Tuesday, March 11, 2008
A different angle
The recent discussions on body image were amazing and i feel like we came to some good realizations, however i don't think we're quite done. I want to ask one more quick question that should come at the issue from a bit of a different angle. Should we be content with our bodies? Contentment is a "rare jewel" among Christians today. Is it right to be content with the bodies that God gave us, or should we look at them as a manifestation of the effects of sin? Should we be content when we are in good physical shape only, or discontent with phyisical bodies as a whole because we are longing for new heavenly bodies? What do you think?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Our bodies are corruptible and subject to sin, disease, and death - and so, the hope and promise of the bodily resurrection where we will be given an incorruptible body that will never die should be our focus. (1 Corinthians 15) My concern is that we don’t fall into a kind of dualism where all things involving the body are sinful/bad while things of the spirit/soul/mind are the only good things. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that both our body and spirit were bought by God which means both are important to Him. To me, a logical conclusion from the fact of the bodily resurrection is that our physical bodies are important to God. Of course, we are warned against vanity (Proverbs 31:30) just as we are warned against gluttony (Proverbs 23:2). What level of ‘fitness’ constitutes taking care of the body God has given us?
I’m sure we can agree on cigarettes destroying the lungs and alcoholism destroying the liver and being 500 pounds destroying well everything…but most (I say most because I don’t know ALL physicians and don’t want to make blanket statements I can’t support) health professionals will tell you that some level of physical activity is necessary to keep the body in good condition. Most say 30 minutes of moderate activity such as a brisk walk four/five times a week. There are many benefits to exercise – links below include information on specifics.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/importance/index.htm
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-exercise
http://mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676
Many of those benefits are simply helping the body to function as it was meant to. Back in the day (OT without a doubt and NT for most people), life involved a lot more physical activity in a day – there were no cars, no laundry machines, few ‘desk’ jobs. I think this is part of the reason there isn’t much mention of exercise in the Bible – there was no need to tell people to move around more. We’re the ones who can be lazy. =) The Bible does use physical activity to illustrate something about spiritual activity (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 2:5) and says that it has some value (1 Timothy 4:8). Obviously, as that last verse indicates, godliness is more important than physical fitness. Working out three hours a day every day and not taking time to pray or read Scripture is getting your priorities wrong. But I believe not ever working out is also getting your priorities wrong.
karen
ps sorry about the length =)
To be completely honest, I'm super excited about my new body in heaven. That being said, if I understand my body as a living temple for Christ, and then I compared it to the tabernacle in the old testiment, I would see that the temple had priests to help it run properly, there were rules of order, and the truest, most holy place lay in the "heart" of the tabernacle, etc. You get the picture...
Joe Arant
Yeah, good thoughts. "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...therefore worship God in your body." What does that have to do with contentment of our bodies, though? Also, how does the old gnostic belief of basically "soul=good, body=bad" play into all of this?
I think in a lot of way our body represents our depraved nature. It is obviously not a source of true contentment- as that is only found in Christ Jesus.
However, our bodies ARE indeed the temples of the Holy Spirit and the vessels with which we are to be the hands and feet of Christ. Thus, just as we are to use our hearts and minds to glorify Him- our bodies are to do the same. I do think part of that is respecting the body in which we are given by eating healthy and being active- but more so, it is about utilizing it for the building of His kingdom... and that looks a little different for everyone.
Off to work now- God Bless!
i think we are called to use the gifts we were entrusted with. so being content with our bodies is a way of honoring where God dwells as well. but this should not stop us from striving to continue to keep our bodies healthy, as an act of worship. in one light however, we are going to be new in Christ, so the things of this world will pass away. i guess that is open to interpretation as to if our bodies will pass away, or if we have the same body in heaven. i've heard both statements.
i think the comments of 1 cor 15 are a little beside the point of discussion, although a good thing to strive for.
and karen makes good points of seeing things relating to fitness in light of the whole goal. priorities. sorry about the non-linear, non-structured comment.
-thew case
Post a Comment