Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

[MuscleAddiction]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Wonderful idea this thread. Happy to see people not afraid to show their love for their creator, we are facing difficult times, so much going on in the world that is over the top.

Amen Kaz! Good to see you brother!

[kazman68]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Wonderful idea this thread. Happy to see people not afraid to show their love for their creator, we are facing difficult times, so much going on in the world that is over the top.

[Big Hoss]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

yeah he is, and I will follow eager to learn and build our relationship stronger. I have no control, thought I did...then it was stripped from me, humbling experience and very humiliating, but I am good with it, we have what we need, we are not starving, we have shelter, clothes, education for our little girl, a nurturing community and church family, ability to live, laugh, and love, do what we are passionate about, and be together more everyday as a family, that there is wealth and success in my heart.

And of course our family here too!

God always looks after his children! He may not always give us what we WANT, but he always meets our NEEDS!

[Orange24]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

yeah he is, and I will follow eager to learn and build our relationship stronger. I have no control, thought I did...then it was stripped from me, humbling experience and very humiliating, but I am good with it, we have what we need, we are not starving, we have shelter, clothes, education for our little girl, a nurturing community and church family, ability to live, laugh, and love, do what we are passionate about, and be together more everyday as a family, that there is wealth and success in my heart.

Great perspective. We lack nothing

[MuscleAddiction]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

God is leading you MA!

yeah he is, and I will follow eager to learn and build our relationship stronger. I have no control, thought I did...then it was stripped from me, humbling experience and very humiliating, but I am good with it, we have what we need, we are not starving, we have shelter, clothes, education for our little girl, a nurturing community and church family, ability to live, laugh, and love, do what we are passionate about, and be together more everyday as a family, that there is wealth and success in my heart.

And of course our family here too!

[Layddually2]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

God is leading you MA!

Beautiful Orange, and is what I have been learning. We are studying Isaiah in bible study right now, it will probably take the rest of the year for us as a men's group to get through it, but the beautiful thing about it is there is a life lesson in every scripture, there is a lesson that I can learn from in that specific weeks readings, and trust me as I am an infant born again here just learning to crawl, but I am. Listening to all of you here has been such a true blessing to me, ALL of you, like our own newfound brotherhood here that we can grow together in, and that is what I am really looking for. Yes Layd, it seems that God has me on a path right now doing what I love, this lifestyle and helping others. Something came to me as a sign this past week, so went for an interview for a position I thought was the PERFECT position for me as it was what I was doing for the last 10 years of my career before I was laid off in 2013 (23 years total), put my best foot forward, had a portfolio with a dozen letters of recommendation, credentials, certifications, very qualified on paper and experience...but did not get offered another interview (2nd) as I did not score high enough. Noe let me give some more background, I know all these managers and peers from working at my last job as the cities worked together with all kinds of training, mutual aid, contract work, and I know all of them very well, even the Superintendent asked me to apply, but I said from the beginning to my wife "if it is Gods will, it will be", so when the disappointing news came in an email, she looked at me and said "remember you said Gods will, well it wasn't" and as it still stung because I regressed back to how I was before and how I handled disappointments, I got over it quicker.

Then this past Sunday as I was walking into church my pastor pulled me aside as I was walking in and had a favor/question for me. Knowing we just built our gym in our garage to train people, and him knowing that I am looking to help others in this lifestyle as well as others in health and fitness, he asked if I would mentor a teenage boy who has lost his way...an athlete in school who has fallen in with the wrong crowd, but is still a part of our church, and then says well there actually may be a couple more that need a mentor and coach and if I would be interested in training him and talking to him, and I said yes of course with a huge smile on my face...this is what I wanted to do, help teens and kids as well adopt a healthy lifestyle in health, fitness, and nutrition. So Nikki had mentioned to me after..."see, if you were to have been offered a job where you would have to work 5 days a week, possible overtime, and basically on-call 24/7, would you have been able to do Gods work, or would he have been able to work through you?"
These are the signs of confirmations I get from God, and as he is still rebuilding me and testing my faith for him and Jesus Christ, and I am still working on my shortcomings, resentments, bitterness towards some who have hurt me, and working on forgiveness...I love all, but some I just have a hard time forgiving. Working my spiritual steps "Celebrate Recovery", and living day by day in Gods will, drawing strength from him and Christ, prayer, and keeping faith that he has me right where he wants me at this moment.
I have read every post in this thread and appreciate all input and insight, love to you all, and this is why I wanted to have this forum and topic, to see how many else are walking with us.

[Big Hoss]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

"The Lord works in mysterious ways!"

[MuscleAddiction]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Layd I appreciate your honesty here man. I want to say though that telling people about God every chance you get doesnt "balance" out your sin from the past". The truth is that gods that good bro, you can't ever earn it, you can't ever do enough good things for people or for your family where God says "alright, it's equal now". Humans play the "pay me back" game but that isn't what Jesus did. You owe him nothing, you now just get to have a free relationship with him. And he gives you two very very simple instructions that are super difficult when fully manifested and that's Love your God and love your neighbor, and lest we ever forget, enemies are still neighbors.

In life whenever somebody does something nice for us, takes us to dinner, pays for our meal, shows up with an unexpected gift, etc... It's our innate nature to want to do something nice back for them in return. That's to keep the balance of the relationship healthy. Giving and expecting in return isn't love, trust me it's not, but the nature of having that inclination to do something in return for those that have helped us really is the "payback" so that it's not all on them giving and you receiving. Jesus doesn't give to you and hope you balance out the relationship, he just keeps giving and giving and giving and giving, and eventually God decided we're gonna give something real big, my son. And that my friend, can never be paid. Serve your heart out for your friends and family, serve your neighborhood, your business, your friends and your enemies.

Scripture says the son of man came not to be served, but to serve. So, serving saved the world. If we think that we can earn it back, then it negates the Gift. A gift is a gift, because it's a gift.

Beautiful Orange, and is what I have been learning. We are studying Isaiah in bible study right now, it will probably take the rest of the year for us as a men's group to get through it, but the beautiful thing about it is there is a life lesson in every scripture, there is a lesson that I can learn from in that specific weeks readings, and trust me as I am an infant born again here just learning to crawl, but I am. Listening to all of you here has been such a true blessing to me, ALL of you, like our own newfound brotherhood here that we can grow together in, and that is what I am really looking for. Yes Layd, it seems that God has me on a path right now doing what I love, this lifestyle and helping others. Something came to me as a sign this past week, so went for an interview for a position I thought was the PERFECT position for me as it was what I was doing for the last 10 years of my career before I was laid off in 2013 (23 years total), put my best foot forward, had a portfolio with a dozen letters of recommendation, credentials, certifications, very qualified on paper and experience...but did not get offered another interview (2nd) as I did not score high enough. Noe let me give some more background, I know all these managers and peers from working at my last job as the cities worked together with all kinds of training, mutual aid, contract work, and I know all of them very well, even the Superintendent asked me to apply, but I said from the beginning to my wife "if it is Gods will, it will be", so when the disappointing news came in an email, she looked at me and said "remember you said Gods will, well it wasn't" and as it still stung because I regressed back to how I was before and how I handled disappointments, I got over it quicker.

Then this past Sunday as I was walking into church my pastor pulled me aside as I was walking in and had a favor/question for me. Knowing we just built our gym in our garage to train people, and him knowing that I am looking to help others in this lifestyle as well as others in health and fitness, he asked if I would mentor a teenage boy who has lost his way...an athlete in school who has fallen in with the wrong crowd, but is still a part of our church, and then says well there actually may be a couple more that need a mentor and coach and if I would be interested in training him and talking to him, and I said yes of course with a huge smile on my face...this is what I wanted to do, help teens and kids as well adopt a healthy lifestyle in health, fitness, and nutrition. So Nikki had mentioned to me after..."see, if you were to have been offered a job where you would have to work 5 days a week, possible overtime, and basically on-call 24/7, would you have been able to do Gods work, or would he have been able to work through you?"
These are the signs of confirmations I get from God, and as he is still rebuilding me and testing my faith for him and Jesus Christ, and I am still working on my shortcomings, resentments, bitterness towards some who have hurt me, and working on forgiveness...I love all, but some I just have a hard time forgiving. Working my spiritual steps "Celebrate Recovery", and living day by day in Gods will, drawing strength from him and Christ, prayer, and keeping faith that he has me right where he wants me at this moment.
I have read every post in this thread and appreciate all input and insight, love to you all, and this is why I wanted to have this forum and topic, to see how many else are walking with us.

[Layddually2]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Thank you orange. I just saying in my personal life I feel I owe a lot. Even if I don't I feel I do.

[Orange24]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

The laws we are not "obeying" are human laws put in place by people that try to control us. Those laws don't count. Now this is how I see it yes it is a sin unless you are using it to spread the word of god, spending just as much time help the poor, sick or elderly. Now the act of bodybuilding it's self is not a sin unless it consumes you or your time that could be spent helping others. God created us in his image, of course he is jacked. Ok that was probably not funny. I help people and tell people about god every chance I get in hopes that it will balance out all my sins from the past.

The main thing about this lifestyle is it can be selfish, ego driven, and can consume you.

Layd I appreciate your honesty here man. I want to say though that telling people about God every chance you get doesnt "balance" out your sin from the past". The truth is that gods that good bro, you can't ever earn it, you can't ever do enough good things for people or for your family where God says "alright, it's equal now". Humans play the "pay me back" game but that isn't what Jesus did. You owe him nothing, you now just get to have a free relationship with him. And he gives you two very very simple instructions that are super difficult when fully manifested and that's Love your God and love your neighbor, and lest we ever forget, enemies are still neighbors.

In life whenever somebody does something nice for us, takes us to dinner, pays for our meal, shows up with an unexpected gift, etc... It's our innate nature to want to do something nice back for them in return. That's to keep the balance of the relationship healthy. Giving and expecting in return isn't love, trust me it's not, but the nature of having that inclination to do something in return for those that have helped us really is the "payback" so that it's not all on them giving and you receiving. Jesus doesn't give to you and hope you balance out the relationship, he just keeps giving and giving and giving and giving, and eventually God decided we're gonna give something real big, my son. And that my friend, can never be paid. Serve your heart out for your friends and family, serve your neighborhood, your business, your friends and your enemies.

Scripture says the son of man came not to be served, but to serve. So, serving saved the world. If we think that we can earn it back, then it negates the Gift. A gift is a gift, because it's a gift.

[Layddually2]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

MA you support your family by being jacked correct? That makes it your job. That isn't a selfish act.

[Layddually2]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

I see where your coming from but I think the only sinful part of it is not obeying the laws or the land. Altering your appearance isn't necessarily a sin to me, or playing God. Just like putting make up on for a girl isn't necessarily a sin either.

I enjoy this life style, It doesn't take over my life but only makes it more enjoyable and better.

I do need to ponder though if using illegal substances to alter your appearance is something to wrestle with though.

The laws we are not "obeying" are human laws put in place by people that try to control us. Those laws don't count. Now this is how I see it yes it is a sin unless you are using it to spread the word of god, spending just as much time help the poor, sick or elderly. Now the act of bodybuilding it's self is not a sin unless it consumes you or your time that could be spent helping others. God created us in his image, of course he is jacked. Ok that was probably not funny. I help people and tell people about god every chance I get in hopes that it will balance out all my sins from the past.

The main thing about this lifestyle is it can be selfish, ego driven, and can consume you.

[Big Hoss]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Still stickin' with my answer of "YES". Here's some support scripture...

Ecclesiastes Ch. 2
Romans Ch. 13
1 Peter 2: 13-17
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20
1 Timothy 4: 8

I can research and find more, but this is what comes to mind right now...

[bonis90]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

dude you injecting yourself with stuff that will shorten your life , getting all greased up and flexing in less than you where for underwear...

that aint going to church

wait ,,,, I am not to be taken seriously....
I actually wondered why we got dressed up for church... after all god see us all naked and still loves us
that is amazing in some cases..

anyhow ...
that all being said ... my point it that injecting crap in you does seem to me violating the spirit of the religion

I once had a co worker that was 7th day adventist ...and his particular group believe firmly in a small passage of the bible
something about grains nuts and berries and as part of his faith believed in being Vegan...
( he was 6'2 and about 140 lbs and could pound down a bag of apples in one day along with a boat load of pasta and cake at lunch)
it was impressive how much he ate, but nothing that would stick to your ribs... but that was his belief system
I also thought it was strange that he didn't eat fish .... after all it was the miracle of loaves and fishes.. not just loaves
So if Jesus was going to make a comment of vegan eating I would think it would show up then right?
I did give him something to think about with that question...
then I really kind of felt sorry ...after all I was not much of a believer and here I am shaking this guy's faith.
I am not a hater ... just don't push it on me ...and he wasn't ..I was curious

Hispanics in my area place a sticker on their head lamps with an outline of Jesus,,, I thought would Jesus want that ...and since he was god I came to the conclusion that if you are honestly meaning it in a good light... then he would be ok with it ...

again I am left with ,if you feel that Bodybuilding lifestyle is in line your with beliefs and you are honest about it ..then Jesus would be OK with it

given the extremes of people beliefs ( vegan, those people that whip themselves .the ones that sign up for a cruifixtion, extreme lent people ...those opis dei crazy, diamond dallas page and wrestling for Jesus, just to name a few ) is injecting crap into you and flexing in your underwear really that far out ..

if you honestly believe this is what jesus wants you to do...then I am good with it
again just don't push it on me

and please don't take me serious ever again

[Encino_Mang]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Let me comment on this too, since it's an important issue for any Christian, whether using gear or not.

The context in Mark 7 is about eating "unclean" foods like pork, which made the person who ate it unclean and separated from God according to the Law of Moses; it was clearly a sin. Christ rejects that totally and very clearly when he decreed: "Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them."

Is pork bad for you? Maybe it is, and certainly too much of it is, like too much of about anything else for that matter. But that doesn't make eating it a sin to Christ, and if you're a Christian what Christ says is what matters, not anyone else's opinion.

Smoking directly damages the health of anyone who uses it, beginning with the first puff. Is smoking a sin? Of course not; smoking can't separate anyone from the love of God that's in Christ any more than pork or gear can.

This is where "the freedom that is in Christ" which Paul discusses comes in. "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not allow anything to control me." In my experience, knowing that I don't have to worry that this or that thing like gear or smoking is a "sin" means I can look at that thing objectively: is it helpful for me or others or is it harmful to me or others? Am I choosing it freely or am I addicted to it?

As to whether one should be content with one's self as is, that's a choice one makes for one's self. Personally, I've learned that being sick and starving in a dungeon somewhere and being genuinely thankful to God for, say, a crust of bread, means I'm a happier person than Jay Cutler worrying about whether or not his calves are big enough and never taking a moment to thank God for anything.

I like this post!