Physical Education
If we owe our existence to our Creator, it stands to reason that we also owe it to Him to be careful with what He has entrusted to us. There is ample evidence in the Bible that God is interested in our physical well-being. He manifested His care for the people of Israel time and again. He gave His people numerous instructions about healthful eating and sanitation. He gave them manna in the wilderness. He looked after Elijah when there was famine in the land. These are just a few of many examples of God's care for our physical well-being.
This truth becomes even clearer in the ministry of our Lord. Even a cursory reading of the Gospels leave us in no doubt that Jesus' understanding of religion was very much practice-oriented.
In In what ways did Jesus show interest in His own physical well-being and that of the people around Him? Take a look at the following passages and analyze what implications they have for us today.
- healing (Mark 5)
- rest (Mark 6:30-32)
- feeding (Mark 6:33-43; esp. vs. 34)
- Sabbath (Luke 4:16)
In what other areas did Jesus show His concern for the physical well-being of people?
The way we treat our body has everything to do with stewardship. Whether our material possessions, our time, our talents, or our body-it is all God's property, and thus, we are required as faithful stewards to look after these gifts. But care for our body also is intimately related to the biblical view of the human person. Many Christians believe that we consist of an immortal soul that inhabits a mortal shell of flesh and blood. The Bible, however, depicts humanity as a unity of body, soul, and spirit, which cannot be separated. Our religion, therefore, does not concern just an immortal "something" but our entire being. It impacts on all aspects of our existence.
| While the Bible indicates that some foods are unsuitable for human consumption (see, for example, Leviticus 11), the kingdom is not to be reduced to a question of what we eat and drink (see Rom. 14:17). How do we strike the right balance, not just in diet but in all areas of healthy living? |
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