A Brief Word On Gluttony
Gluttony is a subject that is frequently experienced but rarely spoken of. Somehow it has successfully snuck off of our modern Christian radar, but alas, it has never left God’s. So what is gluttony? And why is something which seems so innocuous to our modern sensibilities met with such a strong indictment by God in his Word, (Prov. 23:19-21; Phil. 3:19)?
Gluttony is one of the many unruly expressions of the broader category of sin known as sensual indulgence. Sensual indulgence is when the cravings of our flesh push obedience to God’s will out of the driver’s seat of our life; it is when our feelings and desires become the basis for our decision-making—regardless of whether those feelings and desires are morally proper in God’s eyes. Sometimes this means desiring the wrong things—things altogether unholy—but more often it simply means desiring good things wrongly.
In the sin of gluttony, the soul looks for something in food that should only be sought in God. As embarrassing as it is to read in black and white letters, gluttony asks a sandwich or a dessert, or a fine-dining experience to be the source of our fulfillment, security, and comfort. By turning to food for what the soul is made to find in God alone, food becomes to us an idol and we are reduced to the miserable station of being it’s misguided worshipers. At least in the moment, we become “mastered” by the pitiful desires of the flesh, (1 Cor. 6:12). Sadly, this kind of misshapen relationship defines the way that our sinful hearts relate to many otherwise good things in life. The problem is often not the thing itself, but our corrupted way of viewing and/or relating to the good things which God has made.
Instead of enjoying good food, which is no sin, gluttony begins to look for its joy in food. Or perhaps for you it is not necessarily joy that you seek when you overeat. Perhaps for you it is comfort, or distraction, or relief. Sometimes we overeat because we are using the pleasing feelings that accompany a full belly to numb the other hurts and longings we are experiencing in our life. Other times we overeat out of deep-ceded insecurity or self-loathing, or an array of other tectonic heart-cries buried deep down. Regardless of what broken motivation is at the helm, gluttony is the sin of seeking in ‘grams of sugar’ what can only be found in the God of heaven. This is the most important reality to see about the sin of gluttony; we need to realize that the real hunger that is driving us can only be properly addressed by God. Gluttony is not ultimately a food problem, it is a God problem; it is the bitter fruit of sin’s alienating us from living in the kind of wholly dependent-communion with God that we were first created to enjoy.
But there are other facets to gluttony as well. The greatest part of our sin is toward God, but in gluttony we also sin against others and ourself. For example, overindulgence is connected to selfishness and greed. Over-consumption can sometimes have the direct result of leaving another with too little. We have no doubt had this experience when another member of our household opens the fridge to find that some ingredient they needed has already been gobbled up by another. We can also think about the effects of selfishness and greed with respect to the global impact that a gluttonous national culture can have on other countries, (especially those with less natural resources).
Overindulgence is also connected to poor stewardship. Not only can gluttony be a mismanagement of the finances God has entrusted to us, it can also be a mismanagement of the body which God has entrusted to us. Extravagant spending on meals means less resources for other more important areas of life. Likewise, overeating is connected to a plethora of negative health impacts which can encumber our ability to be as useful in our service to the Lord.
Maybe it is a bit shocking to recognize some of these layers that have been hidden away underneath what is generally considered a rather docile sin. Yet, when we look a little closer, we see that overindulgence in the smorgasbord of earthly delights has many unsavory effects:
Gluttony robs God of glory by erecting an idol in his place, (Phil. 3:19).
Gluttony robs our fellow man of his basic needs, (Heb. 13:16).
Gluttony robs our bank account of potential kingdom impact (Prov. 23:20-21).
Gluttony robs our bodies of their full measure of Christian service, (I Cor. 6:19-20).
From this vantage point, God’s strong distaste for the sin of gluttony—along with the many other forms of sensual indulgence—no longer seems so far afield. When the cravings of our sinful flesh have a white-knuckle grip on the ordering of our lives, the tragic effects ripple far and wide.
The bread of earth is good and necessary. It is a part of God’s good design that we not only need regular nourishment, but also that we find pleasure in the vast array of flavors represented throughout God’s world. Our daily bread is to be received with thanksgiving unto God and a content heart, (I Tim. 4:4; 6:8). Yet, the bread of earth is never to be misunderstood as a substitute for the Bread of Heaven. The Father has sent only one precious meal that can satisfy those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, (Matt. 5:3-6). All the earth’s pleasures can ultimately do nothing to meet the famine of the soul, (Isaiah 55:1-3). Only in Christ do gluttonous sinners find their guilt before God forgiven and their spiritual famine ended. Only in Christ is there a rich and satisfying feast that can truly heal and nourish the longings of the soul.
May we recognize where we are looking to food for what we were made to find in God, and may we turn our hearts to him in faith.