–George Sheffield “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things” (1 Tim 4:8) In this verse, Paul is not saying “don’t exercise”.
We do need to exercise our bodies for our health’s sake. Being a couch potato that never works out is not being a good steward of the body God gave us. For those who are physically able, we do need to exercise to the degree we can handle.
What Paul is telling us is that bodily exercise is of little profit, of limited value, when compared to spiritual exercise. No matter how much you work out physically, you still die.
But your spiritual work outs, practicing godliness, is profitable in every way because it will last for eternity. Growing and getting stronger in the Christian faith out-benefits and out-lasts any bodily exercise.
Yes, exercise your body; grow your health. But more importantly, exercise your spirit; grow your faith.
