Post 19: Master Your Body—The Journey to Emulating Christ

Mastering the body through Christ prepares it to become a vessel of light, holiness, and service—fit for eternal purposes and divine power.

Your Body: A Sacred Gift from God

You are a child of God, created in His image. He is a glorified, corporeal being, and your body is patterned after His. Your body is a sacred temple entrusted to you by God, designed to reflect His glory and fulfill His divine purposes.

This life is the appointed time to refine and master the body. It is far easier to do so in mortality than to wait until the next realm. As you care for your body, you prepare it to house His Spirit more fully and to fulfill God’s purposes—ultimately receiving a glorified body like His.

The body is not merely flesh and bone—it is spiritual in nature. As you grow in light and truth, you become more aware of what you allow into your body and what you give from it. What do you consume physically, emotionally, and spiritually? What do you offer to others? Every choice shapes the temple God has entrusted to you.

Your body is eternal. As a son or daughter of God, you were given it to learn how to master and develop a body like His—fit, full of life, and ready to serve at the highest levels. In the resurrected state, what kind of body will you present before your Master? For sloth returns to sloth, and holiness returns to holiness.

The Powers of Heaven and the Body

Here and now, we can practice handling and controlling the powers of heaven, as Nephi did and as described in Doctrine and Covenants 121:36. Jacob 4:6–9 and Moses 7:13 further testify that divine power flows through humility, obedience, and alignment with God’s will.

The first step in wielding the powers of heaven is learning to bridle the body—aligning its appetites, actions, and energy with divine law.

Steps to Mastering Your Body

1. Honor the Temple
Mastery begins by honoring the body as a sacred gift. Pay attention to daily choices. What do you allow into your body—food, drink, media, and influences? What flows out—words, actions, and service?

Saint Francis of Assisi referred to his body as “Brother Donkey.” He fed and cared for it, but he did not let it rule him. In the same way, you can train your body to serve as a faithful companion. Choose nourishing food, engage in regular movement, and protect your mind from harmful influences. Each small act brings your body closer to its divine design.

2. Bridle the Passions
Mastering the body transforms it into a finely tuned instrument for God’s work. As described by Brother Philip Allred, the body is a “perfect recording device.” It reflects the patterns you allow to take root.

Like an athlete training for a marathon, success comes through consistent discipline—wholesome nourishment, intentional movement, and restorative rest. As you bridle your passions and align desire with divine law, your body becomes a powerful instrument in God’s hands.

3. Consecrate Your Temple
To master the body is to consecrate it. Nourish it with something wholesome. Move with intention. Remove one influence that weighs you down. Each act becomes worship, preparing your body to reflect the glory of God and to serve according to His purposes.

The Savior as Our Example

The Savior exemplified the harmony of body and spirit. As a carpenter, He was physically prepared for the demands of His ministry. Yet His strength flowed from perfect unity with the Father’s will.

To emulate Christ is to train the body to serve—becoming a vessel of love, light, and divine service.

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Originally published December 11, 2024.