Exercise

      We have to do something to be something. We exercise everything from math skills to our muscles. We like the idea of exercise. There are goals and victory markers in our exercise routines. We center a lot of our lives around exercise. We exercise what we learn in school for twelve or more years. We exercise our skills at work daily. We exercise in many different ways. How much exercising do we do with our faith?

      Exercise is important but it is of little gain when in the flesh. However, spiritual exercise is of great benefit. That great benefit being heaven. We need to educate ourselves to the restraint of our passions, lusts, and worldly ambitions, and to the use of our faith. (1 Tim. 4:7) The places we tend to exercise in most are passing away. The things we train in most will come to an abrupt end. Godliness will not end. Train yourself with strenuous effort unto godliness.  Godliness is more than just inward holiness. Godliness springs forth from our love for God and shows in our love for His creatures. (1 John 4:7-8) Godliness works, is active, and is reverent. We are blessed in this life and have the promise of eternal life in godliness. We must exercise ourselves, our faith, unto it.

      When we exercise our spiritual selves we grow. We cannot help but grow. The inverse is just as true. This spiritual exercise is how we get off of spiritual milk, the first principles of the oracles of God. The foundational things are those first sayings. Such teaching as repentance from dead works, baptism, spiritual gifts, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment are foundational. They are spiritual milk. (Heb. 5:12; 6:1-2). We need to be able to leave those elementary principles of Christ. Without spiritual exercise we cannot. (Heb. 5:12) We must exercise spiritually to grow past the basics in Christ. We must exercise spiritually to understand past the basics. We must exercise spiritually to keep growing.

      When we exercise spiritually we become teachers. (Heb. 5:12) Why? We can handle the deeper matters of Christ, solid food. We have studied and grasped those deeper matters of Christ. We become teachers because by the reason of use we have our senses exercised. Those exercised used senses can discern both good and evil. (Heb. 5:14) We have grown up and become full of age. We should all then be teaching what we know. We as Christians should all be striving for this point. We need to be spiritually exercising everyday so we can be full of age, partaking of solid food, teaching others, and growing in Christ.

      If we do not exercise spiritually we will die. We will have only partaken of spiritual milk, first principles, at our best.  We will grow weak from only taking in milk. We will grow weak from never using or exercising our spiritual life. We grow so weak we are unskilled in the word of righteousness. (Heb. 5:13) Then we cannot give a defense. (1 Pet. 3:15) The word does not dwell in us richly in all wisdom. (Col. 3:16) We cannot defend ourselves from our flesh. (Jam. 1:13-15) We cannot withstand the devil by using the word. (Matt. 4:1-11) We will not have the spiritual armor nor know how to use it. (Eph. 5:13-18) Then we will become like the ocean moving in subjection to the moon, wind, currents, weather, and being used and abused.

      Exercise is important but of little gain in the flesh. Spiritual exercise is of great gain and of the utmost importance. Spiritual exercise means eternal life. If we are not spiritually exercising, we will die. If we are not spiritually exercising, we will not grow. Exercise spiritually every day! Exercise in and use what God has given us for the sake of your soul and others. 

 

Exercise!