A Biblical Case for Physical Fitness
Excerpt from “The King’s Men“ by Padraig Dunne
The body is more than flesh and bone. It is the temple of the Living God—sacred ground, consecrated, formed, and sculpted by God, for God. Yet it has been entrusted to man to steward, cultivate, and increase. It is both a dwelling place of the Spirit and an instrument for function.
When we look at Scripture, we must understand that Jesus—the Word!—was a master wordsmith. He said the most in the least amount of words - Any Spirit-filled disciple recognises that the Word of God is a gift that keeps on giving. You may understand a passage and be blessed by it, only to return years later and receive a completely new, surpassing revelation from the very same passage. Many times, a single verse can bring forth a multitude of insights.
The Scriptures are not only full of spiritual revelation but also of practical application. The body is a physical vessel of a spiritual dwelling. If you have repented and yielded your will to God, if you have cast yourself on the mercy and grace of Jesus and been truly born again—sealed with the Spirit of adoption—then know this also: it is a high and holy calling to be the temple of God! This requires no apology, but it does demand responsibility. Your body must be fit for function. We’ve been bought at a price. We are not our own. One day, these bodies will return to the dust, and when they do, we will give an account for how we stewarded everything placed under our care and watch, including the vessel that was entrusted to us. Nothing is our own, all in Christ’s!
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you… 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 Corinthians 6:19–20
Stewardship in the Small Things
Jesus taught, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” (Luke 16:10). To take care of your own body is the least of all stewardship—yet if neglected, it will hinder every other aspect of your service to God.
Paul wrote, “That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 15:46). If you cannot be trusted to steward your natural things, how can you expect to be entrusted with the weightier matters of the Spirit?
And again:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)
Physical discipline is part of spiritual worship. It is unreasonable to neglect the very body you are presenting to God.
Paul declared, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means… I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Corinthians 9:27). The apostle disciplined his own body as part of his faithfulness. Should we do less?
“The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.”
—Proverbs 20:29
Scripture does not despise physical strength. On the contrary, it calls it glory. I sincerely believe it’s absolutely necessary to drive this point home: Far too many Christians overspiritualise the word and neglect the importance of the natural, practical and physical function of the word of God. A sluggish, neglected, or undisciplined body limits what God can entrust to you. If we truly want to move in the fullness of what God has for us, we must be found faithful in what little He has already given us.
Fit for Function, Not for Vanity
This is not about Instagram-famous six-packs or legs for arms. Vanity is empty. What matters is functional fitness—being able to carry, lift, endure, protect, build, and respond to whatever situation God places before you.
There is a difference between visible abs and functional abs. When adversity comes, when someone needs rescuing, when your family needs protection, when a brother needs service, or when the Holy Spirit calls you to hike into the wilderness where there is no signal, just to meet Him alone—will you have the frame, the stamina, and the foresight to answer the call?
Proverbs gives us no wiggle room:
“A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” (Proverbs 24:5)
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” (Proverbs 24:10)
Let those verses land! It is not your revelation, your anointing, or your eloquence that Proverbs is pointing at, but your strength. A wise man increases it. A man of knowledge prepares ahead of time. Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying, “ Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ” We ought to be prepared for every good work ahead of the time of need. David was skilled with a sling long before God directed the stone. Physical strength, grit, endurance and preparedness are not optional—they are part of stewardship.
Jesus Was Rugged and Strong
He walked everywhere—no Uber, no horse. On at least one of his later pilgrimages, he went from Capernaum to Jerusalem by way of Jericho, 106 miles each way. Estimating conservatively, Jesus probably walked at least 15,000 miles in his lifetime. Donkeys were frequently used to transport goods, while the owners would walk alongside the donkey.
He fasted for forty days in harsh wilderness conditions. (Matthew 4:2)
He often slept outdoors: “Foxes have holes… but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” (Luke 9:58)
He endured brutal physical suffering—blood loss, beating, scourging, and crucifixion.
He cleared the Temple with a whip, driving men out by force. (John 2:15)
He carried His crossbeam, torn and broken, bearing the weight of our salvation. (John 19:17)
He pulled a grown man from raging waters with His own hand. No further comment necessary! (Matthew 14:31)
Jesus was not frail, fragile, or effeminate. He was rugged, raw, enduring, and physically fit for function. He was a grafter—built for long days, hard roads, and fierce resistance in wild and harsh conditions.
The Call to Us Today
Whether we are sent to the mission field or called to daily work and family, being strong, agile and enduring, it is part of our witness. To neglect the body is to neglect the vessel God has given you for His purposes.
Ecclesiastes exhorts us:
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
And David sang:
“For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall… For thou hast girded me with strength to battle.” (2 Samuel 22:30, 40)
Brethren, this is not about vanity, but about stewardship. Christ bore the cross—can we not bear the weight of our own bodies with discipline? Let us be men of knowledge who increase strength, men fit for function, ready for adversity, and found faithful even in the least. We don’t need to be a world-class athlete, but we do need to show up with consistency. Something as simple as a sport or activity that will build physical strength, flexibility, mobility, with mental resilience, confidence, and coordination. But make no mistake, our own physical well-being is the least we’ve been given stewardship over; cultivating it before God is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1).
