Health

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21. HEALTH Health is a topic that is very important for everyone. Our life depends on our health, so we should take good care of our bodies. In this study we’ll see what are the spiritual implications of taking care of ourselves.

1. Why does God Give Laws and Restrictions?

& Romans 8:28; Psalm 91:9-10 God is love (1 John 4:8) and therefore He really wants our best. God does not forbid us things to make us feel uncomfortable or to give us any kind of burden (Psalm 84:11). But His motivation is always love. He desires to protect us from any harm.

When we take the decision to trust in Him, following His guidelines and boundaries as an expression of our love for Him (John 14:15), He can and will provide a protection all around us.

2. How Much Importance Should We Place on Health?

& 3 John 1:2 Our health is as important as our spiritual prosperity and we should take it very seriously.

3. Why Should We Take Care of Our Body?

& 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Our body does not belong to us. We have been bought at a price. Our body belongs to God and He established it to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is the reason why we should take care of our body.

4. Do Our Spiritual Attitude Affect Also Our Body?

& Proverbs 3:7-8; 14:30; 17:22 (Isaiah 58:6-8) There is a strong connection between our spiritual decisions and our health. If we are not in a good relationship with God, unconsciously we are laying the foundations for problems in the health sphere through psychosomatic reactions.

But at the same time, to be at peace with God improves also our health. Might that be that also our decisions in regard of health affect our spiritual life? 2 21. Health – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019

5. WHAT WAS GOD’SORIGINAL PLAN FOR HUMAN HEALTH?

& Genesis 1:29; 2:15 When God made Adam and Eve, He gave them a very specific diet and an active life for them to be in perfect health.

Their diet consisted of all the plants that produce seeds. This includes fruits (both sweet, such as apples, oranges, etc. and not, such as peppers, eggplants, etc.), nuts, cereals and seeds. This was the original diet given by God at creation.

6. How was That Original Diet Changed?

& Genesis 3:17-18 After sin, God supplemented Adam and Eve’s diet with plants eating. So now where included in the diet also parts of plants, as leaves (e.g. lettuce, spinach, etc.), roots (e.g. carrots, potatoes, etc.), bulbs (e.g. garlic, onion, etc.) and flowers (e.g. artichokes, cauliflower, etc.).

This was not required before sin, but after sin God saw it good to supply our diet with other foods rich in minerals, vitamins and many substances that help us fight sicknesses.

7. Can We Eat Meat According to the Bible?

& Leviticus 11:1-3,9-10; Isaiah 66:15-17 Even though God did not originally make animals to be eaten, He allowed meat eating. God gave to Noah specific indications on which kind of animals were to be considered for food and which not (see Genesis 7:2).

Among the land animals only those with divided or cloven hooves and chewing the cud (ruminant). Among fishes only those that have fins and scales, both from the river and from the sea.

Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 give a detailed description of what should or should not be eaten, talking about meat. All these animals that are considered as unclean are mostly scavenger animals who clean up the environment around them or eat other animals.

For God to take time and give such detailed explanations, there must be a serious connection with our salvation. So much that to eat swine meat (which is considered unclean) is considered at the same level as to give an offering to an idol, and a reason not to be among the saved at Jesus’ second coming.

8. If We Really Want to Eat Meat of Clean Animals, How Should We Eat It?

& Deuteronomy 12:23-25 God specified that we should not eat meat with blood. This suggestion is given from God for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of our families. It is very hard today to find meat without blood, because this requires a specific kind of slaughtering. 21. Health – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 3

9. What is Our Responsibility As Christians?

& Revelation 1:5-6; Leviticus 10:9-11; Proverbs 31:4-5 Cleaning us from sin with His blood, Jesus has made us kings and priests (see 1 Peter 2:9) . Both priests and kings have important spiritual responsibilities: § To teach and to apply the law of God; § To distinguish between holy and unholy and between clean and unclean.

Both these responsibilities require a perfectly clear mind. These responsibilities are ours as Christians.

Wine is to be completely avoided because of this. We do not want to risk even for a moment to bring reproach upon God because of our inappropriate behavior.

10. Why does God Require Us to Be Temperate in Regard of Our Health?

& Proverbs 3:1-2; Daniel 1:12-17 God wants us to have a clear mind and to live long in order to be active for a long time. If we get easily sick or our mind is often numb because we want to satisfy the desires of our stomach, how can we be useful for God’s work?

God teaches us that self-control is required for us to resist sin and also for us to have a healthy life. Both these things God desires for us. God will use us as a testimony for those around us and will bless us more than we expect.

11. What is the Main Principle That We Should Follow in Regard of Our Health?

& 1 Corinthians 10:31 Everything we do, we should do for the glory of God. We are called to avoid all that could be harmful to our bodies and to use moderately those things that are healthy.

Eight aspects that we can find in the Bible and that grant us good health are: § Nutrition (Genesis 1:29) § Exercise (Genesis 2:15) § Water (Numbers 19:19) § Sunshine (Ecclesiastes 11:7) § Temperance (1 Corinthians 6:12) § Air (Psalm 150:6) § Rest (Mark 6:31) § Trust in God (Isaiah 26:3-4). 4 21. Health – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 God wants us to have a NEW START in our health, in order to be more effective in His service.

Appeal

Wouldn’t it be a reason to rejoice to have a better health and to have more strength to serve God?

Do you take the decision today to follow God’s plan for your health and to allow Him to bless you also in this?