Body image and self glory.

That's the theme today.

Body image, of course, is a preoccupation for many, and there are huge dieting and physical

training industries in our culture that have been established around us.

So we have this question from a podcast listener named John, who lives in works in Washington,

DC, and who wonders about what's really motivating him to get to the gym.

Here's what John wrote.

Dear Pastor John, I'm committed to working out at the gym.

I have over the years become fit because of my consistency.

My temptation is in making my body a temple of self glory.

I want others to be impressed with my looks.

That's the honest truth, but I never say it that way.

Few people would.

At what point does working out cross the boundary between self discipline and self-chlorification?

I'll put my answer in a sentence, and then I'll try to unpack it for its implications.

The discipline of the pursuit of physical fitness becomes sinful self-chlorification

when it is no longer pursued as a means of one, overcoming our own sin, two serving others,

three glorifying Christ.

Now this is a huge issue, both for men and women in our culture because hour after hour

every day through advertising and other media, we are being told that to be successful

and happy, our bodies must have a certain appearance.

So whether we're talking about the way we dress or the way we do our hair or the way

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