It’s a good thing to pursue healthy living. It’s better if you pursue it for the glory of God, not the glory of self!

1. Scriptural Guidance for Glorifying God with our Bodies.

1. Romans 6:12-13 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
2. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “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.”
3. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
4. 1 Timothy 4:8 “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way...”

2. A Theology of Body and Soul.

1. The Scripture is clear that we are created by God with a twofold union of the physical and spiritual realm. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We can deduce from this text that the Lord is interested in the sanctification of our bodies as well as our souls and the two, body and soul, are intricately connected.
2. The body and soul are so tied in union to the one person that activity in one realm always affects the other.
3. This is evident during sickness. It has been reported abundantly how prayer has a positive effect on physical recovery. The reverse is true as well. When the body is miserably sick, the spiritual nature often suffers as well. The point is that you can’t separate the two.
4. If this is the case, then how we treat our bodies will have an effect on our spiritual vitality. Laziness or slothfulness tends to have negative consequences for us spiritually. On the other hand, developing good spiritual disciplines (1 Tim 4:7) often aids in developing healthy disciplines as well.
5. The point is that the way we treat our bodies, what we eat, what we do, has an effect on our spiritual lives. In addition, the way we treat our bodies, what we eat, what we do, either honors the Lord or dishonors the Lord.
6. Taking care of the body because of its union with the soul and doing so to glorify God has additional benefits. Foremost being that physical exercise clears the mind and reduces stress. A workout works out mental and emotional stress; it is not just for muscles!

3. Practical Steps for Pursuing Healthy Living.

1. Get a plan and a partner. A plan will give you a goal and a partner will give you accountability and encouragement. No greater partner than your spouse, which includes the added benefit of more time and activity together!
2. Eat less non-nutritional foods (high sodium, sodas, chips, fats, fried foods, junk food, processed and canned foods) and more food that nourish the body (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, non-processed or canned - the closer you get to eating it straight from the ground, the better!)
3. It’s ok to get ideas from diets and healthy cooking magazines, but don’t get carried away! Just take simple steps to be more health conscious. Many people get discouraged because healthier eating is more expensive. It can be if you try to cook the exact meals you find in healthy diets. However, think about it like this, fat-free milk is not more expensive than whole milk and spending a little extra now for fresh foods and whole grains may save a lot of money later in the form of medicine and medical care.
4. Get active. Implement some form of physical activity 4-5 times each week. Walking, running, swimming, whatever, just get up, get out, and get moving!

4. Suggestions for Incorporating Healthy Living into an Already Packed Schedule.

1. For some, the problem is not desire or money but time! I certainly sympathize with the resistance of adding anything at all, no matter how beneficial, to an already jammed-packed busy life. Here are some ideas though of how exercising can be incorporated into your present schedule.
2. Go for a brisk walk during your prayer time.
3. Workout, hike, or go for a walk with your spouse and spend this time in conversation and prayer together.
4. Play with your kids.
5. Listen to a sermon while you are at the gym.
6. Meditate on Bible verses or pray through how best to deal with issues in a biblical, godly manner. Time spent exercising, if sent alone, is an excellent opportunity to think with a clear mind.
7. Basically, learn how to do two things at once, some kind of physical exercise + some kind of spiritual exercise.