9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor 6:9-11 (NIV)
We have been in a series on Lifestyle Stewardship – or to use another word that we can better relate to – Management. The idea behind stewardship is that we are really not owners – we are managers of that which belongs to someone else.
We began the series with a message called Meet the Owner.
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; Psalms 24:1 (NIV)
Last week we focused on our responsibility to manage relationships well in the message Meet the Team.
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 1 Peter 5:2-3 (NKJV)
Last week, the point we made was that the people in our lives are really God’s – they are just entrusted to us. We are known by how we treat others. We will be judged by how we treat others. The concept of Stewardship says how I treat others is how I treat God. What does that mean? I must serve people.
This is an interesting concept – that people belong to God. All people. Look at the person next to you and say, “You belong to God”.
Now, look at that person and say, “You’re right. I do belong to God!”
You see – if people are God’s, and I am a people… then I am God’s. And the concept of lifestyle stewardship is God wants me to manage well everything that is His. That brings us to our message for today – how fit are we to manage?
We’re hearing a lot about fitness today. America is crazed with fitness regimens. America spends more per capita on health than any other nation in the world – around 14% of our GNP. And yet according to the World Health Organization, America ranked 37th in our overall health (in 2000). No other nation has so many health clubs. No other nation focuses so much on sports. No other nation has published so many diets.
I was looking at diets the other day.
- Atkins diet
- South Beach diet
- Body for Life diet
- Fit for Life diet
- Cabbage Soup diet
- Glycemic Index diet
- Grapefruit diet
- High Protein diet
- Hallelujah diet
- Zone diet
- Jenny Craig diet
- Weight Watchers diet
- Nutrisystems diet
The list was a lot longer – but most of us have heard of these. Unfortunately, many of us have tried most of these at some point in our life! But diets don’t generally work – at least not in the long term.
And then there are those exercise programs… How many of us have treadmills in our basements that haven’t been touched in years? I’ve discovered that one of the biggest wastes of money, in my experience, is purchasing a health club membership for me! That doesn’t apply to everyone, mind you – I said the waste was a health club membership purchased for me.
I heard a man say once – “I woke up this morning early to run, but it was cold, rainy, windy… I prayed for the Lord to give me strength – but instead He gave me wisdom. I went back to bed.” Well – the Lord gives me wisdom every morning.
Why is it that we have so many programs for health, and yet we are so unhealthy? I’m convinced that we don’t have sufficient motivation. These programs don’t work because they are just that – programs. We subscribe to help us do something we don’t really want to do.
The world’s motivations for maintaining our bodies just don’t seem to cut it. The biggest motivation the world gives now is that you will have sex appeal. But really – who amongst us wants to be loved and appreciated only for our looks? That motivation is short-lived at best.
Sometimes people in the world hang the longevity carrot out there in front of us. If you eat spinach, broccoli, this, and that – you may live to be 90. If you eat hamburgers and fries, you’ll only live to 80. 80 or 90 – who cares? I’m saying “Super-size it, I’ll just live to 70!” I mean – after all, God only gave us 70 years (three-score-and-ten) – maybe supersizing is His will! I’m thinking about starting a new doctrine about this… (joke) Seriously though – we know that this life is not all there is. Heaven is much better, and I really don’t want to hang around here forever. So the longevity motivation doesn’t work well for me.
This may be an uncomfortable subject for some of us… I’ll admit – I’m a little overweight myself. And out of shape. I may be the first one to the altar today. But really - the point of today’s message is not to condemn anyone. I’m not here to put you on a guilt trip. Instead, I came today to give you a different perspective on fitness. Hopefully, we’ll leave with a much stronger motivation than what the world gives us.
First of all, I want to remind you that you are more than just a body. You are a blend of body and spirit. God did something different when he created man. He made the body, but then he breathed into man His own breath. It was then that man became a living soul. Many people say that man is a three-part being, and to an extent that is true. The blending of two becomes the third. It is the spirit given by God, placed in the body, that gives man the intellect, the will, the emotions.
The world focuses far too much on the physical aspect, but God wants the whole man to be fit. Some of us Christians focus on the spirit part of our being, while saying the body doesn’t matter. That is indeed the Biblical priority.
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. 1 Tim 4:8 (NKJV)
Notice what Paul says to Timothy… We often interpret this as “bodily exercise doesn’t matter”, but Paul does say that it does profit a little. I’m sure you’ve heard that. But the focus here is what our focus should be, and that is that godliness profits the whole man. Godliness promises a better life, both now and for eternity.
Here’s what I believe Paul is saying… If you focus on being godly, you will be more healthy. Godliness will affect your spirit, your body, and your mind. Furthermore, true godliness does not ignore any aspect of the whole man, made in the image of God.
Godliness does not ignore:
- The spirit – I don’t think any of us will argue here… It’s what we normally think of godliness. It certainly starts here.
- The mind – Did you know godliness seeks to learn?
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Prov 1:7 (NIV)
A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; Prov 24:5 (NIV)
- The body
We took our text today from 1 Corinthians chapter 6. It basically says that ungodliness will not inherit the Kingdom. Paul’s partial list of ungodly traits involves both the physical and the spiritual. But then the rest of the chapter deals with God’s perspective our bodies.
Our body is a treasure
Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 1 Cor 6:13-14 (NKJV)
One of the biggest problems of the Corinthian church is that they had tried to limit godliness to something that was spiritual. They had forgotten that the body is a very integral part of man, made in the image of God – and thus a part of godliness.
Apparently, they had made up some slogans, like “Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods”. As if to say – what does it matter what goes into my stomach? Both the food and the stomach will pass away? What does it matter what I do with my body?
But Paul shows that indeed this body will not pass away. Our bodies were made for immortality – for an eternity in heaven. Just like Jesus was raised from the dead – we also will be raised. And God will receive our resurrected bodies into His kingdom. Your body is a treasure to him. “Your body is for the Lord, and he is for your body”.
The Bible is clear that our bodies are going to heaven… The graves will burst open. We will be transformed, to be just like Jesus after he was resurrected. So your body is a precious, eternal thing, not just a worthless temporary shell that you can abuse or neglect. Because it is a part of your whole man – the one gave everything to save…
Our body is a tool
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? 1 Cor 6:15 (NKJV)
What’s it mean that our bodies are members of Christ. It means that each one of us is a functional part of Jesus Christ. Other scriptures go into more detail, it’s like some of us are thumbs, some are legs, some are mouths, some are elbows, etc. But our bodies serve Christ’s purpose on earth.
He is no longer here physically. But he still walks and talks amongst men. How? Through us. Our bodies are his tools. They carry the gospel to people. People see Jesus in them. God uses us to continue what Jesus started doing when he was here in the flesh.
You know what happens when you abuse or forsake your body? A part of the body of Christ becomes crippled. And the Bible is clear that when this happens the whole body suffers. It is important that we understand our body is a tool.
Our body is a temple
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God… 1 Cor 6:19a (NKJV)
When you receive the Holy Spirit, your body becomes a temple. What is a temple? It is where we go to find God. It is where God lives.
In the Old Covenant, it was a specific building, located in a specific place. But in the New Testament, the temple is a person. It is you. Your body is a sacred place.
Jesus, at the beginning and at the end of his ministry, drove the moneychangers from the temple. You see – he doesn’t want to share his house with things that corrupt its purpose.
“It is written," he said to them, “My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers." Luke 19:46 (NIV)
Throughout the history of Judah, there were many good kings and many bad kings. But what is interesting is that the goodness or badness of the king was characterized first and foremost by how he treated the temple.
Are you a good king, or a bad king? What’s the condition of your temple? Is it a house of prayer? Can you find God there? Can others find God there? Does God feel at home in your body?
Our body is a sacred trust
…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. 1 Cor 6:19b-20 (NKJV)
This is really the heart of the message today. You’re being asked to manage something that is not yours. This is contrary to the current world view. Everybody talks about their body, their rights. This is the basic tenant of the pro-choice movement – a woman’s body is her own.
I have heard people that did drugs, smoked, say, “Who cares…. This isn’t hurting anyone but me. If I want to do this to my own body, it is my right.” But whether we’re talking about abortion, drugs, alcohol, gluttony, laziness – you are abusing God’s property, not yours.
What kind of body does God want me to have?
One that directs attention to him, not me
In other words, God is most comfortable in a body that is modest. The world’s idea is, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. That means physical attributes, money – whatever. But God says, “That’s mine, and it should be used for me.”
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 1 Tim 2:8-10 (NKJV)
I might say, though – that I’ve seen people that were immodest in their attempts at modesty. Take the Amish, for instance. It’s difficult for people to see their God, because they can’t get their eyes off their appearance.
Another thing – I’ve seen some people that were so obese that it was difficult to see God. Or people that were so unkempt. Here’s the key behind modesty… Who is it that you are wanting people to see? You, or God? You’re God’s temple – your body is God’s.
One that is healthy
God wants us to have a body that is healthy. He asks us to be clean, eat well, and balance rest with physical activity. Think about the Old Testament law… A substantial portion of the law was about eating, cleanliness, and balancing our activities with periods of rest. That’s because God wants his people to have healthy bodies. Why? Because they are his treasure! They are his tools! They are his temple! Bottom line is – they are His!
The Bible has a lot to say about gluttony… This is America’s sin. Over-eating.
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. Prov 23:20-21 (NIV)
When you eat right, are well-rested, and are exercising – you have much more energy. And that energy allows you to pour yourself into His Kingdom.
I want to also talk a little about cleanliness. This is part of living healthy. A clean home makes for a healthy family. Clean bodies are important. Now, sometimes I think that our society is obsessed with cleanliness. I’ve seen parents that are so paranoid about germs that their kids practically have to live in a glass bubble. You can get carried away with it. But still – cleanliness is an important topic in the Bible.
Remember, this is God’s treasure – his tool – his temple. He wants it to be clean and healthy.
One that is not mastered by anything but God
"Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor 6:12 (NIV)
What Paul is saying is that what we can do and what we should do are two different things. When we look at any activity, or any food – we must ask ourselves these two questions:
- Is it good for me?
- Does it have the potential to make me a slave?
Our bodies belong to God. He doesn’t want to share that ownership with anything else. |
