One New Year's Resolution

Well, its that time of year again… a time to reflect back with evaluation on the previous year and a time to look forward with vision and planning for the upcoming year. And as we all know, it’s that time of the year when we make commitments for the new year.

I have never really made New Year’s resolutions before, but this year I will join the thousands of people and make a few. One will definitely be to get more exercise. Since the nature of my career is not strenuous manual labor, it is very easy for me to get out of shape and put on the pounds. So, I have made the commitment to work out at least 3 times a week. And I must say that it’s not simply b/c I want to look better… the real reason and motivation is b/c 1) The Bible says my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so I should take better care of it. And 2) my family has a history of heart trouble, and I want to be around for Andrea and Caleb as long as possible in God’s will. So, I need to take the necessary steps to make this happen.

But as I think about this, I’m also reminded of something God has said, “Exercise yourself toward godliness. 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 Timothy 4:7-8) In the Apostle Paul’s day, the gymnasium was the focal point of the city for youths between the ages of 16 and 18. Since athletic ability was highly esteemed, there was usually a gymnasium in every town. The cultic exaltation of the body resulted in a preoccupation with exercise, athletic training, and competition, not unlike our own culture today. Paul was alluding to that cultural reality when he exhorted young Timothy to exercise himself for the goal of godliness. I can hear Paul now, “Timothy, if you’re going to work hard and train, train your inner nature for godliness.”

Is exercise and watching what we eat of any value? Of course, Paul didn’t say it was completely worthless. However, when examined against the entire back drop of eternity, it is of little value and not great value. Why? Well, first, bodily exercise only benefits the body. You may feel better, but running and lifting weights does nothing for your spirit, which must be exercised with “spiritual” disciplines, like studying Scripture, praying, fasting, journaling, attending worship, participating in fellowship with other believers, sharing your faith, so on and so forth. And secondly, bodily exercise is only profitable for this life. These 70-80 years we live in this life, aren’t even a drop in the bucket to eternity! But godliness… training ourselves to be like Christ, as Paul states here, is not only profitable for this life, but also for the life to come.

So, all of you out there who are making resolutions like me to eat better, get some exercise, and regain fitness… don’t forget that exercising ourselves toward godliness is far, far more profitable in the long run. I’ll end this entry with a quote from a great pastor-teacher, John MacArthur…
“It is spiritually immature to preoccupy yourself with your body. Doing so betrays a limited perception of spiritual and eternal realities. It should be (simply a given fact) in the church that Christians are a group of people who are in spiritual training to be conformed to the will of God, not a group of body worshipers.” (page 155-156, The Masters Plan for the Church.)

May God greatly bless all of you this coming new year with His abundant grace and peace.