I began yesterday’s meditation with a Biblical proverb, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Another saying comes to mind as I begin this one - “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.”
The effects of the current pandemic on the economy in general are huge. I saw a headline today that some believe the fallout globally will be worse than that from the Great Depression in the 1930s.
Yet in the midst of these very trying circumstances, business is going very well for some. I searched online for a web camera the other day, visiting the sites of the major online retailers, but almost all the models were sold out. People want to be in touch and video chatting is about the best option in days of social distancing. Likewise, though I haven’t done the searching, I believe that it is practically impossible to get gym equipment these days. Gyms are closed down, and those who want to stay fit have bought their own equipment so they can work out at home.
Paul’s perspective on personal fitness training is interesting in this context as he writes to the young pastor, Timothy. Our Bible versions differ in the way they translate what he says in the first part of 1 Tim 4:8:
So, depending which version we use, the translations tell us that physical training is either of “little value” or “a little value.” It is outside the scope of this meditation to argue for one emphasis or another. What is relevant here is that Paul is talking from a relative perspective, as the remainder of the verse makes clear (and in which all of our versions are in close agreement). What he is saying is that compared with training ourselves for godliness, training for physical fitness is of far less value. This is because whatever the benefits may be of physical training, we receive them only in our earthly bodies and for the time we are in this world. Godliness, in comparison, is something that has value both in this life and that which is to come.
Paul is writing under divine inspiration, so we know that his logic and his reasoning here are perfectly correct. That being the case, it follows that believers should prioritize their training to be godly, to receive an imperishable wreath (as Paul says in 1 Cor 9:24-27), compared with their training to be physically fit (one could apply this to other hobbies and pastimes, too). I wonder if we are heavenly-minded like this when it comes to fitness, or whether we may have come to place too high a value in our physical training?
What does godliness training look like? It looks like reading and meditating on God’s Word, hearing it preached, spending time in prayer and in true fellowship with fellow believers, singing God’s praises, reflecting on His great and precious promises - having our hearts and minds taken up by heavenly ideas and themes.
Please understand that I am not saying we should neglect our bodies and seek to become super-spiritual gurus living up a tree or in a cave somewhere (as attractive as that may be!) God makes it clear that He expects us to be good stewards of all that He has given us - including having the form of love for our bodies that feeds them and takes good care of them:
Ephesians 5:28–29 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, so we must not abuse them:
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, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
This all implies that getting some exercise and maintaining some level of fitness is good and right for Christians. However, if we rush through our time with the Lord in 5-10 minutes every day so we can get to the gym for a 2 hour session, it’s possible that our priorities need re-evaluation.
A couple of additional thoughts here. First, beware the spirit of self-righteousness or of legalism in our godliness training which puffs us up because of our superior dedication and commitment to spiritual activities. It’s possible that you already have all the “reward” you will get if you take that kind of approach, but it isn’t the “value” Paul speaks of in our text.
And that leads to the final point. Done in the right spirit and with the right attitude (hungering and thirsting for Christ), there is real and lasting value (profit) in training to be godly. Here are just a few aspects of the “profit” we will gain from this training: a closer walk with God, His Spirit more at work in our lives through the Word, being more conscious of His leading in our daily circumstances, and (as Paul implies in the text) having a firmer confidence of our interest in all the promises God has made for His children, and His utter reliability to keep them for us in this life and the life to come
