ow, we Adventists have our weaknesses, but column sitting doesn't seem to be one of them.1 So it may appear, at first glance, that there's no basis for comparison. But that's not really the case. Simeon Stylites wanted very much to be holy, and holiness is not a bad thing to want. The apostle Paul wrote that God has called us to holiness (1 Thess. 4:7). He also wrote that we are to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord (2 Cor. 7:1), and that without holiness none of us will see God (Heb. 12:14).

Simeon knew these texts very well, and he believed them. One day, when he was 13 years old, he wandered into a meeting at which someone was reading from the Beatitudes. As he listened, his heart was overwhelmed with an intense longing to be like God. He didn't just think, Hey, that would be nice. The desire to be holy was so powerful that it overwhelmed everything else in his mind. In tears he said to the people who were reading: "That's it! That's what I want. How can I be pure in heart?"

Some Misguided Notions
In our own day everything that surrounds us, even the air we breathe, seems to be touched by the selfish, pleasure-seeking values of existentialism. Millions influenced by this philosophy have never heard of Søren Kierkegaard, the man who started it all.

That's the way it was in the fifth century when Simeon Stylites lived; except that the sheeplike people in his day were influenced by Plato, who taught that body and soul are enemies and that if one is strong, the other will be weak. This meant that whatever harmed or weakened the body would help you be a better Christian. So it became popular to whip yourself, to go without sleep, and to fast. Sex has to do with the body, so even between married couples sex was seen as a sign of weakness. Celibacy was viewed an essential step on the way to sainthood.

Simeon figured that the best place to get away from all this was 70 feet up the air, so up he went. The body demands food, so he fasted with a vengeance. For long periods he ate only once a week. Each year when Lent came around, he'd swear off food altogether--for the entire 40 days.

What About Adventists?
The first Adventists may not have known a lot about philosophy, but they were serious Bible students. And from their study of the Word, they concluded that body and soul are not enemies, but inseparable friends. The soul does not go floating away at death and leave the body behind.

Following up on this, they came to a conclusion that was just the opposite of what Simeon and his friends believed: They concluded that what is good for the body is good for the soul, and vice versa.

Two puzzling passages of Scripture helped them understand this. The pioneers didn't say these verses are puzzling. I'm adding that part because they do not turn out the way you'd expect them to. The first is Exodus 15:26, in which God said: "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer."2

Notice that the "if" part of this verse is talking about holiness.3 The strange thing is that the consequence part doesn't mention holiness at all; it talks about health. The message is: If you do these things--if you do what's right, keep the commandments, etc.--you'll be healthy.

The other puzzling passage is Leviticus 11. Here we find a list of rules for healthful eating. Again, the surprise comes in the consequence section at the end of the chapter. After a whole chapter of what we logically consider health laws, there's not a word about health. It doesn't say that if you obey these rules you will live longer, you will have fewer diseases, or anything of the sort. It says: "Thus you shall be holy, for I am holy" (verse 45).

This passage is actually a counterpart of the other one. The first text says that keeping the laws of holiness will make you healthy. The second one says that obeying the laws of health will make you holy.

Another text illustrates this same principle. Moses told the Israelites, "You shall also have a place outside the camp and go out there, and you shall have a spade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall turn to cover up your excrement" (Deut. 23:12, 13). Is this a health law? Of course it is. But notice the reason given for obeying it: "Since the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp . . . , therefore your camp must be holy" (verse 14). Again we are hearing: You need to obey this health law if you want to be holy.

Modern Applications
Simeon Stylites, and most people in his day, believed that hurting and mistreating their bodies would make them more spiritual. Adventist pioneers believed that human beings are an indivisible unit, and therefore a healthy, vigorous body is an important aid to holiness. Their enthusiasm for what they called "health reform" grew out of this understanding.

Here's one example of what Ellen White wrote on the subject: "Both mental and spiritual vigor are in great degree dependent upon physical strength and activity; whatever promotes physical health, promotes the development of a strong mind and a well-balanced character" (Education, p. 195).

Simeon Stylites knew exactly why he was on the top of the column. He thought that by depriving himself of food, sleep, and socialization, he was on the path to holiness.

But holiness doesn't happen in a vacuum. We believe God has called us to live lives of activity and service. Anything that diminishes our usefulness or prevents us from influencing our families, friends, and neighbors for Christ and His kingdom is counterproductive. Spirituality isn't necessarily enhanced when we live lives of "splendid isolation" or senseless self-denial.

And that may be the most important difference between Simeon Stylites and some Adventists today. Recently one of them was pouring ketchup on his Big Mac and fries when a friend tried to spoil it for him. Looking very solemn, the friend said: "Do you realize that you're about to ingest 53 grams of artery-clogging fat?"

To which he responded, "Hey, who wants to live through the time of trouble, anyway?"

Another was togged out in a sweat suit ready for a workout when someone said to her: "Go ahead; I'd rather use my time to read the Bible and pray."

Simeon Stylites thought that anything he could do to weaken his body would make him a better Christian. Seventh-day Adventists believe that a balanced life, supplemented with good health, is an important aid to having a clear mind, and a heart that is in tune with God. We believe this is the most important reason for taking care of our health.

See what you can do to help spread the word.

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1 Where I went to academy kids thought it was a marvelous achievement if they could climb the campus water tower. But they always had to hurry back down to avoid getting caught, so that doesn't count.
2 Bible texts in this article are quoted from The New American Standard Version of the Bible.
3 Theologians point out that holiness includes more than obedience to the commandments. They are right, of course, but obedience is an essential part, and it is the part Simeon Stylites and people of his day focused on almost exclusively.

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Loron Wade is a recently retired theology professor from Montemorelos University. He served 40 years in the Inter-American Division. He and his wife, Ruth, live in McAllen, Texas.