“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, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, ESV)
Years ago, on a Sunday morning I got up and ready to preach at the church. After showering and shaving, I went to put on some clothes. The first pair of pants did not fit. I could not get the button on the pant waist to reach the button slot. So, I proceeded to go through my wardrobe to find a pair that fit. I went through every pair of pants until I found just one pair that I could fit into.
Well, I concluded, “Of course, all my pants must have shrunk but one.” Yet the reality was different. I was terribly out of shape. My waistline and weight had grown significantly. In fact, I was 35 pounds over my target weight. Why did this happen? Well, I did not watch my eating and spent too much time sitting on my backside. Now, it did not happen all at once. It happened over the long haul. It all snuck up on me. The side effects of this hindered my energy level, mobility, and general wellbeing.
One of the things that we need to understand is that our physical wellbeing is important. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth regarding the issue of sexual union out of wedlock. In this he focused on the fact that a believer would defile the temple of his body with such conduct. Here are his words.
“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, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, ESV)
In other words, the body of the believer is a temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit and participating in sexual sin would defile the temple. Moreover, when one believer defiles the temple of his body, the church as a whole as the temple is also defiled.
The fact that our bodies are the temple of the Spirit brings up a serious and broader issue. Our bodies are vessels that God has chosen to be indwelt by His Spirit. Thus, His plan is to work through us to accomplish His purposes in this world. As such we need to care for our bodies. Because as much as it is up to us, the condition of our bodies will have an effect on our ability to fulfill our mission.
I liken this to my time in the military. After completing the Army Aborn and Ranger training, I was in the best physical condition in my entire life. I was fit and ready to serve in the most severe circumstances.
I wonder how many of us realize the severity and importance of our mission in this world? To fulfill it we need to be in peak condition. Of course, this begins with our spiritual wellness and then emotional wellness. However, the need for us to be physically well should not be underestimated. Let us face it. As a preacher, if I cannot get my pants buttoned, it would be somewhat distracting on Sunday morning to preach in sweatpants or boxers.
There are several issues when we are physically out of shape. Our energy level and mobility suffer. We often will feel drowsy. Moreover, how we care for our bodies can have a significant influence on the way people perceive us as believers. Bening in poor physical condition can be a reflection of a lack of self-control. This often can have a significant influence our testimony.
In the next few devotions, we will look at what the Bible says about maintaining the temple of our bodies.
Renewing the Heart 