by Stephen Spiteri
I’m a gym junkie and I’m perfectly comfortable to confess that. I’ve been going to the gym multiple times per week for three or so years and in that time my health, strength and fitness have improved significantly. My physical appearance has also changed over those three or so years as — what generally happens with weights and resistance training — fatty mass is “replaced” with lean mass; more muscle.
My regimen is sometimes brought up in class, and there’s always one students that asks, “Sir, why do you go to the gym? Isn’t that vanity?” This question got me thinking: “Is working out compatible with Christian living? Is working out compatible with the Christian concept of modesty?”
There is a culture of vanity and immodesty in the fitness industry and I’ve certainly seen a fair share of it as a patron of a few different gyms over the past couple of years. Just this very evening I was at the gym and my attention was drawn to a younger man that “checked himself out” in the mirror in between each each set and strutted around like a male peacock showing off its tail-feathers. I could very easily be accused of the same thing since I’m a gym-goer, but the difference is your purpose for working out and exercising; the “why” behind it all. If you’re going to the gym because you want to improve your physical appearance and draw more attention from the opposite sex (and a vast number of workout “gurus” exploit this base desire and build an empire on it), then you’re working out for the wrong reasons. We read the following in scripture:
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The context of 1 Corinthians 6 addresses sexual immorality, but there is more than one way to read verses 19 and 12: our body is a sacred place and it is given to us by God; we are stewards of our bodies and we are to treat it as a temple — a sacred place — so that we may glorify God with it. The Church teaches us this about taking care of our bodies:
CCC 2288: Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good.
Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, health care, basic education, employment, and social assistance.
And here’s where it gets interesting:
CCC 2289: If morality requires respect for the life of the body, it does not make it an absolute value. It rejects a neo-pagan notion that tends to promote the cult of the body, to sacrifice everything for it’s sake, to idolize physical perfection and success at sports. By its selective preference of the strong over the weak, such a conception can lead to the perversion of human relationships.
To “idolize physical perfection” is to treat our body as God, i.e. we, in a narcissistic manner, treat and worship ourselves as God. This, of course, is diametrically opposed to modesty and the biblical understanding of the treatment of the human body. By idolizing the body, we fail to glorify God with or through our bodies, but rather we glorify our body as God; this is idolatry; idolatry is a mortal sin (Exodus 20:3).
In short: it is perfectly okay to workout or exercise to improve your physical fitness and to take care of your body. It is not, however, acceptable to place the value of our bodies above all other things, especially at the expense of our relationship with God and the needs of others.
… for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. — 1 Timothy 4:8
I often wish, though, that all of that energy expended at the gym could instead be redirected to a useful purpose. Some crazy ideas: mow the lawns of people too old or sick to mow their own, walk a littered city street and do deep knee bends picking up trash, offer to load people’s moving vans for free, scrub graffiti off walls, running from one ‘work of art’ to the next. Get the idea? If all of that muscle output could be put to good use, wow, our cities could be pristine. And you’d save the cost of gym membership. When did gyms appear anyway? They’re ubiquitous now, but I have no recollection of them 40 years ago.
And let us suppose that everyone did that and there were no bodybuilding Neanderthals on the planet. Because boys obviously suck.
I guess we’d be super egalitarian, everybody equal, equally bored and miserable, just surviving with no higher goal, no way to affirm life, just busying ourselves with surviving and continuing the species.
Then you’d probably miss the gym. Or other goals that are unnecessary for survival but necessary for satisfaction.
Stop whining with your stupid pseudo-moralistic “I’m a good boy” crap.
I just want to ask one question, do we who workout, read our Bible just as much as we workout? From an ex-bodybuilder who has been shredded to huge to super huge, I realized that we are to be like Jesus and I don’t recall Jesus ever talking about being ripped or huge, I know I was deceived. Sure I looked strong, but I was weak against the devil
Did Jesus lift weights? Jesus walked, healed and he did feed the poor. He is our example to follow after.
Think.. would Jesus go to a gym and lift weights in the mirror? That is how people can answer this question. Jesus walked, healed and he did feed the poor. He is our lord and savior, walk after him.
Jesus didn’t lift weights , but taking care of your bodies is what God would want , i personally go to the gym and wanna and am going to replace my clothes with Long and looser clothing , no need to bring others down for lifting weights for the right reason
I know it wouldn’t be as systematic, but doesn’t it seem like all that effort could be expended toward a good end, toward accomplishing both your own physical fitness, but also improving our community? Like take a long walk/run while picking up trash. (Stretching and aerobic) Or putting an old person’s yard back in order who is unable to do so themselves? (Lifting) Maybe we could bring back rickshaws and cycle people around town. (Definitely aerobic) OK, you think those are stupid ideas, but lifting a weight up and down and up and down and up and down seems kinda dumb, too. It’s right back where you picked it up, unchanged.
This could be said about anything , not everyone is black and white @jill , I just rather spend my free time in the gym feeling good that I’m doing something rather than what you would do in your free time like watch a little tv maybe a video game or two , etc , I just like to spend it improving myself but also not catching anyone’s attention that’s why some of us wear pump covers , as long as the motives are not evil like vanity,pride, or idolatry of the body there shouldn’t be a problem with lifting , it’s a hobby and a gift from God and yes I do agree we should help our community but I have hobbies for myself too
Sorry but your logic isn’t exactly sound. This is akin to saying “Did Jesus eat McDonalds? No! He ate fish and bread, he is our example, therefore we shouldn’t eat McDonalds.” Do you see how that logic is utterly flawed?
I am a stage aesthetics “body-sculptor” meaning I’ve basically been half-naked on stages since I was 17, building a physique like mine has been my ONLY passion since I was 16ish. Now I am 26 and my love for this profession hasn’t changed one bit. I was saved at 23 and use my platform to talk about our Lord because what I do is necessary to the kingdom of God.
I enjoy going to the gym and I don’t lift weights. I’m a middle aged woman with some wobbly biceps and flabby stomach so I go because I want to tone up a bit, also I sit at a computer all day for my job so I feel much better after a gym session. Also I think it depends on the culture of your gym. Mine is very relaxed with people of all ages and shapes and I have never noticed any posing. My fellow gym-goers all seem to want to get on and have a good work-out and keep their heads down. Having said that, the weight-training room is on a different floor to where I work-out so maybe the culture is more competitive there.
I agree we should help our community but there is a such thing as a me time , what you do in your free time might be watch tv , read the news paper , scroll on Twitter , watch a movie , etc I just use that time at the gym , I’m trying to remove vanity by wearing long sleeves and giving thanks to God by giving me the ability to workout bc others can’t , and like Paul said whatever you do , do it for the glory of God , and almost everyone knew me as the skinny junky and now bc of God’s grace I’m transformed spiritually and physically for his glory that he is real and can change the worst of the worst , so it’s not a black and white subject matter , and plus when i use to be severely underweight I looked more feminine than masculine but that changed so I’ll continue with fitness and no every matter is black and white , God bless and enjoy your day brother
I am a complete gym rat and i strive to make my body better. I completely acknowledge that i love going to the gym almost as much as i go to mass “often times multiple times a week” and I pray while i’m at work often. I don’t know if this is acceptable but i pray while i work out. i often think of others and how i wish to use each and every rep as a petition for those i am thinking of. my love of God is above all other things and i love all that he has given me including my body and i want to use all of it to glorify him.
Hmm…so can we accuse those who are punishing their body out of penance as ungodly…for disregard to what has been given to them by God?
yes, Jesus took on our punishment for us !
i think that working out is self-seeking and that is selfishness; in addition, when we work out, we are making idols of our bodies with oiur own hands which goes against the commandments of God. Pls take note that I also work out for 6 hours a week.
That can be debated–“when we work out we are making idols of our bodies.” How do you know why someone is working out? How do you know what’s in their heart? …There’s different intentions for every action. God has already spoke that our body is a temple and we should treat it as such so I can be judgmental and say “By not working out, you’re going against God by not treating your body as the temple God intended it to be.” Why wouldn’t you work out for your health? Even for appearance, it’s not vain if you want to be healthy and look good/keep your body in good condition….as long as you don’t place it over God. Placing it over God/idolizing means you care about it more than God. I may also ask you, do you idolize your gf/bf/wife/husband because you think your love for something else is love that will triumph God? God has placed love and enjoyment in our hearts and he has even set some people’s purpose out to be fitness instructors to better peoples health. Trust me the guy or girl you think is immoral, idolizing fitness, and immodest competing as a bodybuilder on stage–may have a god loving heart. People need to stop judging.
I have a passion for fitness so it’s really hard for me not to idolize it or my body…thanks for this article, it was a really helpful reminder!
After almost 2 years of my last posting, and 20 years going to the gym to have a “nice” body, i have reached the conclusion that going to the gym is something against Jesus´ will…”deny yourselves, carry your cross daily and follow me”
Hi Elias, glad to see what the Lord did for you and how He convicted your heart of something that was probably not in the best interest of your walk with Jesus. Trust me, I have just as of 3 months ago, put down the weights after 21 years of pretty intense lifting and I was starting to ask myself…”why am I doing this? What is my motivation?” Quick run-down on me, I was just saved and gave my life to Christ about a year and a half ago and for that first year I noticed that I was not looking in the mirror as much and concentrating on my body as much but I still was to some degree and, yes although I was working out primarily because it made me feel good about myself, it was also to hold up to some sort of status quo that our subconscious are programmed with telling us we won’t be accepted by society if we’re not lean and muscular. It has been one of the hardest things for me to let go of but I know the Lord is pleased when He sees that we are willing to deny ourselves for Him and trust that His ways are better than our ways. Anyways, I googled to see what was out there on this topic and stumbled across this forum and found that your response was what I was looking for. Blessings my friend.
Well that’s on you , you wanted to have a nice body and seen like that , that my friend is vanity , others do it to feel good about themselves, improve their health , or have a hobby to keep them away from trouble like myself I would be more tempted to smoke weed , drink , or pop pills like I use to , but now I can glorify God by showing others how he can improve your overall life , ofc not idolizing the body or constantly looking in the mirror , but i see why you felt like you needed to let go
I know for me, daily exercise increases my energy levels, improves my prayer life, increases my capacity to be alert and present, to love others and give praise or glory to God… and with that being the case, shame on me if I don’t do it. As long as it is done for the right reasons and kept in the proper order, sport and exercise and wonderful gifts from God
I agree with you. It’s really a question of motivation. I think everyone should exercise whether it’s at the gym, or at home, or sports. So many health problems, medical costs, and medications could be eliminated if everyone increased their circulation, improved their cardiovascular, strengthened their muscles and bones. I have to lift weights and do cardio because I have osteoporosis and high cholesterol. Nutrition and exercise is key to good health!!!!
I attend the gym every morning on weekdays before work. My gym is about 15 mins from my home, so I pray aloud the entire way. Before I would blast my music to get me “hyped” because it’s 6AM and I just dragged myself out of bed. I no longer do that. I shouldn’t need a catchy beat to get me excited about my day or my workout. I now pray with so much conviction and joy that by the time I make it to the gym I expect to be clothed in dignity and humility. Futhermore, I attend a gym that is filled with young, old, and all the in betweens. Practically no clothes, fully clothes, married, unmarried, you name it. As a married woman who is in great shape, I do not give credit to myself or my routine. I fully give glory and honor to God in how I conduct myself in the gym. I wear a flannel around my waist every morning because I do not want to be a stumbling block nor do I want anyone being a stumbling block to me. Such a humbling moment, because when I began to undress in the ladies room, women are always obsessed with my physique. Again, I do not take credit for my body. For it belongs to God first, then my husband. When I am at the gym, It is important that I am still a godly woman. I do not make eye contact with the opposite sex. I do not go out of my way to spark unnecessary conversations with the opposite sex. MANY men ONLY come to the gym to flirt. That is proven. I do not leave my beliefs at the door. I am constantly reminding myself of God’s goodness and grace throughout my workout. It has been such a life-changing experience for me. I no longer become anxious when I see half – naked college girls floating around. Instead, I see it as an opportunity for the way I conduct myself – to be a light.
Excellent post. Thank you for glorifying God. Your comments touched my spirit! God bless you.
I believe it depends on your motives I don’t think it’s all black and white or yes it’s ok to go and no it’s not ok to go. I think you could go and let it consume you making it very sinful I also think you can go for the right reasons making it perfectly acceptable.God weighs the heart. He’ll know where yours lays.
I’ve been struggling with this, I work out, but I dont want to enter into vanity and displease the LORD. I’ve been working out to spice up things with me and my wife, so basically buffing up just a little for my wife and to be a little strong and have more energy, Been having doubts if it’s ok to work out our Gods temple to be more physically attractive for wife?
I have also been convicted, I feel, about working out to “look good.” But it’s hard to let go. Thank you everyone for being so transparent. Any help is welcomed and appreciated.
My son is 6. I’m 48. I recently had to have an arterial stent put in to open a 90% clogged artery that could have become a heart attack. And my doctor ordered rehab. In rehab, because I once used to exercise (running, weights, other outdoor sports), I’m the only patient who has gotten up to running speed in 10 years. I should never have slacked on exercising to start with.
It’s nice to look good (athletic). The only spiritual struggle around that I have is wanting to show off for the opposite sex (I’m divorce/no longer enslaved, but it’s a bad motivation either way).
I don’t believe it’s idolizing the body to be in shape. People used to be in shape because our lifestyles were more physically active and our diets more reasonable. Our bodies were designed to run and lift heavy objects, so where’s the sin if there is no vanity.
My spiritual motivation (and I recommend it to all parents and grandparents): God very clearly wants fathers to raise and teach their children. He spared me and let me live for that purpose. I’m not ever planning to gain 30 pounds again.
In sum: Exercise is a way to honor God by a) doing what He designed our bodies to do for the purpose of b) serving His purposes for us for as long as possible. No reason to let the enemy take you out early. Just keep the vanity in check. Just thank God for the improvements instead of self-praising.
Someone might ask, “What about body building to have a ton of muscles? Isn’t that vanity?” It pretty much depends on your body type. Some people are a Samson types, some are Davids. You can always ask a trainer which you are and set some workout goals that accord with what God gave you.
I came here looking for thoughts on exercising on Sunday. I do think that would put the body before God and constitute idolatry, but I might take a walk.
I used to make sure my body was perfectly toned but gave that up yrs ago. I recently started exercising more to lower blood pressure and will add weights to increase bone density. Just trying to avoid having a heart attack & brittle bones
I also struggle a lot with this. However I don’t see any issue in working out as an activity enshrined under the objective purpose of maintaining good physique. The problem arises when one does have an unholy or malicious purpose of taking advantage of fitness culture. For instance, in its objective purpose, a kitchen knife is meant to cut vegetables but someone with evil purpose can use that for ungodly murderous tasks. Similarly we can use our body to make love with our partner and procreate as per God’s will meaning, for Christians, only after marriage and having taken holy vow in church. But the same body can be used for prostitution, adultery and incite lusts on onlookers.
So, working out is perfectly fine but with the following words of cautions
1. Human bodies are required to have healthy BMI for which diets and exercise need to be maintained. One can say what about taking up gardening or doing community service chores or morning jog rather than going to gym. Well, when we look at the most authentic objective purpose of gym, it has been set up for a very meaningful purpose for people to achieve healthy physique. Beyond that, if someone utilizes such platform for unholy purpose for vanity, pride, distraction from fellowship, or even checking out other muscular guys applicable for many gays and bisexuals, or girls for heterosexuals or even hook up, that’s because of the promiscuous weakness of the person but that doesn’t mean all gym goers are promiscuous or vain or proud. Similarly, an office space has been built for employees to work for company and earn as breadwinner for family. But if someone utilizes that office space for unholy things like perverted sexual activities, should we say all office goers are ungodly lustful people?
Now one may argue a gym is different as its purpose has pagan origin if we talk about ancient Greek Olympiad games where healthy muscular men used to show off their naked bodies in fitness competition and many might say that’s how gym came into being serving as denizens for people participating in fitness competition. But if we start getting scrupulously obsessed with everything as rooted in paganism or not, then even the food habits we have we would definitely start questioning everything. Even the jeans we normally wear they are nothing biblical in origin and infact rooted in cowboy gun culture which does have connection with native Indians. What about women wearing jewelleries and precious stones. Such stones can be used for occult or as wedding ring depending on the intent of the person. Coming back to gym, the very authentic purpose is very neutral and even though the purpose is not at all biblically rooted, we can’t say with full affirmation it is ungodly as that would fall into judgemental assumptions which Christ wouldn’t approve himself. Also I know of many guys who go to gym as remedies from addiction to drug, substance abuse, pornography and even sex. Millenial men who had taken no fap vow are mostly agnostic or atheists youths inspired by secular philosophy of Stoism but they are indeed more Christian in nature than many church goers who repeatedly fall to temptations daily!
Besides, the Bible talks about the peril of things like effiminacy which is growing so fast today the world over. Young men and even middle aged men wearing pinkish floral shirt with red lips flipping their hair in tiktok with no real talent and simply lypsyncing to kiddish music are all over the place (Opps, im being judgemental but trust me I’ve been there and done there so im pointing it out the harsh reality). Indeed if at all the biblical commandments are about, they do point out to stoicism as a masculine principle of protecting oneself from the seductive charm of jhezebul, abstaining from masturbation and all kinds of pre marital sexual activities and fantasies and the same goes for feminine attribute of chastity and honour as exemplified by Virgin Mary, the second Eve who didn’t fall to Satan’s temptation which is why the devil hates her so much as he already knew Jesus would never succumb but is more in despair on knowing Virgin Mary didn’t fall like Eve! To me gym can thus become a place for young boys to toughen up and employ their masculinity for positive purpose rather than expending their masculine energy for toxic cowardly practice like beating wife, sexually harassing weaker beings and getting into troubles with law. At the same time, by having expending all their masculine energy in gym, they can learn to be just as compassionate, caring and sensitive like Jesus with the remnants of their hormonal strength that has been put in positive tasks. These male hormones induced strength can also be put in fixing kitchen pipes, electric box, lifting furnitures, etc.
That’s why the cliche moral idiom, ‘an idle mind is devil’s play’
Amidst all these, the person should also remember God daily and I don’t think working out 1 hour in gym 4 or 5 days a week should be a reason to stay away from church. On the other hand, if someone frequents clubs, bars and watches lots of male influencer youtube videos to entice women for hook up, it is better to be a gym freak who goes to church every Sunday and read Bible daily than to be a womanizer who is unshaped physically!
2. It is theologically very much affirmed and established that when someone falls into territories of sin due to mental issues and trauma, God understands and forgives the person but ofcourse the person has to continually seek God’s wisdom in redirecting his or her personality to be able to seek to repent always though God doesn’t demand perfection. So for instance, a person growing up with issues of self esteem linked to his or her body, God will understand if the person is working out at gym to live upto societal expectation and ideal. For example, growing up i was a very skinny boy who used to be taunted and bullied by fellow boys and many people used to call me gay effiminimate due to my lanky figures. Many family members also either used to be ashamed of me or considered me as degenerative giving me the impression of unwanted child. I grew up such body image issues that by the time im teenage, I’ve become so superconscious of how I look that I would spend two hours getting ready before going out. By the time I started working out and started gaining muscles, I became obsessed with the praises from people and many were inspired by my transformation from skinny girlish boy to hunky model lookalike ( many including family members even recommended me for modeling auditions). I was totally loving the attention and there was no going back. Of course I learnt the hard way years later I should have confided in God when the entire community was rejecting you but hey God worked out perfectly fine for me..without those taunts and criticism, I would have accepted my skinny self as ok just be yourself and who knows may have embraced effiminacy to the point of rejecting christ (not trying to equal being skinny with effiminacy) but my hidden latent masculinity only became unleashed after working out and ofcourse God did show me many ways like singing and music as people discover my charming manly barritone voice and infact the church always calls me for gospel numbers. God did show me ways being masculine means being upfront and being true to your integrity especially of my Christian faith even in the wake of persecution and ostracization by the secular world. Being manly means to be the protector of family, community and of Christian faith. Being masculine means to not indulge in high talks and gossip. But the hit and miss was my transformation from working out in gym. It could have been a miss have I fallen to my obsession with praise and narcissistic ritual of finding meaning of daily existence in having validated by others and actually forgetting your daily actions should matter if they are going to be validated by the Lord’s will. Today, I had already deleted all my six pack pics from social media feed and though I still work out in the gym and get self conscious with my appearance, the Lord knows I’m an imperfect human being and that through the years of learning and unlearning, I will surely achieve that salvation and be ready mentally spiritually for my soul to enter the kingdom of lord. Untill then I say, Eat, pray, love, work out, be in charity and always put God above all things!