Words of Warning - The Idol of Health and Fitness

 

One of the idols that has come into a major role in more recent times has been the idol of health and fitness.

A lot of the chatter and shaming on this subject centers around "honoring your temple," meaning your body. Somehow this flows into the idea that if you are taking care of your body - eating "right," exercising, lifting weights, etc. that God will honor that because you are allegedly "taking better care of His temple."

One of the first I ran across that really got my attention was a Christian vegan page on Facebook years back. The woman who was running it was boasting that being a Christian is hard enough, and being a vegan is hard, but being a Christian vegan was so difficult that apparently it was making them into some kind of super Christians because they were so spiritual in their drive to subdue the flesh.

This is where the problem really settles. The people who deny the flesh by eating and exercising a certain way believe that they are doing fleshly things that will make them "extra spiritual" and super "victorious" Christians. This is the exact wrong thinking that the Apostle Paul was writing about to the church at Colosse: Colossians 2:20-23 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Denying the flesh feels very spiritual and tempts people to think more highly of themselves than they ought. There is a show of wisdom - in other words, it looks wise because perhaps there are even benefits on the surface, and it seems humble to subdue your own will and not satisfy the flesh. However, he calls these the commandments and doctrines of men. He asks, "Why are you being subject to these things - don't touch it, don't eat it, don't handle it - when you are supposed to be dead with Christ to the rudiments of the world?" In other words, these carnal things shouldn't be your focus. You're supposed to be dead to them.

We see why as the letter continues: Colossians 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

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