Spiritual Fitness
Scr.-1 Tim.1:3-4; 4:7-8; 6:11-12.
Key verse: 1 Tim.4:7b- "...exercise yourself toward godliness."--(NKJV)
He had the biggest arms I've ever seen.
But, his arms were not merely huge; He had muscles on top of muscles, muscles bulging so vigorously I thought they might burst through the skin. Even if the man used steroids, he must have invested phenomenal time and effort into maintaining his physique.
In 1 Tim.4, Paul drew a parallel between physical training and godliness. In verse 8, he mentioned that physical training was of some value--- yet godliness was better. He wrote this after exhorting Timothy to 'exercise' himself toward godliness. Paul communicated point blank: 'Spiritual fitness' is more profitable than physical fitness.
We live in a culture that extols the physical and sneers at the spiritual. Infomercials and pundits constantly promote the importance of diet and physical exercise---and these do have their place in this earthly life. However, the commitment to spiritual fitness --that is, the exercise of godly character and godly habits---is routinely shrugged off and minimized. In our society, physical conditioning is deemed imperative, but spiritual fitness is optional. To phrase it another way, any spiritual belief or practice is viewed as 'good enough for God', but 'you should do weight training or running or some very physical exercises, or else you will be socially maligned and rejected.'
Christians can get sucked into this mindset that the physical is more vital than the spiritual. In reaction against this, Frank Barker offered these challenging words: "What a difference it would make if people who are serious about maintaining their physical health gave the same concern to the well-being of their soul. Do you give as much time to staying in spiritual shape as you do to staying in physical shape?"
3 John 2 asserts: "I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."
And Peter remarked: "... giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." ---2 Pet.1:5-7
Scr.-1 Tim.1:3-4; 4:7-8; 6:11-12.
Key verse: 1 Tim.4:7b- "...exercise yourself toward godliness."--(NKJV)
He had the biggest arms I've ever seen.
But, his arms were not merely huge; He had muscles on top of muscles, muscles bulging so vigorously I thought they might burst through the skin. Even if the man used steroids, he must have invested phenomenal time and effort into maintaining his physique.
In 1 Tim.4, Paul drew a parallel between physical training and godliness. In verse 8, he mentioned that physical training was of some value--- yet godliness was better. He wrote this after exhorting Timothy to 'exercise' himself toward godliness. Paul communicated point blank: 'Spiritual fitness' is more profitable than physical fitness.
We live in a culture that extols the physical and sneers at the spiritual. Infomercials and pundits constantly promote the importance of diet and physical exercise---and these do have their place in this earthly life. However, the commitment to spiritual fitness --that is, the exercise of godly character and godly habits---is routinely shrugged off and minimized. In our society, physical conditioning is deemed imperative, but spiritual fitness is optional. To phrase it another way, any spiritual belief or practice is viewed as 'good enough for God', but 'you should do weight training or running or some very physical exercises, or else you will be socially maligned and rejected.'
Christians can get sucked into this mindset that the physical is more vital than the spiritual. In reaction against this, Frank Barker offered these challenging words: "What a difference it would make if people who are serious about maintaining their physical health gave the same concern to the well-being of their soul. Do you give as much time to staying in spiritual shape as you do to staying in physical shape?"
3 John 2 asserts: "I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."
And Peter remarked: "... giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." ---2 Pet.1:5-7