:26 expresses the futility at shadow boxing or wind shooting. Astronauts that spend extended periods in space find their muscles seriously atrophied because of lack of resistance. Physical exercise demands resistance!
Spiritual exercise demands resistance as well. We are mandated by Almighty God to resist temptation, sin, and our carnal nature (referencing Romans 8:13). The apostle Paul assures us in I Corinthians 10:13 that “No temptation has overtaken us except; but God is faithful, who will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that we may be able to bear it.” Ephesians 6:13 encourages us “to take up the whole armor of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Even Satan the devil can be seen as a heavy barbell or stiff resistance band against which we must resist.
The apostle Peter cautions us to be sober and vigilant “because our adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (referencing I Peter 5:8). The Amplified renders this passage: “Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined] be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of ours, the devil, prowls around like roaring lion (fiercely hungry) seeking someone to devour.” Jesus’ half-brother James admonishes us to submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from us.” The Amplified renders this passage “submit to [the authority of God] resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from us.”
We must also resist the dispiriting effects of persecution. Matthew 5:11-12 teach us that we should consider ourselves blessed when we are reviled and persecuted falsely for Christ’s sake just as the prophets who lived before us, for we will receive an immense heavenly reward. The apostle Peter also comforts us, saying, “if we are reproached for the name of Christ, we are immensely blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. On their part He is blasphemed, but on our part, He is glorified.” In order to exercise in godliness, we must resist evil and ardently cling to the good. Like physical exercise, if we have nothing to resist, we will atrophy spiritually.
The fourth principle as well as the grounds of comparison binding physical and spiritual exercise identified by Kevin Cauley is resolution. In order for our physical or spiritual exercise to do well to do us good, we must be resolved, exercising persistence and perseverance on our spiritual journey. We may do well to begin, but if we refuse to stick with it, exercise will do us no long term good. We need to be resolved to exercise not just for the moment (perhaps when we are immersed into a watery grave at baptism) but for our entire lives. When we stop exercising, we no longer receive the benefits of the exercise. It is an on-going thing. Spiritually, we must be committed to long term exercise. We cannot afford to look back. Please turn to a familiar memory scripture Luke 9:62.
Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Spiritual timidity is just as disgusting as outward rebellion.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
Almighty God demands that we be steadfast and constant. The apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:58 admonishes us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” We must persevere to exercise physically. If we draw back, we find it harder to get started again when we get lazy in our exercise. Similarly, if we slough off, we will find it harder to get started again. It is much easier if we just stick with it and refuse to give up.
If we want to live properly, then we will exercise. Physical exercise is good for the body and of little or lesser profit because one day our bodies will die. But spiritual exercise profits in all areas of our lives and for all eternity! The grounds of comparison linking physical and spiritual exercise are 1.) Readiness, 2.) Repetition, 3.) Resistance, and 4.) Resolution. Physical exercise provides valuable insights as to cultivate three of the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit-patience, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
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