Page 50 - Robeson Living Spring 2019

The Body,

the Temple

By Pastor Charles P. Locklear

3 John 1:1; “The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I
love in the truth. 2; Beloved, I wish above all things that thou

mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

are spiritual issues. When we dis-regard the instructions
that the creator has given to us, as a guide to good health,
and the common sense that we can have learned from our
Elders, then it should come as no surprise that we find our-
There is a health crisis in America that has resulted selves in the health crisis that we face in the world around
from a general dis-regard for healthy eating and activities us.
that help promote good health and physical well-being. As
a result, hospitals stay full, Doctors stay behind, and funer- You may say, it’s my body and I will do as I please and its
al Directors stay busy. We are literally, slowly but surely, none of your business. But this is not entirely true. I must
committing suicide by ignoring even the most obvious and live in this world with you. What you do does influence my
most achievable goals regarding our own health and phys- life. The decisions you make do impact my life. When you
ical well-being. This would include people from all walks are weak then I am weak. No man liveth unto himself and
of life. People who have done well in many other ways no man dieth unto himself. We have been created as social
but have somehow ignored the very things for which we creatures with a moral responsibility to care about the health
should be most careful...our souls and our bodies. Even and wellbeing of every living person. This is particularly
among those who have great faith and are doing their best true for those who make claim to the Christian faith. I am
to live clean moral lives, are those who don’t seem to have my brother’s keeper. The strong are commanded to bear the
the same regard for taking care of their bodies. I am sure infirmities of the weak. When you suffer the whole body of
some who read this message are in bondage to bad habits, Christ suffers.
careless attitudes and living with addictions to things they
know are detrimental to their mental and physical health In the text that introduced this message, the Apostle John
and are against all common sense and medical warnings is expressing His concern for the health of His dear freind
and religious convictions. Gaius. Gaius has become a Christian and His soul was made
prosperous because of His faith in the risen Lord. The Lord
Americans are not suffering from ignorance, but from re- had forgiven Him of His sins and has given the promise
bellion. We want what we want, even when it’s obvious of eternal life. That was prosperity beyond human compre-
it’s not good for us. Let me suggest that while the obvi- hension. Only eternity can reveal the glorious position of
ous signs of an un-disciplined life are seen in our physical the Believer in Christ. The Apostle desired that Gaius might
bodies, a deeper problem exists in the spiritual part of our also enjoy the same measure of prosperity in His Physical
lives. I am inclined to think that many of our health issues life. The same desire for the soul of Gaius prompted John