"If they worked intelligently, giving both mind and body a due share of exercise, ministers would not so readily succumb to disease. If all our workers were so situated that they could spend a few hours each day in outdoor labor, and felt free to do this, it would be a blessing to them; they would be able to discharge more successfully the duties of their calling. If they have not time for complete relaxation, they could be planning and praying while at work with their hands, and could return to their labor refreshed in body and spirit. GW 240.2"
"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
The EGW passage contrasts the value of physical labor with the demands of ministry, advocating for a balance. This echoes the sentiment in 1 Timothy 4:8, which, while downplaying the *ultimate* importance of bodily exercise compared to godliness, acknowledges its *limited* profit. The EGW passage expands on the practical benefits of physical labor for ministers, aligning with the verse's acknowledgement of its value.
"Brethren, when you take time to cultivate your garden, thus gaining the exercise needed to keep the system in good working order, you are just as much doing the work of God as in holding meetings. God is our Father; He loves us, and He does not require any of His servants to abuse their bodies. GW 240.4"
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."
The EGW passage directly connects the care of one's body with glorifying God, which is the central message of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. The idea that the body is a temple and should be treated with respect is a clear principle derived from the biblical text.