I started swimming 5 times a week in January, and managed to last two months doing it. Then, the pleasures of sleeping in a little bit later pulled me back into a very sedentary lifestyle. I gained 7 pounds in about a month! So today I’m back at the pool, swimming again, and I wonder–is there any spiritual repercussions for exercising, or lack of exercise? I suppose I gotta be careful here, or I’ll end up convicting myself for treating my body poorly…

It’s hard to draw the line anywhere–the Bible tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and that we should treat them with respect. Paul tells us that physical training is of some value, though spiritual discipline has repercussions for eternity. I had a friend tell me that smoking is sinful, but I don’t think it’s necessarily so–it may be less-than-ideal, but I don’t see any clear prohibition in the Bible, except warnings against succumbing to addiction. What do you think?