Thread: A sin most American Christians seem to ignore?
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A sin most American Christians seem to ignore?
Posted : 25 Jun, 2008 07:58 PM
I found this article a while back and thought it was interesting, so I decided to share.
Gluttony seems to be a sin that Christians like to ignore. We are often quick to label smoking and drinking as sins, but for some reason gluttony is accepted or at least tolerated. Many of the arguments used against smoking and drinking, such as health and addiction, apply equally to overeating. Many believers would not even consider having a glass of wine or smoking a cigarette, but have no qualms about gorging themselves at the dinner table to the point that they feel like they are going to explode. This should not be!
Proverbs 23:20-21 warns us, "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." Proverbs 28:7 declares, "He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father." Proverbs 23:2 proclaims, "put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony."
Physical appetites are an analogy of our ability to control ourselves. If we are unable to control our eating habits, we are probably also unable to control other habits such as those of the mind (lust, covetousness, anger), and unable to keep our mouth from gossip or strife. We are not to let our appetites control us, but rather we are to have control over our appetites. (See Deuteronomy 21:20, Proverbs 23:2, 2 Peter 1:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:1-9, and 2 Corinthians 10:5.) The ability to say �no� to anything in excess��self-control��is one of the fruits of the Spirit common to all believers (Galatians 5:22).
God has blessed us by filling the earth with foods that are delicious, nutritious, and even pleasurable. We should honor God's creation by enjoying these foods, and by eating them in appropriate quantities, while controlling our appetites, rather than allowing them to control us.
Just to add to this, I thought I would include 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Overeating obviously isn't for the glory of god, and in my opinion is disgraceful because our bodies are meant to be the "temple of the holy spirit." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,"
Well, I'll try this one one for "size". I read your post this morning and thought about it off and on today. I not only am a teacher of the young but also a Director in the healthcare field. (We hire nurses, male, female, big, little, black, white, brown, tall, short, etc...) I'm only stating this to bring back to the post. I was teaching my kindergarten children about the letter f. I found it very interesting that the Christian curriculum (very popular) had a picture of a pig for them to color. Letter F=Pig Picture.?..You can put two and two together. I brought it to the administrators attention and a formal discriminatory complaint was filed to the producers of the curriculum. I feel we have to be very careful in our assumptions. The word glutton actually means to consume more than what one requires and is often paired with drinking. It was noted that in the days of Jesus there was alot of partying going on that would last for days with people eating, drinking, vomiting and eating drinking again, and again. This kind of sounds like a Frat house. Anyway, my point is, are you referring to gluttony or obesity. A person can be obese without being a glutton. Genetics, metabolism issues, medical issues can play a major role in this situation. There are those that over-indulge in many ways and in many areas. Yes we need to try to live a balanced life. Yes, our body is the Temple of the Lord, so you better
also read the labels and make sure the food you eat is not poisoning you from food allergies which also can create injestion problems. Some of are our patients are terminal, low metabolisms, high risk of obesity on few calories... I have wonderful friends that eat like a bird and can gain weight on 800 calories. So why can you visit France, (compliments of Paula Deen), and see all that food yet the people are thin...My opinion...it is the junk that America puts in the food...Try buying one loaf of bread without some form of corn syrup/additive...I am on a health
system which is called "Eat Right for Your Blood-Type"...this is geared for health...If you lose a little weight along the way it is an added benefit...let me tell you, you'll feel 100% better...It is based on your genetics and foods that were palatable for your bloodline (decendents...You will find alot of aches, pains, etc...disappearing because the new food will compliment you...(For instance, I can no longer eat chicken because of the lectons...thickens my blood...)
I have alot of other things I can choose...:yay:
I have veered off the track a little. I'm not in favor of eating after church every Sunday night...etc...But I'm also not in favor of judging, especially w/o all the facts...
We deal with prejudice every day of our lives. It is just as much a sin to sit in judgment as it is to be the one being judged. To say someone is not in control of their lives because of a weight issue is an unfounded absudity.
As usual, I'm probably riding on a wing and a prayer but that's ok as long as we don't have a flat tire!
I agree with you about the genetic problems of obesity and that many people can not control their own weight. What I was saying is that Gluttony is a sin, not being overweight in general. I'm sorry for not being clear on that. The definition of Gluttony is, like you said, over indulgence.
Like you, I am also in the medical field (only training though, I'm a dual major of nursing and pre-medicine), and I think you would agree with me that over-eating/over-drinking is detrimental to the body in many other ways than a person's weight.
Judging others is another thing, i'm curious as to what others think about what we are supposed to do. Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-2, "1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." and in Matthew 7:3-5 3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Also, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
To me this tells me that we are supposed to keep ourselves accountable first and also keep our brothers and sisters in christ accountable. It also tells me that I should not judge others who aren't christians, because that is for God to do. Am I interpreting it wrong?
I apologize if it seems that I am posting this to judge. I first read this article and realized that I was guilty of gluttony. I also realized that I wasn't doing everything for the glory of God, so I decided to change that.
I was hoping by posting this, that any other person who saw that they were guilty of gluttony or wasn't living their life completely for God would be encouraged to change that and in doing so glorify God.
I, in no way, meant to be a stumbling block in anyone's path... and If I was, I deeply apologize.
Perception is everything and maybe I interpreted this wrong.
I'm sorry. Your heart was in the right place. I did go to Beliefnet.com and they had a quiz on gluttony, there. It's an interesting take. Your post made me realize that maybe there were things in my life that I need to downsize and do less of....We all can get caught up in human indulgences that keep us away from the things of the Lord. That may be why it troubled me that day. Take care and God Bless.
I do want to clarify that I was not saying that you personally was judging. I was just meaning that our society often stands in judgement of others when all they need to do is lead by example and compassion with a few drops of mercy.
I agree with you, we Christians seem to forget about things that we consider "little sins". Gluttony is one and gossip is another. Even being a negative person all the time is a sin because that does not uplift and ecourage others and it certainly will not help us bring others to Christ (which is our purpose in life). I was a very negative person most of my life, God's grace is changing me into what He wants me to be. Gluttony is no different.
I'm going to have to challange you on this one. I was a chemistry major for a long time and often have paid attention to biology (O-Chem was my specialty) and history of peoples. Before the mid 1850's you wont find a single society with a middle class with above recommended body mass. Most of the upper classes were at the high end of body mass. There is a clear conclusion that most scientist and medical professionals make about this - between the introduction of sugar (nasty nasty carbohydrate!), preprossesed food, and increased consumption of fatty foods our society has gotten bigger. It's strange you don't find "genetic" obessedy even 200 years ago. Don't forget that MOST of the genetic work being done now confirms that scientist now little if anything about many DNA markers. Just because "obesse" people tend to have a marker doesnt make it a positive correlation between the two. The fact is simple, if people lived glutten free lives, there would be virtually no one over weight. Americans need to stop making excuses for EVERYTHING we do. Its unbiblical and it makes us the biggest hypocrits... We claim to be the Nation Under God but we sure dont act like it.
