1995 issue 5 - food for thought! of food, feasting, fasting, fullness and fat - counsel of chalcedon
TRANSCRIPT
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7/27/2019 1995 Issue 5 - Food for Thought! Of Food, Feasting, Fasting, Fullness and Fat - Counsel of Chalcedon
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In
attending a Christian
and Bible based
food
and
weight
control program
called
Weigh
Down,
I had
to
address the subject of
gluttony.
I have often
jokingly remarked at church
dinners,
"QIuttony ceased
with the Apostolic
age," or
"Paul said to buffet
(as in
food-buffet) our bodies." All
joking aside
now,
what
is
gluttony If a
person
is
"over
weight" does it mean
that he is a glutton
Is
all
obesity the result of
gluttonyl
First
of all,
we
must
be careful that we
do
not
define gluttony as
enjoying food and
merely eating a lot.
Secondly we should
not assume that
because
someone is over weight that
they are
gluttons.
How much
is
"over
weight"
How
much
is
"over eating" How much
can a person weigh and be a
Chlistian If it is a
sin
to be
over weight or to over
eat,
then it would not be just a
matter
of personal
self
discipline
but church
discipline for
anyone
judged
to be
over
weight
or to
over
eat.
All obesity is not
caused
by gluttony (while gluttony
will
usually
result in obesity).
Weight gain is not
necessarily the result of
gluttony. People because of
their job, diet, or genetics
may have a difficult time
controlling
or reducing their
weight. Eating
to
the point of
obesity certainly
may
be
an
indication of
sin
in a person's
life:
lack of self-control, an
improper response
to
problems in one's life,
wasteful extravagance, poor
stewardship
of
health,
body,
and money,
etc.
On the other
hand, many
people
have
made a god
of
the body, their
looks, and their health. Thus
health, weight loss, exercise,
looks,
can
become a
god
itself.
Christians can neglect
"weightier" spiritual matters
and obligations
for
the sake
of a better body or looks and
be guilty
of
sins of omission.
In
the
O.T.,
Clluttony
("Zalal"
in Hebrew),
drunkenness, and
rebellion
usually went hand
in
hand,
Dt.
2 1 :2.0, 31 :2.0,
32.:15,
Provo 2.3:19-2.1. This was still
the pattern in the N.T., Mat.
11 :19, Luke 7:34. Clluttony
was
associated
with
indifference and rebellion
toward Clod and ungodly
living,
not
just
a matter of
eating too much, adding
weight. Clluttony was
committed by those who
abandoned themselves
to
eating and drinking to the
exclusion of their moral
responsibilities,
to the
exclusion of work, to
the squandering of
their wealth, Isa.
5:11,12.,2.0ff,
2.2.:11-14, Hab. 2.:4-
5,
Amos 6:4-7, Mat.
2.4:38,
Luke 12.:19,
45, I Cor.
15:32..
"Claster" in
Clreek
denotes a belly, and
with the adjective
idle
in Titus 1 :12.,
is translated "lazy
gluttons." It
refers
to having a
belly as a result
of
being idle,
not working.
Today,
much
work
does
not
require
physical excercise
or
energy.
Due to
less physical activity
and the increase of sugar in
diets and processed
foods,
weight control is a greater
problem.
People easily may
put
on
weight. That is not a
sin.
But they want and need
for
health
reasons
and
for
personal
appearance to reduce
their weight. They may be
jeopardizing their health to
the point that is sinful. They
may be ignoring the needs
and concerns
of
others. They
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may be ignoring
or
violating
Titus 2:2, living a temperate
and sober life in this present
world. The health benefits of
weight
control are obvious,
and Christians ought to
seriously consider whether
their eating is
sinful. But
we
must not, may not,
accuse
people
of
gluttony simply
because of
excess
body
fat.
Nowhere
does the Bible say
t is a sin to be
overweight. Provo
:25 says that" a
generous man will
be made fat/' and
28:25
says,
"He
who trust in the
Lord will be made
fat." At the same
time, aU
fat is
not a sign of
blessing, but may be a sign
of
sin and
lack
of self-discipline.
"Phagos" ((jreek), akin to a
(jreek word which means "to
eat,"
is
translated glutton in
Mat. 11:19,
Luke
7:34.
Obviously, it is not a sin to
eat at all. Nor does phagos
simply mean
to "over-eat," to
eat
more
than will sustain
life
or past the feeling
of
being
full.
Who never eats more
than enough to
merely
survive and how can you tell
exactly where that point
is
so
that you don't sin How
much isloo much
As
a
matter of fact, these two
passages actually indicate that
itis acceptable to enjoy
food
and to drink in banquet I
Jesus was accused
of
being a
glutton Jesus was attending
and
obviously
participating in
feasting
or
there would have
been no basis for accusing
Him
of
being a wine bibber
and glutton.
qluttony
refers
to
one
who
makes food
his god and
purpose
in
life,
and eats with
no
regard
or concern for its
results
beyond
self
gratification
and pleasing
the
appetite, (jluttony is not
simply
eating in excess
of
what one can
physically
assimilate
or
metabolize
so
as
not to add a pound of weight.
qluttony
is
living to
eat
We
cannot say that eating
beyond what
is
merely
required to
sustain
life
is
sinful. The Bible doesn't say
that. The life of early
Christians was not one of
asceticism or mere survival,
Mark 2:19.
Feasting
and
food
was an expression
of
fellowship
and friendship
throughout the
Bible,
qen.
18:1-8, Neh. 9:25, Isa.
25:6,
Mat.
22:1
ff 10, Luke 14:13,
15:23, Acts 2:46, I Cor.
11:20ff,
Rev.
19. The Bible
26
THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon aylJune 1995
refers to numerous feasts,
see
Mat. 22:1
ff for example.
We
do not
merely
eat to live.
Food
was given to be savored
and enjoyed, ITim. 4:1-3.
But,
we do not live to
eat
either, I Cor. 6:13. This
it
seems to
me
is
gluttony. We
should
not be mastered by
anything.
Food
can become a
master.
(jluttony
makes
a god
of
the
belly,
Phil. 3:19,
Rom.
16:18.
qluttony involves
why one eats
as
much
ashow
much
one
eats.
One can
eat or
be
over weight,
which is a relative
term, so
that they
can be over weight
but not be a glutton. One
could be feasibly skinny, not
be
fat
at all, and be a
glutton.
We are
to eat
and
drink to
the
glory of
qod, I Cor.
10:31,
Ex
24:11. That
includes the
liberty
to feast,
as
well as the spiritual
discipline to refrain from
eating
in
order to fast, and to
be content and satisfied with
being full (self-control,
contentment,
and
stewardship) to the
glory of
qod The
Bible
recognizes
a
times for feasting, fasting,
and
fullness,
Mat. 9:15,
15:37,22:4. Christians ought
also to live
temperate,
sober,
and
self-controlled
lives in
order to serve
(jod and
advance His kingdom.
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Christians are
to
eat and
drink
to
the glOly of
Qod
Richard Baxter's
"Diet Plan"
The following is
abridged
from
Richard
Baxter [a 17th
CentUlY
Puritan)' A
CHRI5TIAN
DIRECTORY,
PART
I:
CHRISTIAN
ETHICS, CHAPTER 8
part
iv DIRECTIONS FOR THE
QOVERNINQ OFTHE
TASTE AND APPETITE.,
Topic 1:
Directions against
Qluttony.
This
study
by
Baxter
is certainly "food
for
thought'
for
us
as Christians
even
though we may not
agree with eve ), statement.
While he is discussing
gluttony, much of what
he
says can
be applied to
the
Chlistian's general eating
habits.
/. What is the
Sin
of Qluttony and
What it is Not.
qluttony
is
a volunta ),
excess in eating, for the
pleasing of the appetite,
or
some other carnal purpose.
Common gluttony is when it
is done
for
the pleasing of the
appetite with such a pleasure
that
is
no help
to
health or
duty,
but usually a
hUli
to
the
body or soul, the
body
being
hurt by the
excess,
the
soul
hurt but the inordinate
pleasure.
1. Excess for one person
is
not necessarily the same
as
for
another.
A
labOring
man
may
eat
more than one that
does not do manual labor. A
strong and healthy body may
eat more than one that is
weak and
sick. It must be
an
excess
in
quantity
for that
particular
person
at that
particular time, that
is,
when
to
please
his appetite he eats
more than
is profitable
to
his
health or duty.
2. The frequency of eating
is not an absolute measure.
One
person
may eat a little at
a time and more often for his
health, but another may eat
luxuriously
more
often
than
is
good
for
his
health. See EccIe.
10:16-17.
3.
In
the point of
extravagance and costliness,
the
same measure
is not
to
be
set
for a prince as a plowman,
what
is luxUlious excess
to
one may be
temperate
and
frugal
for
another.
But,
unprofitable
cost
which
would do more good another
way when all things are
considered
is
excess in
whomsoever.
4. There
must
be
allowed
a
difference
in
diets
between
men. The happy, healthy
man does not have to be as
careful
in
what and how
much
he
eats as one who is
sick.
And
the
plowman does
not have to
be as
careful in
what
he
eats as maybe the
noble and
rich
must be
because of their position.
5.
There
is also an
allowable difference between
men
for
the
time spent in
eating, though unnecessa ),
sitting at table and wasting
time
is a
sin in any.
6. It is not aU delight in
food,
or
pleasing the appetite
that
is
sin, bit only that
which is made men's end and
not
refened to
a higher end,
and is
used but to please the
flesh and tempt unto excess.
7. It is not necessa )'
that
we measure the
profitableness of the quantity
or quality
of our food and
eating
by
the present and
immediate benefits, but by
the
more
distant or future
benefits
sometimes. qod
is so
merciful that He provides us
with that which is truly for
our good and forbids us that
which does
us
harm,
or
at
least
no good.
8. All
sin
in eating
is
not
gluttony, but only such as is
here described.
II TIle Chief Causes
of
Qluttony
1 The chiefest is an
inordinate appetite, together
with a
fleshly
mind and will,
which is
set
upon f1esh
pleasing as its happiness,
Rom. 8:6-7. This has been
called
"the throat devil" and
"the
belly
devi\."
2.
The next
cause
is the
lack
of strong reason, faith,
and spiritual appetite and
mind which should
caU
off
the glutton and take him up
with higher
pleasures.
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3. Gluttony
is much
8. Another cause of
his
appetite
better than the
increased by use, when the gluttony is their
pleasing
of God.
appetite is used to being unacquaintedness with those
2. Gluttony is self-murder;
satisfied. A custom of rational and spiritual exercises
though
t
kills not suddenly,
t
temperance
makes it
easy,
in which the delightful fruits
and makes excess a burden
of
abstinence do most
appear.
kills
surely.
rather than a delight. I think Serenity and aptitude may
3. Gluttony is a deadly
that
all
that
use one dish
come
but
temperance;
cloudy
enemy
to
the
mind and
to
all
only, and a
small
quantity, do mistiness of mind and
the noble
employments of
find that more food
is
a
dullness may
come
by
reason,
both religious, civil,
trouble to them.
and general. As
4.
Idleness
and
smoke
drives away
lack of diligence in a
the
bees
from their
calling is a great
hives so gluttony
cause of luxUlY and
expelleth
all
spiritual
gluttony.
An idle
gifts and excellent
person has
leisure
endowments of the
time
to
think
of
his
mind.
guts, what to eat
4.
Gluttony
is
and what to drink,
also an
enemy to
and to be longing
diligence in evel)
after this and that; whereas a
fullness and excess.
honest trade and calling
man that is wholly taken
up
Abstinence may help and
because
it dulls
the mind
as
in lawful business especially
luxury and fullness may
well
as
the
body.
It makes
such
as
finds employment for
hinder your life.
See
Ex. 32:6.
men heavy, drowsy, and
the mind as well as for the
If
they were accustomed
to
slothful, and they go about
body, has no time for such
better
work,
they would of
their business as if they
thoughts.
necessity
find
a better
diet.
carried a coat of lead, and
5.
Another incentive
to
9. Another great cause
of
were in fetters; they have no
gluttony is the
pride
of rich
gluttony
is
man s
beastly
energy
and enthusiasm, and
men.
See
Phil. 3:18-19.
ignorance of
what
is
hannful
are fitter to sleep
than
work.
6.
Another incentive is the
or
helpful
to their health.
5. Gluttony is the
custom of
urging
and
10. Another great
cause of
immediate
symptom of a
insisting others
to
eat still
gluttony is that it has grown
carnal mind and damnable
more and more
as
if it were
to be a
common
custom, and
sin of flesh-pleasing, Rom.
necessal) for
friendship.
is, therefore, no longer a
8:6-8,13.
7.
Another cause of
disgrace.
6.
Gluttony is the breeder
gluttony
is
that
rich
men
are
III
The Greatness of
and
feeder of all
other
lusts. It
not acquainted with the true
the Sin of Gluttony
pampers
the flesh
to feed it.
use of
riches,
nor think of the
1. UXUlY and
gluttony is
a
7. Gluttony
is
a
base
and
account which they must
sin
exceeding
contral) to the
beastly kind of sin. Man is
make to God of all they
love
of
God, it is
idolaby,
more than a barrel to be filled
have.
Phil. 3:19.
He loves
pleasing and then
emptied. He
was
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made
to
do more than to
to
cany
t
away
again,
or
to
:1
-14. While some
cany meat from the table
to
ease or
cure
the
diseases
portions of the
church
are
the dunghill.
which
t causes,
besides all
hard pressed for
food,
others
8.
Qluttony is a wasteful
the time which is lost in
are
wallowing in gluttony
consumer and devourer of the
languishing in sickness, or cut
and sensuality.
creatures of Qod. What
off
by
your untimely death.
would you think
of
a person
1. It is a thief that robs
16. Luxury is a sin most
who
took food
and
drink
and
you
of
estates
and
devourers
unseemly for men in so great
ust
threw it
away
The
what
is
given you for better
miselY as sin. If you had a
glutton
does worse. It would
uses for which
you must
give
true
sight of your sin and
be
better for him to throw it
account
to
Qod.
misery,
you would
perceive
away than for t
to go
13. It
is
a sin that is a
great
that fasting,
prayer,
and tears
through
the
body first
and to
enemy
to
the common
good
are
more
becoming
to
one in
harm him. And
are
the
and should be hated by
your condition than glutting
creatures of Qod of
no
more
princes and the
thy devouring flesh. See
than
only
to
be eaten
commonwealth
as
the enemy
Jonah 3:8, Joel 1 14, :15.
9. Qluttony is a most
of their safety. Men have not
17. Qluttony is a sin
so
unthankful
sin;
it
takes
Qod's
enough money
to
defray the
public
needs
necessary
for
the
much
greater by how
much
mercies and blessings and
safety
of
the land,
such as
more your will and delight
spews them as it were in his
army and navy, because they
have
in committing
it.
The
face. You
would not have a
bit of
food
apart
from his
consume
it
upon
their guts.
sweetest
most
voluntary and
No
great
works can
be
done
generosity and
blessing;
will
to the honor of
the
nation or
beloved
sin is the greatest,
you use it to provoke and
the public good, no
schools
or
and few are more pleasant
dishonor Him
poor-houses built or
and beloved than this.
10. Qluttony is a sin endowed, no colleges erected,
18. Those are the worst
which turns
your
own
no hospitals, nor any
sins that have the least
mercies, wealth, and food
excellent work because the
repentance, and gluttony
is
into
a snare and
to
your
guts
devour it
all.
If
it
were
far from being truly repented
deadly ruin. It would be a known how much of the
of.
thousand
times
better to live
treasure of
the land is thrown
on scraps and in the poorest
down the sink
by
"epicures"
19.
It
is the greater sin
manner than
to have
turned
of all degrees,
this sin would
because it is so frequently
your plenty into damnable
be
frowned
into more
committed.
Men
live
in it in
sin.
See Dt. 6:11, 1,
Provo
disgrace.
their daily practice.
30:9,
Ps.
75:9,
3O.
14. Qluttony and
excess is
0. It is a spreading sin,
11. Qluttony is a great
a sin greatly aggravated by
and therefore has become
time-wasting sin. What an
the
needs
of the poor, I
Cor.
common
among all nations,amount
of
time
is
spent
in
1:6,
Dt.
15:7,
8.
rich and
poor,
though all
getting the money that is
15.
It
is a more heinous sin
nations do not have like
spent
to
please the throat and
because of the calamities of
then
by
servants in
prepaling
the
church
and servants of
provisions to proVide for
it.
it and then in
long
siting at
the
church
throughout the
So,
you may see that it
meat and
feastings,
and not a
world which puts them in
is no
rare
nor little sin. And
little time in taking
medicine
need, Amos 6:1,3-6,
Isa.
you
may
see that it is no
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wonder that no one of the '
sinned
by
pleasing
your
in the dust. Pay not too dear
commandments expressly appetites for our
death
is the
a feast for the wormsl
forbids this sin because
it
is
fruit of
that sin and warns
13 qo
into the houses of
against evelY one
of
the
you to
be
temperate.
the poor sometimes
and see
commandments. And think
6. Keep an obedient
what provisions they live
not that either
riches
or
tender conscience not
upon. I know
it
is l wful for
poverty will excuse it when
scrupulously
worrying
you
to
exceed
them
and be
even princes are restrained
yourselves
about
evelY bit
thankful
but
not so as
to
from unseasonable eating
you
eat
but
checking your
forget
their wants, nor
so
as
Eccles. 10:16, and
kingdoms
appetite and telling you of
to tum
your
plenty
into
are judged
for it Ezek.
16:49.
qod's commands and
excess.
IV The Directions or
teaching you
to
fear all
14. Look upon
the
ancient
HelpsAgainst(jluttony.
sensual
excess.
See Jude
12.
Christians their patterns of
1. Mortify the fleSh. Vse
7. Vnderstand what is
abstinence and
think
the
flesh
as a
servant
not a
most conductible to your
whether their lives were like
master.
qa . 5:24.
health and let that
be
the
yours
. They were
much
in
ordinary
measUre
of
your
diet
2. Live faithfully to qod
for quantity
and quality and
fasting
and
strangers to
and upon spiritual durable
time.
gluttony
and excess.
delights. Then
you
will know
8.
If
you can l wfully
Do not
be
like Esau who
the measure of your eating
avoid
it make not
your
table
sold his
birthright
for
one
and drinking from their
a
snare
of temptation to
morsel
of
bread
Heb.12:16.
tendency
to
that higher
-
yourselves
or others.
Beware the dangers
of
qod's
purpose.
9. Resolve to bestow the
judgement upon those who
3. See
all
your
food
as
cost of such superfluities upon
live
only to
eat Luke
16:25
provided and given
you
by
the
poor or some
other
and James 1
15. At
the same
(jod and beg it and the -
charitable use so that it does
time do
not
run
to
the
other
blessing o t at his hand and
not become a
sacrifice to the
extreme
place not more
then it will much restrain
you
belly
religion in external
from using it against him.
abstinence and fastings than
4.
See
by
faith
the blood
of
10. Do not
over
persuade
you ought.
Know
your own
Christ as the purchasing
any
to eat
when there
is no
condition
and how far either
cause of
all
you have; and
need .
fasting or eating is
really
a
then surely
you
will have
11. When
you
feel your
help or a hindrance
to
you in
more
reverence
for his blood
appetites strong against
those g r e t ~ r things which
than
to cast
the
fruit of
it into better
reason
and
conscience
are their
ends
and so far
use
the sink of sensuality and to
check them and
resolve
that
them. In
cheerful
temperance
throw t upon the dunghill.
they shall not
be pleased
.
preserve your health and
5.
Forget not how the first
12. Remember what the
subdue inappropriate desires.
sin came into the world by
body
is
and what it will
eating the forbidden fruit. 0
shortly be
and how
sin not as your first parents
loathsome and
vile
it will
be
3 TIlE COUNSEL
of
Chalcedon ayl ]nne, 1995