Biblical Advice on Living WellSample

Spiritual exercise

“Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

Our bodies need training or exercise in order to stay healthy. Since our bodies are valued by God as “His temple”, it is important to take care of them. Another kind of “bodily training” can be to discipline your body and keep it under control, so as to not obey its sinful passions (1 Corinthians 9:27; Romans 6:12). Note that we are not to view the body as something evil and sinful, as opposed to the mind or spirit. Both the body and the mind have been affected by sin, but both can be redeemed and renewed by Jesus.

The apostle Paul says there is something even more important than bodily training, namely to train for godliness. This is important both now and for the life to come. So, what does Paul mean by this word? He is talking about devotion to God, about a personal attitude toward the Lord that results in actions that are pleasing to Him. So, not only our bodies should be disciplined, but also our minds. We need to train ourselves to stay away from sin and to make God the focal point of our lives. This will not happen all at once, it requires lifelong devotion and training.

Are you ready to make this effort? How do you plan to do this?