The Key to Health

[hadirfuss]

"If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."
(Exodus 15:26)


Millions of people are exploring alternatives to traditional Western medicine. Such approaches as biofeedback, autogenics training, kinesiology, bioenergetics, reflexology, stress management, homeopathy, naturopathy and macrobiotics are just a few of the possibilities. But God offers the real key to health; it’s called obedience.

God told the Israelites if they would "give ear to His commandments" and "keep all His statutes," they would avoid many of the illnesses that plagued the people of Egypt. This was not a matter of "buying" their obedience; it was a matter of natural consequences. By avoiding sin, they would avoid the unhealthy results of sin as well.

This principle still holds true today. We talk a great deal about breaking God’s laws, but we really only break ourselves against God’s laws. By living contrary to God’s commandments, people contract sexually transmitted diseases; others weaken their bodies by a lack of exercise, poor diets and high stress; still others smoke or drink themselves into life-threatening danger.

It is God’s will that you treat your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Don’t take it anywhere or expose it to anything that you know to be contrary to God’s law. Get appropriate rest, eat healthy food and reduce stress. Obedience is the key. Living in harmony with His commandments will avoid many illnesses and make others more easy to overcome.


An ounce of obedience is worth a pound of protection.

 

[Coconut]

I agree we are to take as good of care of our bodies as we are able (informed persons increase thier ability to do so) but sister, the scripture you used applies only to the Israelites in the context of the old covenant.

If any of the exodus promises were written as promises to us also, then the word spoken by God in the next chapter would also apply:

Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

 

[belovedbride]

[ this is sheep9999 posting under his wife's account - sorry honey ]

Hi Coconut,
I thought that we complete the law by living by the spirit and by doing so receive the old convenent blessings.

Romans 8:3-4 - For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I wouldn't want to throw out the old testament because it is out of context, but are we not part of Israel's blessings because we are Christ's.

Galatians 3:29 - And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Exodus 15:26 - If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.

I love that last scripture. I don't believe that this was only for Israel because they were in the desert. I don't believe this scripture is no longer good because the Israelites stop receiving manna. I believe this scripture shows the character of God as our healer.

sheep

 

[Coconut]

Hi Sheep

Yes, the scripture shows us the character of God as our healer. Gods character never changes from OT to the NT. (thats why books such as the psalms are so meaningful, they are filled with knowledge of the character of God, and how He will care for us)

I thought that we complete the law by living by the spirit and by doing so receive the old convenent blessings.

How shall "we complete the law," when its already completed by Christ?

I wouldn't want to throw out the old testament because it is out of context, but are we not part of Israel's blessings because we are Christ's.

I did not even hint at throwing out the OT, rather I said "the scripture you used applies only to the Israelites in the context of the old covenant."

The scripture you quoted is a meaningful one...lets read the preceding text:

Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under (the law)
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Where do you see the promises of the old convenant blessings in this passage?

What is Abraham promised and heir to?

Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

What are we promised and heir to as Abrahams seed?

2Pe 3:13 We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Old Covenant promises do not belong to us, (except in what is prophecied for us) New Covenant promises are ours if we are in Christ.

 

[sheep9999]

Hi Coconut,

I'm alittle confused. I thought that in Christ we still received all the blessings for obedience in the old testament (i.e. what was written in Deuteronomy 28). I have never seen any scripture to say that the OT blessings aren't ours too. I was in the believing that Christ fulfilled the law and we were able to live in the blessings of the old covenent and the new one.

sheep

 

[Coconut]

Lets examine this promise again:

Obey this:

"If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes,

Receive this:

I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."
(Exodus 15:26)


If we receive all the blessings for obedience in the old testament, then we must also receive all the cursings for disobedience. In that same passage in Deut 28, beginning at verse 15 the cursings are listed. Read those, then tell me if you still want the Old Covenant to apply to you?

Now read what Paul said:

Gal 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written:
Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law

 

[sheep9999]

Hi Coconut,

I know the curses arent for us because.

Galatians 3:13,14 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”[h]), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

It doesn't say anything about redeeming us from the blessings of the law. I wasn't looking to attempt to live by the law. I just like the blessings. There are a lot of good blessings in the OT and I plan of taking advantage of them even if I have to apply the old ask and receive trick

Matthew 7:8
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 21:20-22 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” 21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Blessings to you from both the OT and the NT,
sheep