Call to Temperate Living
279
rifying Him in our bodies and spirits which are His, but are committing
a great wrong in His sight
Obedience a Matter of Personal Duty
The Creator of man has arranged the living machinery of our bod-
ies. Every function is wonderfully and wisely made. And God pledged
Himself to keep this human machinery in healthful action if the human
agent will obey His laws and cooperate with God. Every law governing
the human machinery is to be considered just as truly divine in origin,
in character, and in importance as the word of God. Every careless,
inattentive action, any abuse put upon the Lord’s wonderful mecha-
nism, by disregarding His specified laws in the human habitation, is a
violation of God’s law. We may behold and admire the work of God in
the natural world, but the human habitation is the most wonderful
Since the laws of nature are the laws of God, it is plainly our duty
to give these laws careful study. We should study their requirements
in regard to our own bodies and conform to them. Ignorance in these
things is sin.
When men and women are truly converted, they will conscien-
tiously regard the laws of life that God has established in their being,
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thus seeking to avoid physical, mental, and moral feebleness. Obe-
dience to these laws must be made a matter of personal duty. We
ourselves must suffer the ills of violated law. We must answer to God
for our habits and practices. Therefore the question for us is not, “What
will the world say?” but, “How shall I, claiming to be a Christian, treat
the habitation God has given me? Shall I work for my highest temporal
and spiritual good by keeping my body as a temple for the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit, or shall I sacrifice myself to the world’s ideas and
practices?
The Life of God in the Soul Is Man’s Only Hope
The religion of the Bible is not detrimental to the health of either
body or mind. The influence of the Spirit of God is the very best
363
Testimonies for the Church 2:354-356
364
Counsels on Diet and Foods, 17
365
Testimonies for the Church 6:369, 370