Misguided Sincerity Spells Disaster
The zeal to please the Lord by denying the flesh is ancient. After all, it is a Bible requirement. However, when this age-old desire is taken to the extreme, it may itself become sinful.
Such fervency gave rise to asceticism, the unnatural behavior of living a sequestered life of austerity. Ascetics, in their efforts to mortify the flesh and purify the soul, blatantly abuse and misuse their bodies. Although it is now more publicized, it's rather difficult to believe that, in our day, such practices are still observed. Self-mutilation, flagellation, crawling on a carpet of broken glass and willingly submitting to be literally hung on a cross, are practices publicized most often during Easter season. Though outrageous and grossly sinful, the sincerity of those who pursue such extremes is undeniable.
Rather than hate our bodies, which God created after His own Divine image, let us in humility and respect, bow and with the apostle confess, But by the grace of God I am what I am. We must never entertain even the slightest notion that our Creator made a mistake in making us as we are. Recall David's awe-inspiring words: I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well!
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul cautions us: If any man defile (desecrate) the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. It becomes possible to live Soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, only as we come to accept the simple precept, stated by Jesus Himself: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
I sadly recall a Sunday School teacher who, though aware of her body's need for daily injections of insulin, went on a forty day fast for her healing. Of course, it resulted in her death. The Apostle Paul is our example of accepting physical impairment: After praying just three times for deliverance, he accepted his physical disadvantage as God's gift lest he be "lifted up above measure."
