Take care of your body here on earth or ...

[Woody]

will God be willing to take you to heaven? No was the answer ...

Yes, I just heard a well known preacher on the 3ABN say this. IOWs ... if you don't take care of your body on this earth ... how do you expect that Jesus will take you to heaven?

Hey ... I thought that our bodies were something that we would not take to heaven. Aren't we suppose to collect 'glorified' new bodies?

If we don't take care of our bodies Jesus won't let us in heaven? Sounds like works to me ...

[GreatLakesGramma]

I don't know what angle this preacher was approaching the topic on, but the Bible does say that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, also that we are not our own, but are bought with a price, and that we should glorify God with our body and with our spirit. If we deliberately abuse our bodies with unhealthful living, when it is well within our means and ability to take care of them properly, isn't that showing contempt for God's expressed will for us? And if we cultivate that kind of attitude, aren't we choosing to separate ourselves from Him?

When we place our personal preferences above God's expressed will for us, aren't we choosing to live in rebellion against Him? How then can He take us to heaven? That would be to perpetuate sin.

The only way anyone can be safe to take to heaven is if we surrender our will entirely to God. And if we do that, we will want, above all, to live in total obedience to Him. Not because we are afraid we might be excluded, or are focused on our own works, but because we love Him, and we want to please Him more than ourselves.

That doesn't mean that we won't ever feel like doing something selfish or self-destructive, but that is called "temptation". And God has made it possible for us to resist every temptation.

I have experienced, many times, wanting to do something contrary to God's will, so badly that I felt I would rather die than not do it. But I also knew that if I chose to go with my feelings, I would be deliberately turning my back on God, after knowing and experiencing His love for me, and His power in my life. Each time I prayed, told God how I felt, but that I chose to do His will anyway. Then I got up and did what I knew He wanted. Every single time, once I made the surrender, He took away all desire for whatever it was. Not always right away, but within a few days at the most. I just had to do this again this past week.

Is this legalism? I don't think so. To me, it's freedom - not to have to be controlled by my feelings.

Certainly, when it not possible to do all we should to take care of our bodies, God does not hold it against us for falling short. Right now, because of injuries that make it impossible for me to function normally, I am unable to do the things I need to in order to be healthy. And my health has gone down the drain. Badly. Does God hold this against me? I don't believe He does.

Years ago, God healed me about 75% of an autoimmunity. If I were now to show no respect for my body, and eat and live in a health-destroying manner, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to God?

Even though we are going to get new bodies, God wants us to take care of the ones we have while we are here on this earth. And not just for the sake of glorifying Him, but so that we can be useful to those around us, so that our minds will be clear, able to discern good and evil, resist temptation, and to be ready to speak in His behalf. And because He wants us to have abundant life, even here on this earth.

[carolaa]

God is coming back to destroy the destroyers of the earth (i.e., drill baby drill...). If we don't respect Him enough to respect His creation - including our bodies - how can we expect to go to heaven? If we don't enjoy living a healthy, temperate lifestyle here, why would we want to go to heaven, anyway?

[Bravus]

Sigh. More heresy preached from Adventist pulpits.

[phkrause]

I'm going to try and give you my take. I think some preachers like to guilt us into doing things, not saying whoever said this was doing that. Because that would be judging. I do believe that works are involved but those works don't help us, its the work that Jesus has already done that helps us. Its like when we get up in the morning, we have to work to get up. Anything that we do requires us to do (work) something to make us move around. I know that it says in the Bible the our body's are the temple of God. So what we eat, drink and breathe we're putting in there for better or worse. I guess in one sense I agree with what he said, but I think only God can judge us for what we do. There are many Bible workers that have died early because they never took care of themselves, does that mean they won't be in heaven? In that respect I can't agree with what he is saying.

pk

[phkrause]

I'm going to try and give you my take. I think some preachers like to guilt us into doing things, not saying whoever said this was doing that. Because that would be judging. I do believe that works are involved but those works don't help us, its the work that Jesus has already done that helps us. Its like when we get up in the morning, we have to work to get up. Anything that we do requires us to do (work) something to make us move around. I know that it says in the Bible the our body's are the temple of God. So what we eat, drink and breathe we're putting in there for better or worse. I guess in one sense I agree with what he said, but I think only God can judge us for what we do. There are many Bible workers that have died early because they never took care of themselves, does that mean they won't be in heaven? In that respect I can't agree with what he is saying.

pk

[phkrause]

sorry about the post, my computer decided that it had already posted so I backed up but nothing was there, so I reposted and it gave me 2 posts. ???????

But when you try and delete one it delete's both.

pk

[Robert]

If we don't take care of our bodies Jesus won't let us in heaven? Sounds like works to me ...

Physical health brings mental and spiritual health. Eat the right things...exercise and your mind is more alert and can therefore understand the deeper things of God. That's all....

[GreatLakesGramma]

With the little bit Redwood gave us to go on, it's impossible to tell whether this preacher was taking a legalistic position on the subject, or just pointing out the fact that since God has made it clear that He wants us to take care of our bodies, refusing to obey constitutes rebellion against Him, and rebellion against Him will keep us out of heaven.

[Robert]

If we don't enjoy living a healthy, temperate lifestyle here, why would we want to go to heaven, anyway?

We live in a sinful, polluted world. We should do the best we can. Of course I speak in relative terms. We must be careful not to make healthy living a condition for heaven. That's bordering upon perfection.

Jack S. knows of many SDA who ate the right things, but because they had no joy and assurance of salvation they lived short lives. Legalism will shorten one's life....

Rob

[carolaa]

OK, while I do wonder about the questions I posed, what I mainly think is that we are all works in progress, and perhaps not everyone who goes to heaven will have had their taste buds refined yet. And those who have had their taste buds refined may have some other flaw that has not yet been refined. The Holy Spirit does not impress everyone the same way, nor does He address our flaws in the same order as the next person. Probably there are other issues God is more concerned with than our health, although He is concerned enough about it to have given us a priceless health message that we mostly don't appreciate enough.

[GreatLakesGramma]

The absolute most important thing God is concerned about is our character, because it's the only thing from this life we will take with us to heaven. And we must become like Him in character, by receiving the new heart He has offered to give us.

Good health does help, in that it is harder to be Christ-centered when you're ill or in pain. But sometimes it is better for certain people to not be healthy.

[phkrause]

Good point GLG. I know for myself that there are times that what I'm eating is definitely effecting the way that I react to a situation. I believe EGW mentions this in her book Councils on Diet and Health.

pk

[Woody]

The absolute most important thing God is concerned about is our character, because it's the only thing from this life we will take with us to heaven. And we must become like Him in character, by receiving the new heart He has offered to give us.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I didn't say our characters will get us to heaven, but that it is most important in God's eyes. Some people say "God doesn't love you for what you are but for how He can use you". I say that is rubbish. God loves us because He made us and we are His. And our salvation is more important to Him than our usefulness. Certainly, He wants us to share in the joy of doing his work, but if our health or abilities stand between Him and our souls, He would rather have us sick and disabled and of no use to anyone else than lost.

Of course, that is no excuse to not take care of ourselves, because for most people it isn't a problem. But if your own health is your greatest idol, He will have to separate you from it to save you. And if letting you have it back will entice you down the same road again, He won't give it back again just so you can be useful to Him. Because you still wouldn't be anyway.

[Cosmin M.]

Wow. Never would have thought of it like that.

[Cosmin M.]

Wait--- Our bodies are God's temple, right?

[olger]

Right, Cos.

[Cosmin M.]