Clean Physical Living by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1911

Clean Physical Living

By F. M. W.

CLEANLINESS is next to godliness. While this is not a statement of Scripture, the underlying principle of the statement is taught in the Word of God. The observance of the laws of nature is closely akin to the observance of God’s great moral law. A very close relationship exists between the law of one’s physical being and his state of mind and condition of heart. Carefulness in physical living will of itself bring to no one eternal salvation, but the disregard of health principles may so affect one’s spiritual life, and so change one’s attitude toward God, that he will fail of salvation at last.

There is one condition of salvation, and one only, given in the Scriptures of truth, and that is personal faith in the sacrifice and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. But while Christ alone is the author of our salvation, there must be cooperation on the part of the human agent. Every individual must put himself into that attitude and relationship to Heaven where God can cleanse his heart from sin, where he can fill him with his own fulness, where he can work in and through him. He must place his own will on the side of God’s will; he must seek to the extent of his power to conform his life and his habits of life to the principles of right. Recognizing his body as designed to be the temple of the Holy Ghost, he will seek to bring his physical powers into such relationship to God that they can be used to the divine glory.

Says the apostle Paul: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Cor. 3: 16, 17. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Cor. 6: 18-20.

These scriptures teach that our bodies may be defiled, and that our own course of physical living may be such that God will be dishonored; and if we do not correct the evil of our ways, we shall eventually be destroyed.

God desires his people to be clean, morally and physically. The priests of old, when they entered into the sanctuary, were required to wash their bodies and to change their clothes. The camp of Israel was required to be kept clean by the removal of all refuse and the exclusion of every source of contamination. God is no less particular to-day. He who desires his body to become the temple of the Holy Spirit, who desires that Spirit to come in and take possession of his heart, will seek to make himself physically as well as morally clean. He will make a free and liberal use of nature’s great purifying agent, water, for both his body and his clothes. He will seek to bathe his lungs with the pure air of heaven, and not the stifling, vitiated air found in so many ill-ventilated homes. He will seek to eat for strength and not for drunkenness, building up the body that God has given him, by the use of pure, simple, wholesome food. He will keep his home and premises clean and sanitary. He will wear clothing for health and comfort, and not to minister to pride or fashion.

It is to be regretted that many of our people who once recognized the value of the principles of healthful living have fallen back in their experience. A consistent education on the question of healthful living needs to be given to our churches; parents need to study this

question as related to themselves and to their families. Much instruction has been imparted with reference to this question in its various relations. This instruction should be heeded. No narrow or biased view should be taken, no wild, erratic moves made. The subject should be studied broadly and deeply, and a consistent and sensible application made of the principles involved. All should realize that the subject embraces far more than the question of diet or dress. Some have made a mistake on this point. They have grasped but one detail of the question, usually that regarding diet, and in consequence have set up narrow standards, to which they have endeavored to rally their fellows, while many equally as important details were ignored.

In Romans 14, the apostle dwells upon the principle of judging our brother. While he speaks with particular reference to the Passover feast, which was to be eaten with bitter herbs, the principle applies equally to our judging our brother in other ways. “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

Our relationship to others is twofold. We should be careful, as the apostle says, not to put a stumbling-block in the way of our brother by our course of conduct. We should make sure that by no course of ours, or liberty which we deem it our privilege to exercise, those who are weaker or less experienced will stumble, and fail of the glory of God. On the other hand, let us be quite as careful that we do not judge those who fail to meet our conception of duty, or measure up to the standard which we have set for ourselves. We may judge ourselves as strictly as we please, but let us be exceedingly lenient in our judgment of our brother.

It is entirely proper that we should present to others our experience, that we should consistently call their attention to principles which we believe to be right. We should do this not dogmatically nor in the spirit of censure. In seeking to advance reforms, let us be careful that we do not take a course that will make obnoxious and objectionable the very truth which we are trying to advance. The cause of reform has been injured oftentimes by injudicious methods on the part of its advocates. The most efficient way for us to advocate every right principle is to exemplify it in our course of conduct. The most effective preaching is the living exemplification of truth in the lives of the believers.

“Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” God will hold every man responsible for the light which has been given him, but the work of judgment does not fall to us. Let God deal with every case, and let us show toward every one of our fellows the same spirit of mercy and charity that we hope the great Judge will manifest toward us in the day of final accounts. F. M. W.