1. Robert Burton on the lack of exercise:
Opposite to exercise is idleness . . . or want of exercise, the bane of the body and mind . . . the chiefe author of all mischiefe, one of the seven deadly sinnes.
—The Anatomy of Melancholy, 242
2. R. Jaeggli on Proverbs 31:17 -“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms”:
This woman is no couch potato. In order to achieve all the activity she has planned, she knows that she must be in peak condition. In addition to developing strength, also she has trained herself in special abilities.
—Biblical Viewpoint, 11/01, 8
3. Charles Bridges on slavery to carnal appetites:
If the unsaved Seneca could say, ‘I am greater and born to greater things, than to be the servant of my body’ – is it not a shame for a Christian, born as he is, the heir of an everlasting crown, to be the slave of his carnal appetites?
—A Modern Study in the Book of Proverbs, 502
4. Jerry Bridges on the lack of holiness in body:
Twentieth-century Christians, especially those in the Western world, have generally been wanting in the area of holiness of the body. . . . Quite possibly there is no greater conformity to the world among evangelical Christians today than the way in which we, instead of presenting our bodies as holy sacrifices, pamper and indulge them in defiance of our better judgment and our Christian purpose in life.
—The Pursuit of Holiness, 110-112
5. J. Oswald Sanders on the importance of bodily discipline:
Paul believed he could be disqualified not merely because of errors of doctrine or misjudgments of ethics, but because of the body’s passions. Paul worked toward mastering the body’s appetites through disciplined moderation – neither asceticism on the one hand (such as causing oneself harm by denial of basic needs) or self-indulgence on the other (losing strength through careless diet, for example).
—Spiritual Leadership, 160
6. Richard S. Taylor on self-indulgence and character:
The person who is habitually self-indulgent in eating and drinking, without regard to health or need, almost as if he lived to eat rather than ate to live, is very apt to be weak and exposed in other phases of his life. Flabbiness in one area of character tends to loose the whole.
—The Disciplined Life, 92
7. E. Fitzpatrick on losing weight in a way that glorifies God:
Godly motivation and sacrificial living must be at the core of any spiritual discipline program, or it is doomed to failure. The failure isn’t only in not losing weight; even if weight is lost, if it is done for self-centered reasons, the fruit of this action will not be eternal or bring glory to God.
—Uncommon Vessels: A Program for Developing Godly Eating Habits, 10
8. William & Colleen Dedrick on hygiene and cleanliness:
When we care for our bodies with nourishment or good hygiene, we prevent disease and preserve life. We must love our families and neighbors enough not to bring sickness and disease on them.
—The Little Book of Christian Character & Manners, 82
See also my post Christian Health/Fitness Quotes I
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