A Clash of Worldviews

Welcome to this edition of the Fit Tip Friday newsletter!June is the one-year mark for Layman's Fitness. It's hard for me to believe that Layman's Fitness has been plodding along for a year, but by God's grace here we are!The more I have dove into fitness from a Christian worldview, and the more I have observed the shifts in our 21st century American culture, the more I want to double down in sharing exercise resources from a Christian worldview. The Christian worldview clashes with "relativistic humanism", the salient system and creed of the day.  

Humanism is the system of beliefs and attitudes that orients and finds its meaning around man instead of God. And relativism is the creed that truth is not absolute, but exists within different contexts for different people.Like the wayward people of God in the book of Judges, our cultural motto is to do what is right in our own eyes (Judges 21:25), without thought or acknowledgment of a Sovereign God with a good and infallible Word. Destiny and purpose are defined with a rule book that shifts constantly. And this relativistic humanist combination has one of its many barbed hooks within the fitness culture. It's why human bodies are exalted through near-naked expression on social media. It's why Cosmopolitan magazine can run a campaign to redefine the word healthy. It's why Psychology Today can write about the merits of Using Hypnosis to Manage Obesity. It's why fad diets that promise a better you flicker in and out of popularity on a regular basis. Without God's truth, we are susceptible to being "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning..." (Ephesians 4:14). But God in His grace hasn't left us alone; He has given us His precious and infallible word. A Christian Worldview in MotionThe Christian worldview plants us firmly within the world God has created and gives us a framework to think about exercise and fitness.God created the human body and called it good (Genesis 1-2). He blessed you with an incredibly complex tool with over 200 bones, 600 muscles, 900 ligaments, thousands of tendons, and billions of neurons that can and ought to be used. Sin corrupted the flesh and brought spiritual and physical death and decay (Genesis 3). We now live in a world that feels the impact of sin in our bodies: disease, deformities, deterioration, and death. In the gospel, Christ saves and redeems us, and promises us that one day we will have a resurrected body after death (Philippians 3:21). And while we live in this body, we are to steward it for God's glory and present all of it as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). We can walk by the Spirit and war against the desires of the flesh (Romans 8:13). Our strength can and should be used for God's glory and the good of others.  

This worldview teaches us that we are not our own sovereigns nor created to define our own purpose, but we were created with a purpose and commissioning from a good and sovereign Creator.This worldview warns us against trusting our own passions, as we are corrupted and are in need of Christ's redemption.This worldview exhorts us to put off laziness, gluttony, and vanity, and put on discipline, sober-mindedness, and the exaltation of God through our bodies. This worldview instructs us that we can and ought to use our strength for the good of our families, churches, and communities. Armed and built up with these truths, we can live in our bodies with joy, contentment, and purpose. Go on a walk with your kids for the glory of God.Go try a workout program with your wife to the glory of God. Go swing a kettlebell or do some push-ups for the glory of God.Go use the strength of your hands to build and create for the glory of God. 

Time & Exercise

Two weeks ago, I shared some tips on using time for exercise amidst other responsibilities. This can now be read in a blog post.  

Quick Overview:Finding the time for exercise is a consistent challenge. In this post, I include sample schedules (including a morning routine), as well as tips on how to use your time for exercise: exercise 3-4x a week, workout in the morning, target 30-45 minute sessions, and use a home gym. 

Blessed Beats - Playlist #3 

There's a new Layman's Fitness workout playlist on Spotify, LF Workout Playlist 3. You visit the playlist by clicking the hyperlink or by clicking the Spotify icon at the bottom of this email.  

• Armies - KB

• A Little Bit of Faith - Kings Kaleidoscope

• Sweet Victory - Trip Lee

• Church Clap - KB/Lecrae

• Ex Nihilo - Andy Mineo 

• Start Over - Flame/NF

• The Resistance - Skillet

• W.D.Y.K.A.G? - Kings Kaleidoscope

• BDFFRNT - Dillon Chase

• Can You Hold Me? - NF

• Below Paradise - Tedashii

• Hello - KB

This is a 12 song playlist that takes ~42 minutes. Enjoy!