Good Health and Temperance

What did the Apostle John wish concerning Gaius?

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 2.

What did God promise His people anciently?

“Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.” Exodus 23:25. 

Upon what condition was freedom from disease promised?

“If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any diseases I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26.   

What does the psalmist say the Lord does for His people?

“Who forgives all sins and heals all your diseases.” Psalm 103:3.  

What constituted a large part of Christ’s ministry?

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit power, and he went about doing good and healing all who under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” Acts 10:38. “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” Matthew 4:23. 

The Bible Speaks of our Bodies

Why should health of the body be preserved?

“You were bought for a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”  

1 Corinthians 6:20.      

What is the body of the believer said to be?

“Did you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? Verse 19.  

Food Principles – Not Food Fads

“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.” Daniel 1:8.    

With what food did he ask to be provided?

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.” Verse 12.  

What was the original diet prescribed for man?

“Then God said, “I will give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.” Genesis 1:29. 

Why did the Lord restrict the Hebrews in their diet?

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the people on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be a treasured possession.” Deuteronomy 14:2,3.  

Note – Both mind and body is affected by the food we eat.

Rest, Cheer, and High Purpose

What effect does cheerfulness have upon the health?

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

 Proverbs 17:22.

How did the Savior provide rest for His disciples?

“Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  Mark 6:31.

How are we warned to present our bodies to God?

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1.

What should control our habits of life?

“So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the honor and glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.

The Nature and Necessity of Self-Control

Concerning what did Paul reason before Felix?

Note – Self –control means habitual moderation and control in the indulgence of the appetites and passions.

Of what is self-control a fruit?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22,23. 

Note – “Self-control puts wood in the fire, meal in the barrel, flour in the tub, money in the purse, credit in the country, contentment in the home, clothes on the back, and vigor in the body.” -Benjamin Franklin.

Where in Christian growth and experience is self-control placed upon the Apostle Peter?   

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness; knowledge; self-control; and to self-control; perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love.”

2 Peter 1:5-7.  

Note – Self-control is rightly placed here as to order. Knowledge is a prerequisite to self-control, and self-control to patience. It is very difficult for a person without self-control to be patient.

What is said of those who strive for the mastery?

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:25.   

The Body and Self-Control

In running the Christian race, what did Paul say he did?

“No, I beat my body and make it a slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Verse 27.

Why are kings and rulers admonished to be under self-control?

“It is not for the kings O Lemuel – not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.” Proverbs 31: 4,5.

Why were priest forbidden to use intoxicating drink while engaged in the sanctuary service?

“Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine of other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.” Leviticus 10:8-10. 

Why is the indulgence in strong drink dangerous?

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5:18.  [Debauchery means corruption]

For what should men eat and drink?

“Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at the proper time – for strength and not for drunkenness.” Ecclesiastes 10:17. 

God’s Early Instruction On Diet

“The God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it, they are to be yours for food.” Genesis 1:29.

Note – In other words, legumes, grains, fruit, and nuts.

After the Flood what other food was indicated as permissible?

“Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” Genesis 9:3. 

Note – From this it is evident that flesh food was not included in the original diet provided for man, but that because of the changed conditions resulting from the Fall and the Flood, its use was permitted. However, Noah understood the difference between the clean and the unclean animals, and a larger number of the clean beasts were housed safely in the ark. See Genesis 7:2.

Four Fearless Youth Test Self-Control

Why did Daniel refuse the food and wine of the king?

“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”

Daniel 1:8. (See Judges 13:4.)

Instead of these, what did he request?

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.” Daniel 1:12. 

At the end of ten days’ test, how did he and his companions appear?

“At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” Verse 15.

At the end of their three years’ course in the school of Babylon, how did the wisdom of Daniel and his companions compare with that of others?

“At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.” Verses 18-20. 

Beginning and End of Drunkards

What warning is given against leading others into corruption?

“Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies.” Habakkuk 2:15.  

What kind of professed Christians are not fellow-shipped? 

“But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. Such a man do not even eat.” 1 Corinthians 5:11. 

Can drunkards enter the kingdom of God?

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nr idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9.10.  (See Revelation 21:27.)

For what did Paul pray?

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23.