What Is God? The Gym ANALOGY

Part 3 of 3

It seems like ages ago (even though it’s only been a month) that I finished up Part 1 & Part 2 of my 3-part series on using analogy to describe God. But I’m eager to dig in on this final part because this is the analogy that I have always used to describe the mechanics of my faith, the nuts and bolts of it.

So lets get into “The Gym” as an analogy for understanding God.

Every year, with the passing of December into the new year of January, the fitness industry experiences a boon. Millions of Americans vow a New Year’s resolution to get fit.

For most, that is shedding some unwanted pounds that they have allowed to accumulate, but for others, it might be to tone up, get their cardio back into shape, or head off some potential health issues. Whatever the reason, the new year seems to act as a clarion call for all of us to address our overall fitness.

So we make the trek over to the local gym franchise, get the tour, and then plunk down for a membership.

Then typically, for a few weeks, we are diligent gym members.

We’ve carved out time to workout 3 to 5 times a week. We’re on a meal plan at home and are carefully adhering to our diets.

Things are looking good.

But then something happens. Perhaps we go out to dinner and break from our diet. Maybe our workout buddy gets sick, and we decide skip that gym day.

Whatever the reason, most of us end up abandoning that New Years resolution. According to LifeHack.org, one large gym fitness chain reports that by the end of March over 90% of those new sign ups will stop going to the gym.

I know, I know: its a fascinating story, but you’re asking, what does it have to do with God?

Well, fitness seekers have the gym, and God seekers have faith. And if you thought that failed fitness acolytes have a sorry tale to tell, I think that many misguided God seekers live out a sadder story.

Lets see if I can tell the unfortunate God seekers story within the analogy of a gym.

So instead of people abandoning their fitness goals by the end of March, let’s say that 90% are still going to the gym on the regular.

From head to toe, they look the part as they roam the gym sipping on their hydro flasks and scanning workout apps on their smartphones.

Plus, they are no longer newbies. They know the front desk staff, and they have met new friends at the gym that they look forward to seeing on a regular basis.

The gym has become an essential part of their life.

Therefore, everything is going great. Or is it?

If the idea of going to the gym is to meet people then, sure, its been a success. Or if being a member of the gym is a status achievement, well, ok, you have a achieved it.

But isn’t the goal of going to the gym to get fit? You can have a membership, be a well-respected member, and even be the most sought after, but unless you’re picking up some iron, you’re not going to get fit.

Osmosis doesn’t work at the gym.

Nor does it for God seekers.

If you want to know Christ, you are going to have to put in some work:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:14-26, ESV

Now, I don’t say that as condemnation of others, but as a word of warning from someone who has avoided that work.

I was fortunate 9 years ago to have an encounter with Jesus that changed my life, but I think that lightening strike of an encounter spoiled me a bit. Thankfully, it also created hunger that always gnawed at me even when I refused to feed it.

But it must fed if you want to know Christ.

And Jesus is begging you to feed on Him.

Consider what Communion is. It’s not some GRANTING of magical power found in the combination of a juice box and a stale cracker. Its an INVITATION to KNOW the most Loving Presence in the Universe on a personal level.

Or consider these words from Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew:

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7:12-23

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46, ESV

Maybe I’m wired differently, but I’ve never read those words and worried about my eternal salvation.

Maybe it’s because I had a personal encounter with Jesus that I’ve read them as an instruction on how to meet Jesus again.

By no means am I claiming to be the “fittest” Jesus follower in the gym. No, I have still have some spiritual weight around my midsection that I want to lose. But I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you follow Jesus words in Matthew 7:12-23 and 25:31-46, you can experience the Kingdom coming on Earth in the here and now.

So put your membership to work and get fit with Jesus. He’s ready to get started now. Are you?