Does God Care About Our Bodies? Why does it matter?

As many of you know, we've recently started a new YouTube Channel called SIMPLE FAITH, HEALTHY LIFE.

You can check it out here =>

The faith+health connection is an important and often overlooked one. We want to offer a biblically and theologically grounded positioning statement to help you see our heart behind the ministry.

We believe God created us as whole people—body, mind, and spirit. The Old and New Testaments do not present humans as "spirit only" beings (Dualism/Gnosticism). We are body, mind, and spirit (Gen. 2:7; 1 Thess. 5:23). Our future hope of resurrection in Christ shows that our physical bodies matter, not just our souls.

Scripture teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?”1 Cor. 6:19–20), and caring for them is a form of worship and stewardship. The Jewish-Christian tradition sees the body as integral to worship (fasting, feasting, Sabbath, Table Fellowship, even Sacraments). Jesus ate, walked, rested, celebrated, and embodied a rhythm of work + rest. He healed physical bodies as a sign of spiritual renewal and a foretaste of the coming Kingdom of Heaven. Caring for our health to the best of our ability is a form of stewardship—using what God has given us (our bodies) for His glory.

Jesus' invitation is for us to follow Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light - this invitation is the root of our approach. Healthy habits are not about legalistic performance or heavy perfectionism, but about making space for grace, rest, and spiritual growth.

We follow a simple 4-part framework:

😴 Rest Well – sleep, Sabbath, and recovery

👟 Move Daily – exercise, walking, and healthy rhythms

🍏 Fuel Wisely – nutrition, hydration, and mindful eating

💕 Connect Deeply – prayer, Scripture, and relationships

These practices are not requirements for God’s love, but rhythms that nurture our bodies—the soil where faith grows strong.

We also affirm that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9–10). Your value and identity in Christ are what matter, whether you are healthy, chronically ill, or somewhere in between. Healthy habits are invitations, not obligations—ways to walk more fully in God’s design for all of creation, which includes your body.

Here are some important guardrails to stay theologically sound:

• Avoid Legalism → Healthy habits are invitations to thrive in God’s design, not rules that determine salvation or God’s love. Let's be clear: God's grace saves us through faith.
  

• Christ at the Center → Keep Jesus as the anchor. Healthy habits are not ultimate; they are tools that support discipleship, just like any spiritual discipline (fasting, prayer, etc).
  

• Grace over Guilt → We acknowledge chronic illness, disabilities, and limitations. God's grace is sufficient in all these circumstances. The body’s weakness does not limit faith—God’s strength shows up there too (2 Cor. 12:9–10).
  

• Be Responsible → Yes! Jesus will fully redeem this fallen and broken world when He returns. But this does not relieve us of all responsibility until then; we are to be vigilant as a sign and foretaste of the coming kingdom to the best of our ability with the body we have today!

The Church often emphasizes spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible, worship) but rarely integrates physical stewardship into discipleship. We end up saying things like, "It's just not needed or important." But this is not true to the Christian message, the Gospel, or what it means to follow Jesus as Resurrection People. Our approach doesn’t replace the gospel—it enriches discipleship by showing how everyday embodied habits can help us walk with Jesus. Don't we want that? Don't we need that?

What we do with our bodies - how we care for creation, ourselves, and others - matters deeply.

If you would like to explore 7 Simple Habits for a healthy body and spirit, we have written a FREE Guide just for you! Download it 👉 HERE!

Paul D. Willis

September 4, 2025 Monroe, NC