It is well known that Seventh-day Adventists, in general, are healthy people. Recent articles in the National Geographic magazine have focused on the fact that Seventh-day Adventist Church members practice a healthy lifestyle and, on average, live healthier lives than the rest of the population. The health message is a core part of Adventist teachings. We believe that we should obey the relevant laws of health as prescribed in the Bible and take care of our “bodies as the temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). A healthy lifestyle honors God, our Creator, and is conducive to a good quality of life.
Someone once said that “the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.” Whether or not we are blessed with good physical and spiritual health, we can always improve. As a church, we have long adopted basic principles of health that have been taught and shared in various publications of the Adventist Church and, more increasingly, in publications that are not published by the church. Lifestyle programs such as NEWSTART (newstart. org) and CREATION Health (creationhealth.com) are two widely-accepted examples.
The practice of these natural principles of health will result in good physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. They will improve the quality of our lives. We will be healthier and happier. In The Health Food Ministry, p. 37, Ellen White wrote that “True religion and the laws of health go hand in hand. It is impossible to work for the salvation of men and women without presenting to them the need of breaking away from sinful gratifications, which destroy the health, debase the soul, and prevent divine truth from impressing the mind.”
All the money in the world cannot buy good health. Money can buy medications, pay for medical bills, and hospitalizations, but it can never buy us good health. In nature, and through our choice of a healthy lifestyle, lies the secrets to good health. In 3 John 2 (NIV), John wrote: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
Being healthy is both physical and spiritual. If we strive to spend quality time with God daily, get sufficient rest, plenty of sunshine, fresh air, with enough water and good nutritional food as close to their natural state as possible, we will continually renew our strength and greatly improve our physical and spiritual health.
Pierre Omeler is the executive secretary for the Atlantic Union Conference.