1 Timothy 4:8 and physical fitness

[Vasco]

1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

For bodily exercise profiteth little?? This is saying it does no good to keep the physycal is shape if one does not keep the spiritual in shape as well right?

 

[James_Newman]

I hear it preached that way most often, but my wife questioned me on it one night, and I'm not so sure that is what it is talking about now, although that would certainly be a valid application. Bodily exercise, in context, could be referring to the things Paul was talking about (touch not, taste not, handle not). Abstaining from meats (fasting) is profitable in its use, but godliness does not consist of fasting. I don't know quite where I stand on it right now.

 

[SpiritualMadMan]

Well...

Some uf us need all the little we can get!

Seriously, though, in NT times life was a lot tougher then it is today...

And, people are far less 'fit' then they used to be...

Consider this...

How many of us could go into a non-airconditioned sanctuary and *really* pray for revival for several hours on a late summer afternoon?

I am not talking about a 'now I lay be down to sleep prayer'...

I am talking about floor wet with tears drenched in sweat prayer... (See Romans 8:26)

The kind or prayer that lays hold of the horns of the altar in heaven and begs God's Mercy on a Neighborhood... (see 2 Chronicles 7:14)

Most of us can't...

And, as a result... Won't even consider it as an option...

Yes, it's hard to be Spiritually fit if you're not Physically fit enough to stay awake in the morning for your devotions...

I need to get serious...

Maybe we need to start a Forum for health Accountability?

SMM

 

[gekko]

well - like it or not - we're doing physical excersise everyday.

half a sit-up getting out of bed - and half a sit-up getting into bed...

 

[gekko]

double postage-ness

 

[Pete]

By gekko:

half a sit-up getting out of bed - and half a sit-up getting into bed...

Yer a fitness freak gekko

 

[gekko]

hahaha. yes indeed i am.

 

[John of Japan]

Originally posted by Vasco:
1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

For bodily exercise profiteth little?? This is saying it does no good to keep the physycal is shape if one does not keep the spiritual in shape as well right?

Actually, Vasco, a better translation would be, "bodily exercise profits a little...." So it does profit, but not that much.

As for health matters, we can only do so much, and then God takes care of it. For example, the "first commandment with promise" is to honor your parents, "that it may be well with thee, and thy days may be long upon the earth." So what is the key to long life? Honoring your parents, not jogging! Remember the jogging guru, Jim Fixx was his name I believe, who had a heart attack while jogging and died in his 50's, I believe.