Stewardship of Your Body

 1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.            (1 Peter 4:1-2, ESV)

To begin understanding what it means to live a holy lifestyle, start by reading Galatians 5 with a focus on verses 16-26. The heart of this begins by telling you to walk by the Spirit in order to not fulfill the desires of the flesh. This understanding is very important for within the believer there is an ongoing battle between the flesh nature and the Holy Spirit that also dwells in you. To fully understand these, meditate on verses 19 to 23. These five verses plainly explain the ―desires of the flesh and what it means to ―walk in the Spirit. It is a clear ―line in the sand on how you are to live. For to live a life that is holy is to turn over to Christ all areas of your life. Your entire body belongs to Christ. You should be mindful of how you speak to others. You should be careful how you act, for from the heart comes your true self. You should be careful what your eyes see and ears hear. Be mindful where your feet take you and how your hands work. Even sexual expression should be from a pure heart. For the actions of your body speak clearly, where your heart is and if your heart is of the flesh you carry out the desires of the flesh. If your heart is of the Spirit, you carry out the fruit of the Spirit. Even, the early church fathers of the second century saw the need for a holy lifestyle. ―As, therefore, he who has gone forward to the better things, and has brought forth the fruit of the Spirit, is saved altogether because of the communion of the Spirit (Irenaeus– 2nd century Bishop of Lugdunum, known today as Lyons, France). Living holy does not come easy, but you can develop habits of holy living by understanding that reason and emotion influence your will. By personal discipline and the help of the Holy Spirit, you can train your mind and body to develop habits of holy living. God wants us to be holy for He is holy. Not because He wants to take the fun out of life, but for us to have real joy in living. (A good book for understanding how to live a life of holiness is The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges.)

For Thought:

1. Do you think that biblical holy living is too difficult to live by in today’s lifestyle?

2. If you are convicted of not living a holy lifestyle, are you ready to repent and begin living the life you have been given by God’s grace to be a good steward of your body?

As you end your time today with God, take a moment to rest in the Lord. Be still and listen for God to speak. Then, ask God to show you how to live a holy life as you study His word and for the Holy Spirit to help you walk in the way of holiness. Pray for God to give you the courage to live for Him, especially in a culture that is completely foreign to holiness.

17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. (Psalm 51:17, NLT)