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Introduction 1: By definition, a glutton is simply "one who eats too much", and as this study will show, gluttony is a sin. It is a sin that until now has rarely been preached in modern churches, partly because many Christians are indulging in it, and thus the message would be unpopular, but also because food is one of the devil's most powerful weapons to render us spiritually impotent, and he has deluded many into believing that it is not a sin at all. It was the very thing that he used to tempt Eve, in order to bring sin into the world and cause the fall of mankind, and according to both accounts in the gospels, it was the first thing that he attacked Jesus with after a forty day fast in the wilderness. We should not be ignorant of the fact that the devil will try to ensnare us into overeating, because it can deceive us, bring spiritual poverty, war against our soul, displease God, and cause us to disobey God . It is contrary to spirituality, it reaps corruption, it is sinful, it can exalt our heart, or cause us to forget God, or deny God, or forsake God. It is an attribute of a fool, an evil servant, it leads to pride, and is contrary to the cross of Christ. It is also a failure to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, our heart will become set on it, it will prevent us from becoming like Jesus, and it could ultimately cost us our salvation unless we forsake it. Thus gluttony is a very important subject, and it is hoped that this study will highlight its importance, so that many of its captives will be led to complete deliverance from it; for "Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin." (John 8:34).
#1.02 FOOD WAS THE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENT OF TEMPTATION USED BY THE DEVIL TO RELEASE SIN AND DEATH INTO THE WORLD
GENESIS 2:16-17 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: 17 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day
that you eat of it you shall surely die. GENESIS 3:1-7 1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, Yes, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. 4 And the serpent said to the woman, You shall surely not die: 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate, and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. ROMANS 5:12 (Paul) 12 Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed into all men, by which all sinned. Note: The human desire for food was one of the things that the devil used to bring sin into the world and cause the fall of mankind. This food was not necessary, there was plenty of other food in the garden of Eden beside the forbidden fruit, but when Eve "saw that the tree was good for food ... she took of the fruit of it, and ate, and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate." (Genesis 3:6), and thus "sin entered into the world, and death by sin;" (Romans 12:5). The fact that the devil has used man's desire for food in the past so successfully, to entice him into disobedience, you can be sure that he will continue to use the same means to cause man to keep sinning against God. The word of God says, "Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27), "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7), "for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11). These are instructions for every one of us to be aware of this sin, and to forsake it if it applies to us.
sentence against our evil work is not carried out speedily (Ecclesiastes 8:11), by the time we notice the physical effects of it, in this case getting fat, our heart will have become fully set in us to do it, and it will be much harder to stop.
8:5). So while God wants us to mind spiritual things and set our hearts on heavenly things (Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 12:33; 18:22; Colossians 3:2), the devil wants us to indulge in fleshly things because the flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another, and fleshly lusts war against the soul. As long as we yield ourselves to obey the devil we are his servants (John 8:34; Romans 6:16; 1 John 3:8) and surely that does not please God. God is a loving God (Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:32; 1 John 3:1; 4:8; 4:16), and he very much wants to express his love towards us by giving us good things (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; Romans 8:32; James 1:17), but because we have to receive by faith (Matthew 8:13; 9:22; 9:29; 15:28; Luke 8:50; James 1:6; 1 Peter 1:9), then we cannot please him when we are "in the flesh" (Romans 8:8), because we are unable to receive. This is the reason why it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6), because if we are not able to receive, he is not able to express his love for us by giving.
statements as: (Romans 1:5) "obedience to the faith", (Romans 10:16) "they have not all obeyed ... who has believed our report?" (Romans 16:26) "the obedience of faith:" (Hebrews 11:8) "By faith Abraham ... obeyed;" (Revelation 14:12) "the saints: here are those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Besides this, faith and obedience will both obtain the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:14; Acts 5:32), salvation (1 Peter 1:9; Hebrews 5:9), freedom from sickness (Luke 17:19; Exodus 15:26), spiritual purity (Acts 15:9; 1 Peter 1:22), justification (Romans 3:28; 2:23), righteousness (Romans 9:30; 6:16-18), answers to prayers (Matthew 21:22; 1 John 3:22), and enable us to overcome the devil (Ephesians 6:6; Romans 16:19-20). Scripture tells us that "faith without works is dead." (James 2:17; 2:20; 2:26), and one of its works is obedience to the word of God. So as long as we are disobedient to God in any area of our lives, we can expect our faith to remain far below what it should be.
3:10; Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:14-15; Luke 8:11-12; 8:15), all of which can be considered as sowing to the spirit. In a physical sense we can sow to the spirit with our deeds (Psalm 33:13-15; 62:10-12; Proverbs 6:20-22; 7:1-3; Jeremiah 32:19), or to the flesh with our deeds (Psalm 33:13-15; 62:10-12; Proverbs 1:30-31; 14:14; Ecclesiastes 7:2; Jeremiah 17:9-10; 32:19), so when we indulge ourselves in a fleshly lust, we are just reinforcing that lust in our hearts. The solution then, is to abstain from the lust until it is removed from us (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; 1 Peter 2:11; Titus 2:11-12).
hungry. The cure is to sort out our differences with God, acknowledge our offence what ever it may be, and let him remove this desire from us. Any failure to tackle the root of the problem will never set us free, because if God truly loves us, he will never let us off the hook.
the writer of Hebrews calls Esau a fornicator for making such a choice. The confirmation that over indulgence in food is sinful, and spiritual fornication also, is given by other scriptures: (Ezekiel 16:49) "this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, ... fullness of bread," (1 Corinthians 6:13) "Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication," (Philippians 3:18-19) "they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ... whose God is their belly, ... who mind earthly things." As all Christians are called to forsake sin, then we should all diligently seek to avoid over indulgence in food.
HOSEA 4:10 10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. MICAH 6:13-14 13 Therefore also will I make you sick in smiting you, in making you desolate because of your sins. 14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied; and your casting down shall be in the midst of you; and you shall take hold, but shall not deliver; and that which you deliver I will give up to the sword. PROVERBS 13:25 (Solomon) 25 The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want. Note: Unsatisfied hunger is not always a chastisement for sin because Jesus was tempted with it (Matthew 4:1-4; Luke 4:1-4), but the evidence that an unsatisfied hunger can be a chastisement for sin is apparent from these scriptures: (Leviticus 26:24-26) "I ... will punish you seven times for your sins ... you shall eat, but not be satisfied." (Hosea 4:10) "they shall eat and not have enough: ... because they have left off to take heed to the LORD." (Micah 6:13-14) "because of your sins ... You shall eat, but not be satisfied;" (Proverbs 13:25) "the belly of the wicked shall want." Although these scriptures make it clear that lusting after food is a chastisement for sin, not all temptation with food can be put down to this. Before the fall of man, before Eve had sinned, she was tempted by the serpent and yielded to it (Genesis 3:1-7). Jesus was also tempted with food and overcame it (Matthew 4:1-4; Luke 4:1-4), and he never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). Thus being tempted is not a sin, but yielding to it is, and if we are continually being drawn away by our own lust (James 1:14-15) then we need to do some serious repenting to remove the lust from our heart (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11), and sort out our differences with God.
are covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. Note: Forsaking God can mean serving other Gods (Judges 2:11-13; 10:6; 1 Kings 9:9; 2 Kings 21:20-22), not serving God (Judges 10:6), or not walking in God's ways (2 Kings 21:22), and could be summarised simply as Moses stated it, "Beware that you do not forsake the LORD your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgements, and his statutes, which I command you this day:" (Deuteronomy 8:11). Forsaking God is simply disobedience to him, or sin. If forsaking God is a consequence of having too much, then it is something for sincere Christians to avoid, because the consequences of it are serious: (Joshua 24:20) "If you forsake the LORD ... then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you," (Ezra 8:22) "his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him." (2 Chronicles 15:2) "if you forsake him, he will forsake you." (1 Chronicles 28:9) "If you forsake him, he will cast you off forever." (Isaiah 65:11-12) "But you are those who forsake the LORD, ... Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter:"
serious study of the word of God, leading us into error through ignorance, while it is possible that forsaking God could be a deliberate act at times. These scriptures seem to indicate that it is a likely outcome, that if we over indulge in food we will also fall in other areas of our lives: sin leads to more sin (Genesis 4:7; Psalm 69:27; Proverbs 5:2021; John 8:34; Romans 6:19; Romans 7:15-20). Thus it is wise to avoid over indulging in food.
#1.48 BECAUSE GLUTTONY IS A FAILURE TO PRESENT OUR BODIES AS A HOLY LIVING SACRIFICE
ROMANS 12:1 (Paul) 1 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy1, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Note: We are asked here to present our bodies "a holy living sacrifice", but holiness and fornication are contrary to one another, as shown by Paul when he said, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification2, that you should abstain from fornication:" (1
Thessalonians 4:3). There is no difference between being sanctified or being holy, because the same Greek words are used to translate both. The word translated sanctification2 (Gtr. hagiasmos) (1 Thessalonians 4:3), is also translated "sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2), but is translated "holiness" (Romans 6:19; 6:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 12:14), and the word translated holy1 (Gtr. hagios) (Romans 12:1) is often translated "saints" (Acts 9:13; Romans 8:27; 2 Corinthians 1:1 etc.), which in the plural form means "sanctified ones" or "holy ones". We have already seen that lusting after food is spiritual fornication, the opposite of holiness, so it is impossible for any one of us to present our bodies as a "holy living sacrifice" when we are indulging ourselves by overeating. A sanctified person has been "perfected for ever" (Hebrews 10:14), and a perfect man is able "to bridle the whole body." (James 3:2).
against waste. After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus sent his disciples to gather up the scraps of food (John 6:12), and they collected twelve baskets full (Mark 6:43; Luke 9:17; John 6:13). Similarly, after the feeding of the four thousand, they collected seven baskets full (Matthew 15:37; Mark 8:8), showing that even though this food had been easily produced, nothing should be wasted. Nobody could really deny that gluttony is a waste; it is bad stewardship not only of time, but also of the money that is used to buy excess food which we do not really need. Some may consider this a small offence, but unless we repent, one day we will all have to give an account for it.
(Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). There is a Greek word "arneomai" which means to deny, such as Peter denied Jesus (Matthew 26:70-72; Mark 14:68-70; Luke 22:57; John 18:25-27), but that is not the word used in these scriptures. The word deny1 (Gtr. aparneomai) used here is a strengthened form and means "utterly deny". It is used by Jesus in the passages predicting Peters denial of him (Matthew 26:34; 26:75; Mark 14:30; 14:72; Luke 22:34; 22:61; John 13:38), and by Peter in his assurance of fidelity (Matthew 26:35; Mark 14:31). Compare Peters actual denials, "But he denied (Gtr. arneomai), saying, I do not know nor understand what you say," (Mark 14:68), "And he denied (Gtr. arneomai) it again." (Mark 14:70), with his assurance of fidelity, "But he spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with you, I will not deny (Gtr. aparneomai) you in any wise." (Mark 14:31). This helps to clarify the difference between the two words, and shows that if we wish to follow Jesus, then we must "utterly deny" ourselves. Self indulgence and self denial are opposites, so if we are indulging ourselves in the area of food, we are "the enemies of the cross of Christ:" (Philippians 3:18), and can expect our end to be destruction (Philippians 3:19). #1.51 BECAUSE SIN GIVES THE ENEMIES OF GOD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BLASPHEME HIM AND HIS WORD 2 SAMUEL 12:14 (Nathan) 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die. PROVERBS 25:26 (Solomon) 26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. ISAIAH 52:5 5 Now therefore, what have I here, says the LORD, that my people are taken away for nothing? those who rule over them make them howl, says the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed. EZEKIEL 36:20 20 And when they entered into the heathen, wither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. ROMANS 2:24 (Paul) 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. Note: Any dominating sin in our lives is a submission to the devil, which gives the world an excuse to blaspheme the name of God, and to deny that his word is true; something which many are only too keen to do if we give them the opportunity. The centre of Christian teaching should be the crucified life, the denial of self for the sake of others, and being conformed to the image of Jesus, but how can any gluttonous person teach this without being a hypocrite? There are many unsaved people, who are not sinful in this
particular area, who could easily laugh and mock if a fat Christian tried to preach to them about self denial. The fact that God does not wish his name to be blasphemed is sufficient reason for anyone who loves God to forsake this sin.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. PSALMS 69:9-11 9 For the zeal of your house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of those who reproached you are fallen upon me. 10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. 11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them. MATTHEW 4:1-4 1 Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. LUKE 4:1-4 1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he ate nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3 And the devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. JOHN 4:31-34 31 In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know of. 33 Therefore his disciples said one to another, Has any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus says to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work. Note: Jesus' attitude to food is revealed clearly by these scriptures. The psalmist said that he humbled his soul with fasting (Psalm 35:13), and chastened his soul with fasting (Psalm 69:10). Apart from this he fasted forty days and nights in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2), and afterwards refused to turn stones into bread when he was hungry (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). His priority was to do the will of God, which was his true food (John 4:34), and as long as he did that, he knew that his Father would not let him die of hunger. Even though he refused to turn stones into bread in the wilderness, the angels were afterwards sent to minister to him (Matthew 4:11). If only we could adopt this same attitude toward food, the devil would never be able to draw us into sin by tempting us with it.
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:27 (Paul) 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. GALATIANS 5:24 (Paul) 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. GALATIANS 6:7-8 (Paul) 7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. PHILIPPIANS 3:18-19 (Paul) 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) HEBREWS 12:16-17 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Note: It is true that some of these scriptures can be interpreted in a spiritual sense, but it would be foolish to deny that they can also be interpreted literally. Such statements as "I will destroy the fat ... I will feed them with judgement." (Ezekiel 34:16), "Woe to you who are full! for you shall hunger." (Luke 6:25), "if you live according to the flesh, you shall die:" (Romans 8:13), "neither fornicators ... shall inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:10), "he who sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;" (Galatians 6:8), and "Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly," (Philippians 3:19), all indicate the difficulty that any gluttonous person will have to enter heaven. To go to heaven we need the Spirit of Christ to dwell in us, Paul's statements "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9), and "Do you not know ... that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates?" (2 Corinthians 13:5), show that this is so. "And if Christ is in you the body is dead because of sin;" (Romans 8:10), shows that when Christ lives in us "the body is dead". Here "the body" does not refer to the physical body, but refers to "the body of sin" (Romans 6:6). It is the same as "the body of the sins of the flesh" (Colossians 2:11), and "the body of this death" (Romans 7:24). They all refer to the spiritual body of "our old man" (Romans 6:6), elsewhere called "the old man" (Ephesians 4:22), which has to be crucified by self denial in order to free us from sin (Romans 6:7). So when "the body" is dead, all of our fleshly desires, including over
indulgent desires for food or drink, are brought into subjection (1 Corinthians 9:27). We may preach God's word, prophesy, cast out demons, work miracles, and still be lost (Matthew 7:21-23). So professing to be a Christian is no guarantee of our salvation without also denying the lusts of the flesh, because "those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24). Notice the past tense!