Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
Sequeira frames Christian behavior around Adam's threefold fall — spiritual, moral, physical — and Christ's provision of full redemption in each area, though complete restoration awaits the Second Advent. He examines Old Testament health and dress principles as valid guidelines for believers today, while warning strongly against turning them into legalistic requirements for salvation, as some Jews did with hand-washing and as some Adventists do with health reform or dress standards. Using Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees over ceremonial handwashing, he insists external practices never make a person more or less sinful — only the heart's condition does, and Christian behavior's only valid motive is glorifying God, since believers' bodies are His temple. He also critiques inconsistency, such as forbidding wedding rings while permitting ornate brooches, and calls the church to teach health principles (like avoiding blood and fat) consistently and without legalistic distortion.
Key points
- Adam's sin damaged humanity spiritually, morally, and physically; Christ provides redemption in each area, fully realized at His return.
- Old Testament health and dress principles remain valid guidelines, but they must never become requirements for salvation.
- Jesus taught that external practices like handwashing do not defile; only what proceeds from the heart defiles a person.
- The only valid motive for Christian behavior is glorifying God with a body that is His temple, not earning or preserving salvation.
Key texts
- Romans 12:1-2
- Matthew 15:17-20
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
From the book
Chapter 19 · Belief 22 · Read this chapter
- “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” As with other laws of Moses, the Jews had taken this rule and made it a requirement for salvation.” (ch. 19)
- “For such misguided Christians, healthful living is allowed to take the place of the gospel, just as it did for some of the Jews in Jesus' day.” (ch. 19)
- “It was apparently sinful to wear a gold ring on one’s finger to indicate one’s marital status, but perfectly all right to pin the same “ring” on one’s blouse.” (ch. 19)
Put it into practice
- Evaluate your health and dress choices by whether they glorify God, not whether they earn merit toward salvation.
- Teach or apply Old Testament health principles (like avoiding blood and fat) consistently, without selective legalism.
- Check for inconsistencies in your own standards, as Sequeira found with rings versus brooches, and correct double standards.
- Care for your body as God's temple through rest, nutrition, and exercise, motivated by gratitude for grace received.
- Comprehension
1. In what three ways did Adam's original sin affect the human race, according to Sequeira?
- Scripture
2. What did Jesus teach the Pharisees about ceremonial handwashing in Matthew 15?
- Doctrinal Clarity
3. Why does Sequeira say some Adventists misuse health reform, drawing a parallel to the Pharisees?
- Contrast
4. Contrast the proper motive for Christian health practices with the improper motive Sequeira warns against.
- Comprehension
5. What example of inconsistency does Sequeira give regarding Adventist dress standards in the 1960s?
- Doctrinal Clarity
6. According to Sequeira, why does God's dietary guidance about blood and fat matter more than the popular Adventist emphasis on 'clean' versus 'unclean' meats?
- Scripture
7. How does Romans 12:1-2 frame the purpose of presenting our bodies to God?
- Application
8. Is there an area of health, dress, or lifestyle where you have slipped into legalism, treating a good practice as a requirement for salvation rather than an act of worship? What adjustment in motive is needed?