Be in Health
Here is an interesting verse to open this subject with, and it is found in 3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” When one looks at this subject/concept even more verses come to the fore, like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” Also 1 Corinthians 3:17 “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.” Here is an even broader view found in 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Let me quote an author here. The fourth round in the ladder of Christian experience is the gospel of health. The key text for this section is 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” There is an intimate relation between the physical and spiritual life. This scripture sets forth that thought. It is the same thought is already quoted above in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Here is another verse to consider, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
In 2 Peter 1:5-6, temperance precedes patience. God has given all things that pertain to godliness and the divine nature, 2 Peter 1:3-4 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
According to these scriptures the Gospel must contain principles to cleanse the physical body of its defilement and facilitate the development of patience and other Christian virtues, and God will punish him who rejects and ignores these principles. Because the fall of man occurred through the indulgence of appetite, his restoration cannot be accomplished without the conquest of appetite. Further on he writes; It is only by the exercise of the will that man can decide to submit himself to God, and a man cannot give his will to Christ while doing something which Christ forbids, which is against Christ’s will, and which dominates man’s will contrary to the will of Christ. The man who does not give his will to Christ is not Christ’s (Philippians 2:13). “Both to will and to do of his good pleasure” describes the Christian. Quoted from Julius Gilbert White.
Back to 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” What are you and I eating drinking or doing unhealthfully? In our eating and drinking, is it too much, is it actually a product that a true Christian should not even be even eating or drinking, is it damaging the human body or building it up to greater health and strength to the Glory of God? Apart from food, are you getting plenty of sunshine, fresh air, exercise for mind and body, water on the outside to wash it clean, drinking plenty of water to keep the inside functioning and clean?
“Divine truth can make little impression upon the intellect while the customs and habits are opposed to its principles. Those who are willing to inform themselves concerning the effect of sinful indulgence upon the health, and who commence the work of reform, even if it be from selfish motives, in so doing place themselves where the truth of God may find access to their hearts. {4T 553} If we could realize that the habits we form in this life will affect our eternal interests, that our eternal destiny depends upon strictly temperate habits, we would work to the point of strict temperance in eating and drinking. By our example and personal effort we may be the means of saving many souls from the degradation of intemperance, crime, and death. {CH 126} I was reading a book and this phrase kept appearing, “dig their graves with their teeth,” so we can actually be killing ourselves by what and how much we are eating. Remember “Thou shalt not kill.”
Let’s go back to the start and sum up; 3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Both Paul and John felt it critical to advise all the believers that Health and God are inseparable, build one and you build the other, destroy one and you destroy the other. How many unbelievers do you know that are in very bad health? The Disciple John asks you if you are in health and prospering.
Seeing such a strong link between our Health and our true spirituality, are we correctly representing God, witnessing for him or representing the other chap downstairs. Therefore, is it not past time for us to change a few habits, change what goes on our plates, to drink more water and leave the other stuff well alone; “all to the glory of God,” let us fully commit to being healthy Christians?