God’s Free Health Plan

Good medical care is priceless—but wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t need doctors anymore? Well, did you know there is a proven way to put a lot of doctors out of work? … Take care of your body! Scientists have sounded the alarm about cholesterol, tobacco, stress, obesity, and alcohol, so why press your luck? God truly cares how you treat your body, and He’s given you a free health plan to go by—the Bible! For amazing facts about how you can have abundant health and longer life, look over this Study Guide—but be sure to read it all before jumping to conclusions!

“The Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive” (Deuteronomy 6:24).
“You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you” (Exodus 23:25).

Answer: God gave health principles because He knows what is best for the human body. Automobile manufacturers place an operations manual in the glove compartment of each new car because they know what is best for their creation. God, who made our bodies, also has an “operations manual.” It is the Bible. Ignoring God’s “operations manual” often results in disease, twisted thinking, and burned-out lives, just as abusing a car can result in serious car trouble. Following God’s principles results in “saving health” (Psalm 67:2 KJV) and more abundant life (John 10:10). With our cooperation, God can use these great health laws to significantly reduce and eliminate the effects of the diseases of Satan (Psalm 103:2, 3).

Note: No person can eat his or her way into heaven. Only acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can do that. Ignoring God’s health laws, however, might cause a person to lose his good judgment and fall into sin, even to the point of losing salvation.

“God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed … every tree whose fruit yields seed. … Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat’ ” (Genesis 1:29; 2:16).

Answer: The diet God gave people in the beginning was fruit, grains, and nuts. Vegetables were added a little later (Genesis 3:18).

Note: These chapters make it clear that most animals, birds, and water creatures people ordinarily eat are clean. There are, however, some notable exceptions. According to God’s rules, the following animals are unclean and are not to be eaten: cats, dogs, horses, camels, eagles, vultures, hogs, squirrels, rabbits, catfish, eels, lobsters, clams, crabs, shrimp, oysters, frogs, and others.

“Behold, the Lord will come with fire … and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many. Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves … eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together” (Isaiah 66:15–17).

Answer: This may be shocking, but it is true and must be told. The Bible says that anyone who eats “swine’s flesh” and other unclean things that are an “abomination” will be destroyed at the coming of the Lord. When God says to leave something alone and not eat it, we should by all means obey Him. After all, the eating of forbidden fruit by Adam and Eve brought sin and death to this world in the first place. Can anyone say it doesn’t matter? God says people will be destroyed because they “chose that in which I do not delight” (Isaiah 66:4).

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).
“Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:31, 32).
“Neither fornicators … nor drunkards … will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10).

Answer: Yes. The Bible strongly warns against the use of alcoholic beverages.

Answer: Here are 11 Bible health principles:

A. Eat your meals at regular intervals, and do not use animal fat or blood. “Feast [eat] at the proper time” (Ecclesiastes 10:17). “This shall be a perpetual statute … you shall eat neither fat nor blood” (Leviticus 3:17).

Note: Science has confirmed that most heart attacks result from high cholesterol—and that the use of fats is largely responsible for high levels of cholesterol. It looks like the Lord knows what He is talking about after all, doesn’t it?

B. Don’t overeat. “Put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite” (Proverbs 23:2). In Luke 21:34, Christ specifically warned against “carousing” (intemperance) in the last days. Overeating, a form of intemperance, is responsible for many degenerative diseases.

E. Put full trust in the Lord. “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction” (Proverbs 19:23). Trust in the Lord strengthens health and life. “My son, give attention to my words … for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20, 22). Health comes from obedience to God’s commands and from putting full trust in Him.

F. Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work” (Exodus 20:9, 10).
“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet” (Ecclesiastes 5:12).
“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19).
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late” (Psalm 127:2). “For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? Even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:22, 23).

G. Keep your body clean. “Be clean” (Isaiah 52:11).

H. Be temperate in all things.
“Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things” (1 Corinthians 9:25).
“Let your gentleness [KJV: moderation] be known to all men” (Philippians 4:5). A Christian should completely avoid things that are harmful and be moderate in the use of things that are good. Habits that injure health break the command “You shall not murder” by degrees. They are suicide on the installment plan.

J. Make mealtime a happy time.
“Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God”
(Ecclesiastes 3:13). Unhappy scenes at mealtime hinder digestion. Avoid them.

K. Help those who are in need.
“Loose the bonds of wickedness … undo the heavy burdens … share your bread with the hungry, and … bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked … cover him, and … your healing shall spring forth speedily” (Isaiah 58:6–8). This is too plain to misunderstand: When we help the poor and needy, we improve our own health.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

“You shall not eat it, that it may go well with you and your children after you” (Deuteronomy 12:25).
“I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Exodus 20:5).

Answer: God makes it plain that children and grandchildren (to the fourth generation) pay for the folly of parents who ignore God’s health principles. The children and grandchildren inherit weakened, sickly bodies when their mothers and fathers defy God’s rules for their lives. Wouldn’t you avoid anything else that might harm your precious children and grandchildren?

“Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
“Everyone who has this hope in Him [Christ] purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).
“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Answer: Sincere Christians will bring their lives into harmony with God’s health principles immediately because they love Him. They know that His rules only add to their happiness and protect them from the devil’s diseases (Acts 10:38). God’s counsel and rules are always for our good, just as good parents’ rules and counsel are best for their children. And once we know better, God holds us accountable. “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

“The inhabitant will not say, ‘I am sick’ ” (Isaiah 33:24).
“There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain” (Revelation 21:4).
“They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Answer: The citizens of God’s new kingdom will gladly follow His health principles, and there will be no sickness or disease. They will be blessed with eternal vigor and youth and will live with God in supreme joy and happiness throughout all eternity.