Stewardship of Our Bodies
Stewardship of Our Bodies STEWARDSHIP OF OUR BODIES
By J. P. Gibson, M. D. When God formal man, he placed him in the garden of Eden and made provision for his physical needs. He gave him directions as to what foods to eat and what not to eat. He made clothing of skins for Adam and Eve. He gave them work to do in caring for the garden. He told this first couple to be fruitful and multiply. This man and his wife were specimens of physical perfection as they came from the hand of God, unmarred by sin or disease, living in the garden of Eden, and engaging in a healthful outdoor occupation. The lives of the men of the earliest days were very long as compared to our shortened span of today.
Later as God selected his chosen people, he gave them specific instructions for the preservation of their health. Foods were classified into clean and unclean (Leviticus 11), waste and refuse were destroyed by fire or buried (Deuteronomy 23:12-13), those with signs of contagious illnesses were isolated, and quarantined until it could be determined whether the disease was leprosy or some temporary affliction (Leviticus 13, 14). For the leader of his people, God selected Moses, a man who was well educated in the royal courts of Egypt, and physically strong. Even after forty strenuous years in leading the children of Israel he died at the age of one hundred and twenty, “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Deuteronomy 34:7).
Man was created in the image of God morally, in-tellectually, and spiritually. Physically, he was given a body similar to the animals, a body composed of organs, muscles, bone, sinew, and blood. He was to live in the same environment as the animal creation, eat the same foods, drink the same water, and breathe the same air. Of necessity, his physical equipment had to be similar. Man was physically inferior in some respects to many of the brute creation. There were many birds and beasts who could see better, whose sense of smell was more acute, whose muscular strength was greater, whose ability to travel with speed far excelled the natural ability of man.
However, God placed in man an intellect far superior to all of the animal creation. With this intelligence he was able to control the forces of nature, to form for himself machines that would fly higher and faster than the birds, go faster on land than the animals, and on the sea exceed in speed and endurance the inhabitants of the deep. God gave man dominion over the creation by giving him an intellect capable of subduing, controlling, and reforming the rest of the world. Man succeeded in his dominion over all the creation remarkably well, but in controlling himself and allowing God to control him, a different story must be told. From the very beginning man has revelled in his intellectual superiority over the' brute creation. He has concentrated and magnified his powers by his intellect. David was impressed with the wonderful body that he possessed and even, with a very limited knowledge of its anatomy and physiology, he exclaimed, '‘It is he that hath made us, and not we juiselves” (Psalms 100:3). “For thou didst form my inward parts: thou didst cover me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: ... My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, . . . Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance” (Psalms 139:13; Psalms 139:16). In the New Testament we find many references to the body. Jesus, in teaching the people how to abstain from sin, compared it to the removal of an offending organ, “If thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out . . . and if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off” (Matthew 5:29-30). It was a well known fact even then that amputation was a life saving procedure when gangrene threatened the life of a person.
One of Paul’s favorite comparisons was the similarity of the church to the body. The early Christians realized that the different parts of the body all functioned harmoniously and all to a common purpose. So Paul said, the church should be like the body. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ . . . Now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him.. . . The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, or the head to the feet, I have no need ox you . . . Those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary . . . God tempered the body to-gether . . . that there should be no schism in the body.. . . Whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27); Having our attention called so forcefully by the teachings of the New Testament to the wonderful structure and harmony of function of the various parts of the body, it would naturally occur to Christians,
“Just what attitude should we have in regard to our own physical bodies, our strength and health? Should our attitude be any different now, than it was before we became Christians?” This question was answered when Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, that capital of the civilized world, densely populated, the center of government, and also the center of gross immorality, fornication, and licentiousness of every description. The Christians there could see their Roman neighbors engaging in revellings, drunkenness, adultery, and all types of intemperance. To these Christians in such a wicked city, Paul said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service” (Romans 12:1). This reminded them that the Israelites in former times had been required to offer as a sacrifice the bodies of animals, those that were without spot or blemish, but Christians were to offer their own bodies as a sacrifice, not as a dead sacrifice, but a living one, also without spot or blemish, holy, acceptable to God. This physical purity constituted spiritual service. In this same letter to the Roman Christians, Paul said, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God . . .” (Romans 6:12-13). They understood, therefore, that not only were they to be physically pure, but they must not allow their bodies to be used as the tool of others in any unrighteous activity. In warning the Christians at Corinth against the fornication so prevalent in their city, Paul said, “the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body . . . Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you,- which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). “Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
These teachings are very plain. Our bodies do not belong to us. They belong to Christ because he pur-chased us with a price, his own precious blood. Not only is our body sacred because it is the blood bought property of Christ, but it is holy because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. So sacred and so holy is this body of the Christian, that he is warned that should he destroy it, God will destroy him. Refraining then from any destruction of the body, either suddenly as in suicide, or gradually by abuse and intemperance, we are to glorify God in the body. The Macedonian Christians evidently understood this teaching, as Paul said of them, “First, they gave their own selves to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5).
Many of the early Christians were encouraged to glorify God in their bodies by remembering the physical appearance of their master, the Man of Galilee. They knew the young man Jesus, who even in infancy was vigorous enough to endure the long journey1 across the desert to Egypt ; who later was brought back to Nazareth, where he grew up and played with the other boys on the rocky hillside. As a boy of twelve he was strong enough to take the long journey to Jerusalem. He returned with his parents and “advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). ,They, knew the strong young Nazarene who labored with Joseph in the carpenter shop and with crude tools produced substantial furniture for the townspeople. He later was strong enough to go into the wilderness and abstain from food for forty days and even then withstand the temptation to eat. He later entered the temple area and seeing it desecrated by merchandising, he knitted a scourge and alone drove out all the merchants, upsetting their tables. Those early Christians understood why the merchants all ran, not from the scourge, but from the bulging muscles that came into view as the scourge was raised in indignation. They remembered a young-man- Christ, one who was well-developed, vigorous, strong, who was able to make long journeys by foot over mountainous country, who as able to accomplish in a few short years of public ministry enough work to turn the world upside down. The early Christians understood that they were being more Christ-like if they were like him not only spiritually, but in physical strength and purity as well. “Glorify God therefore in your body.” “Present your bodies a living sacrifice.” No doubt, the early Christians were disturbed then, as we are today when illness occurs. Some of them held to the belief that all illness was due to sin, in fact the disciples of the Lord once asked him concerning a blind man, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents?” Of course, we all know that some diseases are due to sin, but there may be other causes not associated with sin. For example, Jesus answered that question in regard to the blind man, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). The apostle Paul was subject to a physical infirmity that he called a “thorn in the flesh.” While he was healing others, he himself was suffering. He prayed to God three times for the removal of this affliction. God refused to cure Paul, telling him, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Paul said that the affliction was given to him that he should not be exalted overmuch.
Job was a good man. God himself said that Job was perfect (Job 1:8). Yet God allowed Satan to take away Job’s health and inflict upon him a most terrible siege of suffering. God permitted this to test Job’s faith. Illness may be the result of our own carelessness or intemperance. For this, we may expect to: be punished, perhaps by illness. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6).
Illness, therefore, may be the result of sin, or care-lessness, or intemperance. It may be an occasion for God to show his power. It may be God’s way to keep us humble. It may be a test of our faith. Whenever illness occurs, man then becomes greatly concerned about the regaining of his health. It has been said, “When a man loses his heath, then he begins to take care of it.” This is often too late.
Jesus performed many miracles of healing. He chose as his subjects for healing those who were afflicted with infirmities of the most incurable nature, such as paralysis, palsy, leprosy, epilepsy, blindness from birth, lameness from birth, conditions that are still to a large extent incurable. His healings were instantaneous, and complete. Contrast the healings of Jesus with the so-called faith healings of today, attended as they are by neurotic people whose afflictions are largely mental. They are encouraged to come down the aisle and pray, then come back again tomorrow night and pray again, and again, then eventually have a spasm and shout their thanksgiving for this installment plan- of healing of an imaginary infirmity. If healings are being done by the power of God, they should be instantaneous and complete in the same type of afflictions that were healed by Jesus and his apostles. But miracles of healing have served their purpose and are no longer necessary. The apostle John has given their purpose, “Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).
Since we are not to expect miracles of healing today, what instructions do Christians now have when illness comes? This is plainly given by James, “Is any among you suffering? let him pray. Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him” (James 5:13-15). No hint is given that a miracle was intended. They were instructed to pray i for the sick. They were accustomed to use olive oil as a common household remedy. The good Samaritan in caring for the man who was wounded by thieves, poured oil and wine on his wounds (Luke 10:34). The wine with its alcohol content, acted as an antiseptic; the oil as a soothing lotion. This was excellent treatment. Christians, then, are instructed to pray for the sick, and to do what they can do in the way of medical attention. It is the application of the Bible principle of faith plus works. Nevertheless, we must remember that it is not always God’s will that even the best of Christians shall recover. “It is appointed unto man once to die” (Hebrews 9:27).
Having considered the causes of illness ’and our duties to those who are ill, let us see what teachings of the New Testament will help us to prevent illness and preserve health. We are aware that health is of great value to us in leading useful lives. Without health we could not enjoy living, or work efficiently. We would be unhappy and unsuccessful. If an aged millionaire should offer us all of his wealth in exchange for our health, none of us would trade with him. Having then a reasonable degree of health, we are truly rich and abundantly blessed. Surely, with health so important to us, and so necessary in being productive servants of Christ, we will be well pleasing to him when we do all that is within our power to preserve our physical strength. It is worth spending time, money, and effort to attain.
Christians are instructed to add to their faith virtue, knowledge, then temperance or self-control (2 Peter 1:5-6). A good definition of temperance is “total abstinence from everything harmful, and moderation in everything beneficial.” Temperance or self-control is not one of our national virtues. We live in an age of intemperance and lack of self-control. Civilization is geared to a feverish gait. The man who over-works is intemperate, as also is the man who is lazy. The man who does not sleep enough, is intemperate, as also is the man who sleeps too much. The man who over-eats is intemperate, as also is -the, girl who starves herself on a reducing diet. The man who is too busy to take a vacation is intemperate, as also is the man who takes a vacation and tries to crowd into one or two weeks all the outdoor exercise and recreation he should have been taking during the whole year. He will work too hard, then play or travel too hard. When a doctor sees a patient all worn-out and haggard looking, he hardly knows whether to prescribe a vacation, or treat the patient for one he has just had. This high-geared life as lived by mature persons sets a bad example for the younger people. Naturally, they follow the example of their parents, so some of them will be found burning midnight oil, and many midnight gasoline. Not only have we as a nation become world famous for our lack of moderation, but we have become a nation of drug addicts. Mr. Average American finds it difficult to get up in the morning because he has stayed out too late the night before. With inadequate rest, his nerves are jumpy, so to soothe his nerves and “get a lift” he takes a drug, nicotine, in the form of a cigarette. This he (or she) repeats time after time during the day. With insufficient exercise and the wrong kind of a diet, he feels bilious, so he takes another drug, a laxative. By evening, he feels all in, but social obligations force him to a party. In order to keep going he uses more nicotine to calm his nerves, and liquored punch to stimulate him to alcoholic sociability. Returning home in the “wee small hours” of the morning and feeling very bad indeed, he takes another drug, a sleeping powder. After a drugged and restless sleep, he is forced to get up in the morning, but Oh, what a morning-after-the-night-before headache. A headache powder will fix that. So he goes his rounds, a jittery, intemperate drug addict whose interior must surely resemble a well stocked drug store.
Unfortunately, the preceding description applies to some who call themselves Christians. Wherein is the temperance, the self-control, the presenting of one’s body as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God?
Among the drug habits, all are agreed that the use of opium, mprphine, and the indulgence in alcoholic beverages must not play any part in the life of the Christian. But what may we say of the use of nicotine, that drug found in cigarettes and all other forms of tobacco? Who claims that nicotine is helpful or beneficial to health? Not even the tobacco companies do that. When a person is nervous or fatigued, what is it he needs? He needs rest. Are we not abusing the delicate and intricate nervous system of our bodies when we refuse to give it the needed rest, and instead drug it with nicotine to deaden the sense of fatigue while we continue in our work or dissipation, and there-by cause still more nervous strain? Nicotine, like alcohol and opium, is a habit forming drug. The average smoker gradually increases his use of tobacco. After becoming habituated to the drug, one finds it extremely difficult to quit, and very few exercise enough self-control to actually quit. May a Christian use such habit-forming drugs and still say that he is developing the virtues of self-control and temperance? May he poison his body little by little, and yet present his body as a living- sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God? “He that destroveth the temple of God, him shall God destroy.”
We thank God for the Christian men who have fought it out with the nicotine habit, and have freed themselves from its slavery. Not only have they en-joyed better health, but they have been enabled to contribute money formerly spent on tobacco for spreading the gospel. “Glorify God therefore in your body.”
Rest is nature’s way, God’s way, of restoring our bodies. One time the apostles returned to Jesus from a strenuous preaching tour. They were tired. Yet the multitude pressed in upon them, bringing their sick to be healed. “There were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31). If we had been there among the apostles, we would have said as many of us do today, “Come on, men, we are engaged in the greatest work in the world. We are healing the sick, and preaching the gospel. Let us keep at it until we drop.” Rut Jesus had enough regard for the health of his followers that he said, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). Jesus was willing to stop in the very m'ddle of the greatest work in order to rest. He knew that rest was essential if they were to accomplish his will.
Rest is so important that God gave specific laws to his chosen people. He commanded them to rest completely every seventh day, every seventh year, and every fiftieth year. If we take a fifty-year period and add up all their rest days and years, plus their other religious rest days, we find that they were re- ouired to rest one-third of the time.
We who live under grace and not under law take undue advantage of our freedom. Since we are not actually commanded to rest certain days, we fail to take sufficient rest. It should be a part of our religion to take restful vacations, away from the hurry and bustle of crowds. “Come ye yourselves apart and rest awhile.”
Rest is the greatest healing agent. This was true thousands of years ago. It is true today. Rest is the treatment for tuberculosis, for nervous breakdown, for fractures, for fevers, and for colds. It is an important essential in the treatment of almost every disease. Industrial leaders have found that their workers do more efficient work with frequent periods of rest and relaxation, with five-day weeks, and vacations. Those who take insufficient rest are cross, irritable, inefficient, and jittery. Indigestion, quarrels, and divorce may result. Fatigue is a frequent factor in undermining health. Those who fail to provide for periods of rest are intemperate. They are shortening their lives. “Comte ye yourselves apart and rest awhile.” Not only is rest of the body taught in the New Test-ament, but the mind is also to be free from anxiety. Worry is a long-range fear. It is an abnormal func-tioning of the mind. It may interfere with digestion, it may raise blood pressure, it may result in mental derangement or physical impairment. Of all the people on earth, Christians, above all, should not worry. “Casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Php_4:6-7).
“To them that love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). “Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on ... . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:32). Those who worry are demonstrating their lack of faith in the great promises of God. Worry is a symptom of a weak faith. Worry, therefore, is not only harmful to the mind and the body, but it is sinful within itself.
God has placed in man certain danger signals to help him to care for his body. One of these is pain. When a pain occurs, this is a warning that something is going wrong. It focuses the attention of the sufferer upon his condition. The location and type of pain help to determine the nature of the disorder. The cause may then be removed and the condition will be ready to return to normal. The pain of a sprained ankle is Nature’s way of telling us to give the ankle rest and a chance to recover. A toothache is Nature’s way of telling us we have been neglecting our teeth. A stomach-ache may mean we have been overburdening the digestive system. Aches and pains, therefore, should receive attention. We should not be as concerned in easing the pain, as in locating the cause of the pain and dealing with that.
After all, the laws of Nature are God’s laws. We cannot ignore or break them with impunity. How often have we heard the prayer, “Lord, give us health and strength and the right use of our minds and bodies.” We could not consistently pray for health unless we are doing our part in caring for these wonderful bodies God has given us.
Much progress has been made in the fight against disease. More has been learned in the past sixty years in regard to health than was learned in all previous history. Yet, there has been a lag in our ability to apply the blessings thus gained. For instance, there are a number of diseases that can now be completely prevented by harmless methods of immunization. We have learned how to raise a person’s resistance against smallpox, diphtheria, typhoid, and other diseases so he will not contract the disease. Yet thousands of children die annually in the United States of these very diseases. How thankful we are that we live in an age when we can spare the children that God has given us from so many dangerous diseases. So much progress has been made in the control of disease that now accidents kill more children and young people than does disease. What effect would Christianity-applied have in reducing the accident rate on our highways? Many accidents are due to drinking. A Christian will never be the cause of any accident on that account. Some accidents are due to excess speed. The Christian is temperate in all things, even in his rate of travel. Some accidents are due to driver’s fatigue. The Christian who has been temperate, who has had sufficient rest and is not driving too many miles will be less likely to have fatigue as a factor. Some accidents are due to careless disregard for the rights of others, but the Christian whose very life is controlled by the golden rule of love will never be the cause of that kind of an accident. While some accidents seem to be unavoidable, a vast majority of them may be prevented. A practical application of Christianity will do much to decrease this fearful toll.
Upon the subject of sex, the Bible is very explicit. God gave man certain appetites, among them the sex instinct. This urge is as normal as the thirst for water, or an appetite for food. This sex instinct with the reproductive organs were designed by God for the purpose of procreation by man and wife. “Be fruitful and multiply” Cod said to Adam and Eve. Physically, young men and women are ready for marriage at a much earlier age than is usually economically possible. Under present conditions there is a period of about four to six years between the age of sexual maturity, and marriage. This constitutes the dangerous age, for in these years we have young people possessing more or less powerful sex urges surrounded by an environment including sex-stimulating shows, sexy magazines, semi-nudity on the stage and beach, the embrace of the modern dance set to torrid music, or petting without the music. All these factors m our modern life tend to stimulate and arouse the already powerful sex urge. Add to this a little alcohol with its ability to lessen self-control, and the monotonous results are adultery, fornication, venereal disease, illegitimate pregnancies, shotgun marriages, lawsuits, divorces, and suicides.
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The New Testament deals with sex problems in concise terms. There is no double standard of conduct. Men as well as women are to be pure in all their relationships. Not only must the act of adultery be rigidly abstained from, but the very planning of such an act is sinful. Jesus said, “everyone that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). For those who had unusual difficulty in controlling the sex urge, Paul advised, “it is better to marry than to burn” (1 Corinthians 7:9). The sexual obligations of husband and wife are given in 1 Corinthians 7. Faithfulness in the sexual union constituted the basis of marriage, while unfaithfulness is given as the only reason for which one may obtain a divorce with the sanction of God (Matthew 5:32). So serious are the sins of fornication and adultery that those who practice such things shall be consigned to the lake that burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8).
God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” It is God’s idea of a normal life for each man to have his own wife, and each wife her own husband. Children should be born into the home and brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. “I desire therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, rule the household” (1 Timothy 5:14). Those who have enjoyed the experience of forming a Christian home have counted it the richest part of their lives. It is the closest approach to heaven on earth that man may experience here. As the children grow and ask questions, they should be taught by their own parents. In this way they will gain the proper attitude toward sex. As they mature, they must be taught to exercise self-control in living pure lives in a wicked world; to abstain from all forms of impurity, to marry a believer and form another Christian home. None of the problems of sex will ever be solved by simply ignoring them. God has said much on this subject. This should be taught and practiced by all Christians. As the Christian follows the teaching of the Bible, he takes care of his body the temple of the Holy Spirit. He refuses to destroy it by intemperance, by drug-habits, or by any abuse. He lives a longer and healthier life, accomplishing much in the Master’s service. Yet, even with the best of care, the weight of the years will take its toll. His body will begin, to decay and fad in its functions. As he experiences less and less of his former strength he finds himself unable to render further service; as the pains of advancing years fasten themselves upon him, he actually anticipates release from tins body, which has so long and so well served its purpose, and now is worn out in God’s service.
Benjamin Franklin wrote to a friend who was sorrowing over the death of his brother: “We are. spirits. That bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasure, assist us in acquiring knowledge or in doing good to our fellow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they become unfit for these purposes and afford us pain instead of pleasure, instead of an aid become an incumbrance, it is equally kind and benevolent that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. He is gone before us. We could not all conveniently start together; so why should you and I be grieved at this, since we are socn to follow and know where to find him.”
Christians, then, may anticipate death as a release from decay, pain, and limitations. “The dust returneth to the earth as ft was, and the spirit returneth un to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). God shall then clothe our spirits with a new body. “How are the dead raised ? and with what manner of body do they come ? . ... It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor; 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 .... as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly .... But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, .... 0 death, where is thy victory? 0 death, where is thy sting? . . . . but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:35-57).