Bible Study Part #5
His Design & Our Identity
Knowing WHO and WHOSE we are has a lot to do with how we live a healthy life. We are not a cosmic accident, my friend. We were created by the heart of a living and loving God (Genesis 2)
Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Who We Are In Christ
Truly believing this good news is the first step in getting back what was stolen from every believer a long time ago in the garden: our identity.
What is God’s reaction when we say things like, “ I’m ugly. I think I’m fat. I don’t like my hair color or how my eyes are set. I’m too pale. I’m too dark”?
Remember, God gave us life! He created us. He created diversity and beauty in a million different ways. Imagine how boring (not to mention creepy) it would be if we all looked exactly the same. God is The Creator and He is proud of His creation (Genesis 14:19, 22; Ecclesiastes 12: 1-8; Isaiah 40:28; Isaiah 43). Who are we to judge His artwork and creation? Whining, criticizing and complaining about our God-given physical features must certainly break His heart. Imagine your reaction if your child came to you with those same complaints and criticisms. Wouldn’t that break your heart knowing that you gave so much to give that child life?
For Whom Do You Live?
1 Cor 10:31 “We are free to stop living for our own glory and start living for the glory of God.”
Body image is living for your own glory. Training to serve is living for the glory of God.
Per John Piper:
Body image is a preoccupation for many and there are huge dieting and physical training industries in our culture today.
The discipline of the pursuit of physical fitness becomes sinful self-glorification when it is no longer pursued as a means of:
Overcoming our own sin
Serving others
Glorifying Christ
There are three ways to measure whether our pursuit of fitness is sinful or not. Evaluate the pursuit. Is it:
- A genuine desire to defeat sin in my own life?
- Is that pursuit of fitness a genuine desire to become more useful in serving the temporal and eternal good of others?
- Expressing a genuine desire to show that Christ is more valuable to me than my looks or my health or my reputation?
- What Do You See and How Do You Respond?
- God has a lot to say in Scripture about sight. Look at the following verses and write what they say about how God sees. Really, they are speaking of spiritual sight, however, let’s make the parallel to the physical for today. 1 Samuel 16:7 Isaiah 11:1-5
- Look up the following verses and write down their implications for our sight. Again, while they are really speaking of spiritual sight, let’s make the parallel to the physical for today. 2 Kings 6:15-17 Jeremiah 5:20-25
- Adam and Eve sinned after they believed Satan and began wondering if God was holding out on them. What are the various lies you have been believing, or are now believing, as truth? In what way(s) have you believed God has been holding out on you?
- Take a moment to reflect on who and whose you are. Make a list of the physical features you have previously complained about. Will you now thank God for each one today?
- Knowing you are created in the image of God, what does your image say about Him?
- How does knowing who and whose you are move you toward your health goals?
Godspeed,
The MissionFiT Team
