As believers strive to live a life pleasing to God, physical discipline and self-control are seen as essential components of a healthy faith. According to 1 Timothy, bodily exercise has some value, while 1 Corinthians emphasizes the importance of honoring God with one's body. The writer of Hebrews notes that discipline may be painful, but it yields a harvest of righteousness, and Paul's athletic metaphors in 1 Corinthians illustrate the need for perseverance and dedication in the Christian life. By living out their faith in this way, believers can experience spiritual growth and maturity, as encouraged in 2 Timothy.
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For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.