9/15/22
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
One of the most important verses in the Bible for those of us who have been born from above by the power of God is contained in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.
As an introduction, being born from above corresponds in Old Testament type to entering the Tabernacle of the congregation without or outside the vail (Exodus 27:21). This message, titled "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made," is a first cousin to last week's message on "the fire of God."
To briefly review, God started the first fire on the brazen altar, but there were certain rules that the priests had to observe in the care of that fire. Though it was eternal fire, it would go out when it had consumed all of the available fuel ... in other words when time is no more.
That command created a problem of fuel supply. That was the responsibility of man ... to keep the fire burning on the altar. This speaks volumes. It must have been a full-time task for some folks to continually bring in all the wood to keep the fire burning. Likewise, we must do whatever it takes to keep the fire of God burning in our souls. Three main elements make up the fuel for the fire of God in our souls ... the rhema word of God, prayer and intercession, and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Trees and wood in scripture refer to us human beings. We must offer ourself every morning as a burnt offering, which was the only Old Testament offering that was completely consumed. No priest received any part of the burnt offering. It totally belonged to God.
Under penalty of death, only the fire from off the altar was to be used in tabernacle worship. Man's fire, or man's attempt to please God, is always strange fire and never acceptable to God. Only the Christ within us can please God. Only the Christ within us can worship God. Only the Christ within us can ever be anointed.
Perhaps 50 years ago my mother gave me a book titled, "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made." Originally, my aunt had given that book to her son, my first cousin, who was an orthopedic surgeon. I believe that every Christian should read that book. You can buy it on Amazon for $11.85. If you cannot afford it, I will buy one for you ... it is that good.
Amazon describes that book as follows: "Mysterious, intricate, pulsing with energy ... The human body is an endlessly fascinating repository of secrets. The miracle of the skin, the strength and structure of the bones, the dynamic balance of the muscles ... your physical being is knit according to a pattern of incredible purpose. In Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, renowned surgeon Dr. Paul Brand and best-selling writer Philip Yancey explore the human body. Join them in a remarkable journey through inner space - a spellbinding world of cells, systems, and chemistry that bears the impress of a still deeper, unseen reality. This Gold medallion Award-winning book uncovers eternal statements that God has made in the very structure of our bodies, presenting captivating insights into the Body of Christ."
Another word for "reins" is "kidneys." Reins (or kidneys) in the ancient system of physiology were believed to be the seat of desire and longing, the inward impulses, which accounts for their often being coupled in scripture with the heart. In other words, "reins" refers to our soul, our mind. For example,
This verse is undoubtedly where Brand and Yancey obtained the title of their book. This verse is often quoted, especially in discussions regarding the Christian pro-life position, but what does it mean to us? I am sure that most Christians would agree that our physical bodies are wonderfully made, but sometimes we Christians do not act like we are fearfully made. To say that it is our responsibility to maintain our bodies in good condition is more true doctrinally than in reality, but that should be part of fearing God. More on that shortly.
The word "substance" means our body. The Lord knew all about our body before He ever made us. One God-fearing woman and personal friend of ours many years ago said, "Doctors study the body but God made the body."
This verse gives an indication of our value from God's perspective. He designed us. This verse also speaks of the inestimable worth of all human life. About 40 years ago I read a blog on the internet that said that the Federal government valued a human life to be worth $750,000. If that were true then, perhaps, because of inflation in the natural realm, what are we worth now? Of course, no one can put a price tag on a human life. A direct application of this verse is the protection of life at all levels, from the womb to the final breath of a person's life. This is why Christians care deeply about the protection of life in the womb (Psalm 139:13), caring for those mistreated or undervalued by others in society (Proverbs 31:8-9), and for the elderly and those with terminal illnesses. As 1 John 4:19 states, "We love Him because He first loved us." The best life insurance policy that anyone could ever buy is absolutely free. The Lord Himself is our shield and our exceeding great reward.
Yesterday morning, before I got out of bed, the Lord brought a number of His thoughts to my mind concerning this message.
God speaks as the Creator-King, announcing His crowning work or the climax of His creative activity in the formation of man. The words "image" and "likeness" are synonyms in both the Old and New Testaments. Since man is made in God's image, every human being is worthy of honor and respect. Believers are to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and will someday be like Him (1 John 3:2). We are all image-bearers.
Many years ago, a deacon in our church fellowship said, "Just tell me what to do and I will do it." Man is a "doer." Whenever we Christians come up to a difficult situation, we frequently ask the Lord what we should do. Should we turn to the left or to the right? Do we take this job or that job. In other words, we ask for future knowledge. But if God will tell us what to do, that does not solve our problem. God is always more concerned about who we are, not what we do.
About 50 years ago my wife, Linda, had a very serious physical problem. We both believed we knew the specific problem and also what the Lord wanted us to do about it. Being very young in Christ at that time, we sought for confirmation from other believers. Only one other man had the word of the Lord, which was as follows: She had a cyst on her right ovary and if she went to a medical doctor, the Lord would honor that, but the Lord wanted to heal her all by Himself. That was precisely what we had heard earlier; that was precisely what we did; and the Lord precisely healed Linda all by Himself. The important truth from that experience is that we must always seek the Lord as to what He would have us to do. However, even more importantly, we must always keep in close communion with the Lord. He knows our needs before we ever ask Him. He wants to speak to us more than we want to hear His voice. We care about ourself but the Lord cares for us more than we care for Him. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He can change us such that we likewise care more for the Lord than for our self.
The Lord says, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Jesus said, in Matthew 5:48,
He is omniscient or has all knowledge. No one else knows each person at the most intimate level. The same God who created the universe (Genesis 1:1) also knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30).
He is omnipresent.
Our physical bodies were never meant to last forever. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. At some point we will receive a new body just like the resurrected body of Jesus.
Clearly, from those two verses, the body of Moses was important to the Lord, who buried Moses in a valley in the land of Moab. By the same token, I believe that our body is important to the Lord.
God gave the blueprint and specified the materials to be used for building His temple.
Every Christian knows that Jesus is the precious cornerstone. All Christians are stones in the temple of the Lord, but true apostles and prophets over all of time make up the stones of the foundation.
Next, we have the building itself.
Finally, God's temple has walls and gates.
Those are just a few of the many verses of scripture that clearly reveal that the Lord is building His church, a spiritual house, and we are that house.
There are many different ways that we can defile our own temple of God. One way is by the lust of the flesh, such as fornication and adultery. Sadly, far too many ministers, both prominent and not prominent, have succumbed to the wiles of flirtatious women, just as Samson with Delilah. Fornication can also lead to AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases.
We Christians must understand that since the Lord is our Creator and Lord over His people, we belong to Him, and He has every right to intrude into our lives and discipline "the one he loves" (Hebrews 12:6). Since the Lord is just, He will also deliver divine justice against sin (Hebrews 9:27).
The phrase, "For we are members of His body, of his flesh, and of his bones" does not "literally" mean His natural body. It is not true literally that our bones are a part of the bones of Christ or our flesh of His flesh. It is not a physical union, but a union of communion, of oneness, of love, of spirit. There is an allusion here to the language which Adam used concerning Eve in Genesis 2:23. "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh;" The Church is propagated from Christ, as Eve was from Adam; and this propagation is the foundation of the spiritual marriage. Christ, as a man before His resurrection, was a partaker of the same flesh and blood that we have. Otherwise, His incarnation would have been of no service to us. Likewise, if our human nature had been from Christ, it would not have been corrupted. Our bodies, flesh, and bones, are from the first Adam, and therefore corrupt and sinful. Christ, as God, formed all human nature, and, as man, was set up in God's thoughts as the pattern of humanity. Paul here speaks of the saints, not as men, but as new creatures in Christ. Therefore, this must be understood as Christ's mystical body the church; which is His by the Father's gift, and His own purchase; and of which He is the head, and which is united to Him.
The idea is that there is a close and intimate union between the Christian and the Savior - a union so intimate that they may be spoken of as "one." This also denotes the closeness of the marriage relation, and which Paul applies to the connection between Christ and His people. However, there is no union of affection so powerful as that which binds the Christian to the Lord. It is stronger love than that which a man has for his own flesh and bones.
Now for a few more suggestions about our responsibility to keep our physical body in good operating condition. God has a purpose for everyone, but we cannot fulfill our purpose without a body.
Drink plenty of water. Health experts often recommend that we drink eight 8-ounces of water per day. The minimum amount of water needed per day to survive should be around 32 ounces.
Obviously, we should never smoke, use drugs, or drink too much beer or wine. Of course, we know that Paul told Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach's sake.
The average adult human requires about 2,000 calories per day. Of course, we generally need less food per day when we get older. Across all peer-reviewed research and health practices, three meals a day is a general recommendation to encourage consistent, adequate energy intake. Some recommend 5 or 6 small meals a day. However, I believe the criterion is not so much how many meals but the total amount of healthy food per day.
Elijah apparently ate two meals a day.
Instead of the king's meat and wine, Daniel and the three Hebrews ate pulse and drank water. As a result, from
The word "prize" in verse 24 occurs only one other time in scripture, in
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
As an introduction, being born from above corresponds in Old Testament type to entering the Tabernacle of the congregation without or outside the vail (Exodus 27:21). This message, titled "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made," is a first cousin to last week's message on "the fire of God."
To briefly review, God started the first fire on the brazen altar, but there were certain rules that the priests had to observe in the care of that fire. Though it was eternal fire, it would go out when it had consumed all of the available fuel ... in other words when time is no more.
Leviticus 6:12-13, "And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out."
That command created a problem of fuel supply. That was the responsibility of man ... to keep the fire burning on the altar. This speaks volumes. It must have been a full-time task for some folks to continually bring in all the wood to keep the fire burning. Likewise, we must do whatever it takes to keep the fire of God burning in our souls. Three main elements make up the fuel for the fire of God in our souls ... the rhema word of God, prayer and intercession, and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Trees and wood in scripture refer to us human beings. We must offer ourself every morning as a burnt offering, which was the only Old Testament offering that was completely consumed. No priest received any part of the burnt offering. It totally belonged to God.
Under penalty of death, only the fire from off the altar was to be used in tabernacle worship. Man's fire, or man's attempt to please God, is always strange fire and never acceptable to God. Only the Christ within us can please God. Only the Christ within us can worship God. Only the Christ within us can ever be anointed.
Perhaps 50 years ago my mother gave me a book titled, "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made." Originally, my aunt had given that book to her son, my first cousin, who was an orthopedic surgeon. I believe that every Christian should read that book. You can buy it on Amazon for $11.85. If you cannot afford it, I will buy one for you ... it is that good.
Amazon describes that book as follows: "Mysterious, intricate, pulsing with energy ... The human body is an endlessly fascinating repository of secrets. The miracle of the skin, the strength and structure of the bones, the dynamic balance of the muscles ... your physical being is knit according to a pattern of incredible purpose. In Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, renowned surgeon Dr. Paul Brand and best-selling writer Philip Yancey explore the human body. Join them in a remarkable journey through inner space - a spellbinding world of cells, systems, and chemistry that bears the impress of a still deeper, unseen reality. This Gold medallion Award-winning book uncovers eternal statements that God has made in the very structure of our bodies, presenting captivating insights into the Body of Christ."
Christianbook.com offers two books in one for $15.99. You get "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" and the book "In His Image" together under one book cover. "In His Image" takes up where its predecessor left off, beckoning us once again inward and onward to fresh exploration and discovery. Yancey and Brand show how accurately and intricately the human body portrays the Body of Christ. In five sections - Image, Blood, Head, Spirit, and Pain - the acclaimed surgeon and the award-winning writer unlock the remarkable, living lessons contained in our physical makeup. This Gold Medallion Award-winning book will open your eyes to the complex miracle of the human body, and the even more compelling spiritual truths that it reflects.
I have not read the book, "In His Image" by Brand and Yancey, but I am positive it is well worth reading.
John Calvin states in his commentary on Psalms 119-150, "One great reason for the carnal security into which we fall, is not considering how singularly we were fashioned at first by our Divine Maker."
Psalm 139:13-18 says,
I have not read the book, "In His Image" by Brand and Yancey, but I am positive it is well worth reading.
John Calvin states in his commentary on Psalms 119-150, "One great reason for the carnal security into which we fall, is not considering how singularly we were fashioned at first by our Divine Maker."
Psalm 139:13-18 says,
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
Another word for "reins" is "kidneys." Reins (or kidneys) in the ancient system of physiology were believed to be the seat of desire and longing, the inward impulses, which accounts for their often being coupled in scripture with the heart. In other words, "reins" refers to our soul, our mind. For example,
Psalm 26:2, "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart."
Although the greater significance of "reins" is in the spiritual realm, later in this message we will look at the natural significance.
"Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." That speaks of the careful, tender care that the Lord provides for His chosen vessels from our conception through our complete redemption.
"Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." That speaks of the careful, tender care that the Lord provides for His chosen vessels from our conception through our complete redemption.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
This verse is undoubtedly where Brand and Yancey obtained the title of their book. This verse is often quoted, especially in discussions regarding the Christian pro-life position, but what does it mean to us? I am sure that most Christians would agree that our physical bodies are wonderfully made, but sometimes we Christians do not act like we are fearfully made. To say that it is our responsibility to maintain our bodies in good condition is more true doctrinally than in reality, but that should be part of fearing God. More on that shortly.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
The word "substance" means our body. The Lord knew all about our body before He ever made us. One God-fearing woman and personal friend of ours many years ago said, "Doctors study the body but God made the body."
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
This verse gives an indication of our value from God's perspective. He designed us. This verse also speaks of the inestimable worth of all human life. About 40 years ago I read a blog on the internet that said that the Federal government valued a human life to be worth $750,000. If that were true then, perhaps, because of inflation in the natural realm, what are we worth now? Of course, no one can put a price tag on a human life. A direct application of this verse is the protection of life at all levels, from the womb to the final breath of a person's life. This is why Christians care deeply about the protection of life in the womb (Psalm 139:13), caring for those mistreated or undervalued by others in society (Proverbs 31:8-9), and for the elderly and those with terminal illnesses. As 1 John 4:19 states, "We love Him because He first loved us." The best life insurance policy that anyone could ever buy is absolutely free. The Lord Himself is our shield and our exceeding great reward.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
Yesterday morning, before I got out of bed, the Lord brought a number of His thoughts to my mind concerning this message.
Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
You probably have heard the saying, "A penny for your thoughts." Well, our thoughts may be worth only a penny but the Lord's thoughts to us are priceless.
I became very excited when the Lord's thoughts on this message came to me. I cannot tell you how many times I have experienced the reality of Verses 17 and 18 ... certainly hundreds and hundred of times ... both through dreams and when I first awoke. Therefore, let us read again verses 17 and 18 of Psalm 139. "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." I believe the Lord desires that type of experience to be part of the normal life for every Christian. How can we all experience the reality of Verses 17 and 18? by making sure that our heart and mind is turned only toward the Lord ... by allowing the fire of God to consume every part of our spirit, soul, and body.
These words in Psalm 139 include a clear statement about the amazing capabilities of the human body God has created. Our bodies are made of billions of cells and a myriad of parts that can only be adequately explained by a loving and wise Creator and Designer. We are "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" but we need redemption from sin.
I became very excited when the Lord's thoughts on this message came to me. I cannot tell you how many times I have experienced the reality of Verses 17 and 18 ... certainly hundreds and hundred of times ... both through dreams and when I first awoke. Therefore, let us read again verses 17 and 18 of Psalm 139. "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." I believe the Lord desires that type of experience to be part of the normal life for every Christian. How can we all experience the reality of Verses 17 and 18? by making sure that our heart and mind is turned only toward the Lord ... by allowing the fire of God to consume every part of our spirit, soul, and body.
These words in Psalm 139 include a clear statement about the amazing capabilities of the human body God has created. Our bodies are made of billions of cells and a myriad of parts that can only be adequately explained by a loving and wise Creator and Designer. We are "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" but we need redemption from sin.
Romans 8:19-24, "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
David said, in Psalm 17:15, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."
Genesis 1:26-27. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them."
God speaks as the Creator-King, announcing His crowning work or the climax of His creative activity in the formation of man. The words "image" and "likeness" are synonyms in both the Old and New Testaments. Since man is made in God's image, every human being is worthy of honor and respect. Believers are to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and will someday be like Him (1 John 3:2). We are all image-bearers.
Many years ago, a deacon in our church fellowship said, "Just tell me what to do and I will do it." Man is a "doer." Whenever we Christians come up to a difficult situation, we frequently ask the Lord what we should do. Should we turn to the left or to the right? Do we take this job or that job. In other words, we ask for future knowledge. But if God will tell us what to do, that does not solve our problem. God is always more concerned about who we are, not what we do.
About 50 years ago my wife, Linda, had a very serious physical problem. We both believed we knew the specific problem and also what the Lord wanted us to do about it. Being very young in Christ at that time, we sought for confirmation from other believers. Only one other man had the word of the Lord, which was as follows: She had a cyst on her right ovary and if she went to a medical doctor, the Lord would honor that, but the Lord wanted to heal her all by Himself. That was precisely what we had heard earlier; that was precisely what we did; and the Lord precisely healed Linda all by Himself. The important truth from that experience is that we must always seek the Lord as to what He would have us to do. However, even more importantly, we must always keep in close communion with the Lord. He knows our needs before we ever ask Him. He wants to speak to us more than we want to hear His voice. We care about ourself but the Lord cares for us more than we care for Him. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He can change us such that we likewise care more for the Lord than for our self.
The Lord says, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Jesus said, in Matthew 5:48,
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."1 Thessalonians 4:3 says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification."
Sanctification means holiness.
One day the Pharisees came to Jesus to try to entangle Him in His talk. They asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"
One day the Pharisees came to Jesus to try to entangle Him in His talk. They asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"
Matthew 22:18-22, "But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto Him a penny. [A penny in those days was a denarius.] And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left Him, and went their way."
The denarius bore the image of Caesar, but we are to bear the image of Jesus.
I am sure that most of us, at one time or another, have been in possession of an old coin that has been so worn that it is very hard to see the date and perhaps hard to see part of the image on the coin. However, the real question is, whose image do we bear? The Lord wants to raise up our image to mint condition.
The word, God, in Genesis is "Elohim," which occurs 2,700 times in the Bible. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it usually takes a singular verb and refers to God the Son. The name Elohim is peculiar because God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). The origin of the word Elohim and its original meaning are not certain. The best understanding seems to be the "mighty one" or the "supreme one." The idea that it communicates is that of the all-powerful and sovereign God who is King over the whole world. Elohim appears in the very first sentence of the Bible and occurs 32 times in Genesis, Chapter 1. When we pray to Elohim, we acknowledge that He is the one who began it all. He created the heavens and the earth; He separated light from darkness; He separated water from dry land; He separated night from day.
I am sure that most of us, at one time or another, have been in possession of an old coin that has been so worn that it is very hard to see the date and perhaps hard to see part of the image on the coin. However, the real question is, whose image do we bear? The Lord wants to raise up our image to mint condition.
The word, God, in Genesis is "Elohim," which occurs 2,700 times in the Bible. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it usually takes a singular verb and refers to God the Son. The name Elohim is peculiar because God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). The origin of the word Elohim and its original meaning are not certain. The best understanding seems to be the "mighty one" or the "supreme one." The idea that it communicates is that of the all-powerful and sovereign God who is King over the whole world. Elohim appears in the very first sentence of the Bible and occurs 32 times in Genesis, Chapter 1. When we pray to Elohim, we acknowledge that He is the one who began it all. He created the heavens and the earth; He separated light from darkness; He separated water from dry land; He separated night from day.
God has all power, or is omnipotent.
Matthew 28:18, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
He is omniscient or has all knowledge. No one else knows each person at the most intimate level. The same God who created the universe (Genesis 1:1) also knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30).
He is omnipresent.
Jeremiah 23:24, "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD."
God asked Job, "Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?" (Job 38:36).
The answer is, of course, "God." No one else can take the credit for creating or making any one.
There are countless reasons for us to worship the Lord. One such reason is because He has created us in such wisdom, power, and love, and the only proper response is to honor Him and glorify His name. As Psalm 86:8-10 says,
There are countless reasons for us to worship the Lord. One such reason is because He has created us in such wisdom, power, and love, and the only proper response is to honor Him and glorify His name. As Psalm 86:8-10 says,
"Among the gods there is none like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone."
The God of all Scripture is the God of gods, the highest of all. A good scriptural reference for that truth is in Psalm 82:1-7.
In the Bible, the word "body" frequently refers to the body of Christ, some times in the natural realm and other times in the spiritual realm. It is rather amazing how many different sets of scriptures speak of the body, both in the natural and the spiritual realm.
In the Bible, the word "body" frequently refers to the body of Christ, some times in the natural realm and other times in the spiritual realm. It is rather amazing how many different sets of scriptures speak of the body, both in the natural and the spiritual realm.
Hebrews 10:5, "Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"Philippians 1:20, "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death."2 Corinthians 5:6-10, "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."1 Corinthians 15:42-44, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."Romans 6:12, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."Romans 8:13, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
Our physical bodies were never meant to last forever. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. At some point we will receive a new body just like the resurrected body of Jesus.
Romans 8:23, "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."John 2:18-21, "Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body."
Jude 1:8-9, "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."
Clearly, from those two verses, the body of Moses was important to the Lord, who buried Moses in a valley in the land of Moab. By the same token, I believe that our body is important to the Lord.
Hebrews 10:19-22, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."
God gave the blueprint and specified the materials to be used for building His temple.
Isaiah 28:16, "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
Every Christian knows that Jesus is the precious cornerstone. All Christians are stones in the temple of the Lord, but true apostles and prophets over all of time make up the stones of the foundation.
Ephesians 2:20-22, "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
Next, we have the building itself.
1 Corinthians 3:9, "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."
Finally, God's temple has walls and gates.
Isaiah 60:18, "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise."
Those are just a few of the many verses of scripture that clearly reveal that the Lord is building His church, a spiritual house, and we are that house.
Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
How then can we live like we are fearfully and wonderfully made? First of all, our bodies are a temple of the Holy Ghost.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
There are many different ways that we can defile our own temple of God. One way is by the lust of the flesh, such as fornication and adultery. Sadly, far too many ministers, both prominent and not prominent, have succumbed to the wiles of flirtatious women, just as Samson with Delilah. Fornication can also lead to AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases.
1 Corinthians 6:13-20, "Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by His own power. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith He, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
We Christians must understand that since the Lord is our Creator and Lord over His people, we belong to Him, and He has every right to intrude into our lives and discipline "the one he loves" (Hebrews 12:6). Since the Lord is just, He will also deliver divine justice against sin (Hebrews 9:27).
Ephesians 5:28-31, "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of His body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."
The phrase, "For we are members of His body, of his flesh, and of his bones" does not "literally" mean His natural body. It is not true literally that our bones are a part of the bones of Christ or our flesh of His flesh. It is not a physical union, but a union of communion, of oneness, of love, of spirit. There is an allusion here to the language which Adam used concerning Eve in Genesis 2:23. "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh;" The Church is propagated from Christ, as Eve was from Adam; and this propagation is the foundation of the spiritual marriage. Christ, as a man before His resurrection, was a partaker of the same flesh and blood that we have. Otherwise, His incarnation would have been of no service to us. Likewise, if our human nature had been from Christ, it would not have been corrupted. Our bodies, flesh, and bones, are from the first Adam, and therefore corrupt and sinful. Christ, as God, formed all human nature, and, as man, was set up in God's thoughts as the pattern of humanity. Paul here speaks of the saints, not as men, but as new creatures in Christ. Therefore, this must be understood as Christ's mystical body the church; which is His by the Father's gift, and His own purchase; and of which He is the head, and which is united to Him.
Romans 12:5, "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."
The idea is that there is a close and intimate union between the Christian and the Savior - a union so intimate that they may be spoken of as "one." This also denotes the closeness of the marriage relation, and which Paul applies to the connection between Christ and His people. However, there is no union of affection so powerful as that which binds the Christian to the Lord. It is stronger love than that which a man has for his own flesh and bones.
Now for a few more suggestions about our responsibility to keep our physical body in good operating condition. God has a purpose for everyone, but we cannot fulfill our purpose without a body.
Drink plenty of water. Health experts often recommend that we drink eight 8-ounces of water per day. The minimum amount of water needed per day to survive should be around 32 ounces.
Obviously, we should never smoke, use drugs, or drink too much beer or wine. Of course, we know that Paul told Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach's sake.
The average adult human requires about 2,000 calories per day. Of course, we generally need less food per day when we get older. Across all peer-reviewed research and health practices, three meals a day is a general recommendation to encourage consistent, adequate energy intake. Some recommend 5 or 6 small meals a day. However, I believe the criterion is not so much how many meals but the total amount of healthy food per day.
Elijah apparently ate two meals a day.
1 Kings 17:6, "And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."Daniel 1:12, "Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink."
Instead of the king's meat and wine, Daniel and the three Hebrews ate pulse and drank water. As a result, from
Daniel 1:15, "And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat."
Pulse, according to Strong's Lexicon, is literally translated, vegetables. Pulse in this context has typically been said to mean, lentils, chickpeas or some sort of legume or seed type food.
Not only the amount of food but the type of food and drink we consume is very important. Until fairly recently, I have not paid much attention to the types of food I eat. My wife has always tried to prepare healthy meals, but our snack food can be a snare. Two of the biggest foods to watch carefully are sweets and salty food. Avoid table salt completely or at least use it very sparingly. Check the sodium content on all foods, even bread. You will be surprised.
Not only the amount of food but the type of food and drink we consume is very important. Until fairly recently, I have not paid much attention to the types of food I eat. My wife has always tried to prepare healthy meals, but our snack food can be a snare. Two of the biggest foods to watch carefully are sweets and salty food. Avoid table salt completely or at least use it very sparingly. Check the sodium content on all foods, even bread. You will be surprised.
One of the worst drinks for our health is dark colas, such as Pepsi and Coca Cola. A few weeks ago, for the first time in my life I saw that one glass of Pepsi has 41 grams of sugar. Obesity is common, serious, and costly. About 42% of U.S. adults are considered to be obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. Then I was amazed that most of the good breakfast cereals and canned goods have a lot of added sugar. Why do so many foods have added salt and added sugar? to make them more tasty and therefore more desirable. Follow the money trail.
We need to focus on eating less food every day, not only for the sake of our health, but because the time is coming when food supplies will become more scarce. An even greater motivation is because we need to keep our bodily temple meet for the Master's use.
We also need exercise on a regular basis. Brisk walking for at least 30 minutes a day is excellent; 45 minutes is even better. Walking can be combined with stretching of our arms and fingers. Gardening, which is the favorite of my wife, is also very good exercise. From my experience, when I helped my wife in gardening for a few hours, I lost weight. The best way to put on flabby weight is to be a couch potato ... just sit and watch TV for a few hours every day.
What is the end of the matter? Everything we do or say should be to glorify the Lord, whether it be in our spirit, our soul, or our body.
We need to focus on eating less food every day, not only for the sake of our health, but because the time is coming when food supplies will become more scarce. An even greater motivation is because we need to keep our bodily temple meet for the Master's use.
We also need exercise on a regular basis. Brisk walking for at least 30 minutes a day is excellent; 45 minutes is even better. Walking can be combined with stretching of our arms and fingers. Gardening, which is the favorite of my wife, is also very good exercise. From my experience, when I helped my wife in gardening for a few hours, I lost weight. The best way to put on flabby weight is to be a couch potato ... just sit and watch TV for a few hours every day.
What is the end of the matter? Everything we do or say should be to glorify the Lord, whether it be in our spirit, our soul, or our body.
Romans 14:6-8, "He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."
1 Corinthians 9:24-27,24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
The word "prize" in verse 24 occurs only one other time in scripture, in
Philippians 3:13-14, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, may we all press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
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