How Christians can honor God by physical form and strength training

Regular exercise is known in favor of physical and mental health – but there has been a debate on the question of whether the continuation of physical improvement could conflict with Christian principles.

Some have warned that putting too much emphasis on the physical form could turn into the “worship of idols”, that is to say when another prosecution goes beyond devotion to God.

In the book “The counterfeit gods: the empty promises of money, sex and power and the only hope that matters”, the author Tim Keller defines an idol as “something more important to you than God, everything that absorbs your heart and your imagination more than God, all that you are looking to give you what alone can give.”

Depending on certain points of view, this could even include from the exercise.

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Others – like Hunter Sprague, a Christian bodybuilder and father of three in Texas – take on a different perspective.

After spending time in the Christian ministry, Sprague exploited his personal passion for exercise and strengthening strength to launch the Monolith movement, a coaching and mentoring platform that helps men balance faith and physical form.

Hunter Sprague, a Christian bodybuilder and father of three children in Texas, spoke to Fox News Digital of his efforts to balance faith and physical form. (Fox News)

In an interview with the camera with Fox News Digital, Sprague has described physical health as a form of spiritual stewardship, which is reflected in 1 Corinthians in the New Testament: “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit … so honor God with your body.” (See part of the interview in the video at the top of this article.)

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Sprague recognized that in Gnosticism – a set of ancient religious beliefs which emerged around the 1st and 2nd centuries after JC – the followers believed that the physical body and the material world “had no importance”.

“If you are going to be saved, be lit, you have to somehow set up the body,” he said about belief. “It is this state of mind that everything is about my heart, and my body does not matter.”

“ Our bodies are important ”

Over time, Sprague was able to find a balance between his commitment to physical form and his devotion to his faith.

“Our body counts, our physical material world counts-it has been created,” he said, noting that physical form is an essential element of who we are designed to be.

After spending time in the Christian ministry, Hunter Sprague (photo) exploited his personal passion for exercise and strengthening strength to launch the Monolith movement, a coaching and mentoring platform that helps men balance faith and physical form. (Hunter Sprague / Instagram)

“It is the order created natural – if the Lord did not want to have a body, you would not have one.”

“I think the Lord used the physical form to illuminate this for me a lot,” continued Sprague. “I can’t just experience mental faith – there must be an experiential power that accompanies it.”

“If the Lord did not want you to have a body, you would not have one.”

In his opinion, exercise and physical form are a form of adoption of control – “the agency” – which the Lord has given us on our body.

“It’s mainly a question of stewardship,” said Sprague. “How do you manage the fact that you have a functional body? How do you manage the fact that you have received all these tools and resources and capacities?”

“What do you do with this for the benefit of others, for your advantage, while you are trying to love the Lord and rejoice in Him, and have this feeling of peace, hope and resilience?”

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In his own personal fitness routine, Sprague said that he focuses on a mixture of strength training and cardio.

“For many people, the physical form is equivalent to weight loss, but if you lose weight without developing muscles, you are shooting yourself,” he told Fox News Digital.

“For many people, the physical form is equivalent to weight loss, but if you lose weight without developing muscles, you get into the foot,” the expert at Fox News Digital told. (istock)

Force training is “absolutely crucial” for the Americans at the moment, said the expert, as many people are “overweight and sub-muscular”.

Sprague spends three to four days a week in the gymnasium raising weights and using cables.

“This is the difficult part, it is the slow burn. It does not happen by accident,” he said. “It pushes me just week after week, in competition with myself.”

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For cardio, Sprague recommends finding opportunities to continue moving and increasing the daily steps.

“You will see a massive difference between 2,000 or 4,000 stages and dubbing this at 8,000 or 10,000,” he said. “And if you can go up from there, the more crazy there are.”

Some have warned that putting too much emphasis on the physical form could turn into the “worship of idols”, that is to say when another prosecution goes beyond devotion to God. (istock)

Walking is an “easy entry barrier,” he said, and is very good for brain health and digestion.

In addition to alternating between walking and sprint, Sprague recommends finding other ways to remain active in daily life.

“Just more activity associated with something you love is really useful,” he said.

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In terms of nutrition, Sprague focuses on what he calls “modular food”, including some lean proteins, fibrous vegetables and a handful of carbohydrates.

If he tries to achieve a particular goal, he carefully follows his food consumption to obtain “absolute clarity” in the way he goes.

“You will see a massive difference between 2,000 or 4,000 stages and dubbing this at 8,000 or 10,000,” said the expert. “And if you can go up from there, the more crazy there are.” (istock)

Regarding the supplements, Sprague said that it maintained it “very, very simple”.

“I do creatine and monohydrate every day. I will use protein powders to reach my protein target with a minimum of calories.”

‘Note the goodness of God’

For anyone looking to honor his body and also honor the Lord, Sprague said that it was important to recognize that physical being counts, but that it will never be the main source of happiness or peace.

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“It is difficult to be satisfied, it is difficult to go to a place where you say to yourself:” I have finished, I did it “,” said Sprague. “There will always be this sense of:” There is no longer to do, there is no longer to do. “”

“My identity, my value, my value, is not wrapped in what I do physically – this process is rather only a joy in itself.”

Regarding the supplements, Sprague said that it maintained it “very, very simple”. (istock)

In the pursuit of greater physical shape, Sprague said it was essential to “notice the goodness of God” in all of this.

“It is a means of grace that the Lord has designed endorphins for you-he has designed dopamine for you,” he noted. “He has designed the feeling of accomplishment you get when you lift something or run a little further or have a very good day with your food – it is not without consequences.”

“The more you bring the Lord in it and notice his kindness, the better.”

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“Just take momentum and start putting one foot in front of the other,” advised Sprague.

“Everything comes down to time and efforts. Put a certain pressure on yourself, fix deadlines and simply go to do it-because reflection, considering and thinking, will not make you anywhere,” he continued.

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“And the more you bring the Lord in it and notice his kindness, the better.”