Worship note [w4]:

We have an inclination to sin because Adam and Eve sinned. However, if we choose to sin, we are, to some extent, lazy. Sin is not an “infirmity” or “weakness.” It is a wrong inclination, which partly we cannot help – however, aside from this, sin is also the absence of love – which we can help. The absence of love is a willful, evil, choice. Sin is a wrongful decision. Overall, it is not something we “can’t help.”

Sin, for one thing, is the absence of hard work. The absence of hard work is, for one thing, the absence of sweat. The diligent person God rewards. God’s children are diligent – but sometimes they must be almost forced.

An infirmity is a condition that is beyond your own power. This is partly why I can figure out why Paul would say: “I will glory in my infirmities” (apart from the fact that they show a believer that he or she is being noticed, and not forgotten, of God). An infirmity can be imposed on a Christian by God to conform him or her more to the image of His Son. The fact that Paul could not speak as strongly as he could write would have been disturbing to him, but ultimately beneficial, in that it would have caused him to have a somewhat more urgent consciousness beyond his self – a stronger God-consciousness and a weaker self-consciousness.

But I would like to say (especially to Christian athletes, whose work involves physical labor, as opposed to other kinds of jobs which demand less physically yet still do involve a level of hard work – but are more mental than physical): know yourselves – start to catch up to the knowledge in which God already knows of you. Then you can begin to fine tune yourselves, so God is not inclined to punish you.

Can we not choose our infirmity before God feels He has to impose one on us? Is there not already a given infirmity to man? The unpleasantness of sweat; the curse of sweat: “in the sweat of your face…” (Genesis 3:19 NKJ). Surrender to hard work. Move your muscles with intensity. Pump that iron, pound those feet. Sweat is part of the curse and punishment. Receive your punishment – because a worse punishment could be imposed. True punishment causes more healing than destruction. Punish yourself truly – if you do not, God will. Let that wake you up – let the healing fear of God enliven you to full-out action. Sweat is weakness. Glorify God and Christ in it. God has chosen the weak things to confound the mighty. Accept that you are weak so that you can be strong. The weak are the true mighty. The arrogantly strong are those who are falsely mighty. They are not the sons and daughters of God and they are not grateful to God.

According to the writer of Hebrews, if you are without the Lord's chastisement you are “bastards” (Hebrews 12:8 KJ). But those who are grateful, true, Christians are not. So I wish to say to them - particularly the athletic: prove your faith. Sweat.