In the not-too-distant past, I attended a lovely wedding, every part of that celebration was well thought out and planned; the bride was on time (imagine that) and the ceremony ran like clockwork. From the moment the guests entered the reception venue decadent morsels were served in quantity. No-one was left hungry while awaiting the arrival of the newly married couple. The caterer was to be commended on the most sumptuous meal.
I ate all that I could to the point of not having enough room in my stomach for the main course, but I made room the moment I laid eyes on the buffet fare, as that too was much too fine to not partake. I, now blimp-like, knew that I had had much more than I needed. I had purposely engaged in an unhealthy overindulgence of food.
There’s an affliction that has infected many people – it’s an
excessive appetite for the things of the world. John warned us of this…
“Do not love the world nor
the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father
is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh
and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from
the Father, but is from the world.” –
1 John 2:15-16 (NASB)
Feeding excessively on things of this world cause us to miss
out on heavenly things.
We are living in a hungry time, where enough is never
enough, we could always do with a little more and for some, much much more. This
is gluttony.
Gluttony is that sin which is usually associated with food
but it is not just about overeating, as I did at that wedding, it has to do
with an obsessive love of any materialistic pleasure or delight.
King Solomon said this concerning gluttony,
“When you sit down to eat with
someone important, keep in mind who he is. If you have a big appetite, restrain
yourself. Don't be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to
trick you.” – Proverbs 23:1-3 (GNT)
This man of great God-given wisdom is telling us that our
gluttonous behaviour can make us an easy target for other gluttons to fleece us
and feed upon us to indulge their own greedy nature. Gluttony has made thieves
of many.
Roman Catholic theology lists gluttony as a venial sin, an
unintentional or lesser sin that leads to more grievous sin. In other words, sin
leads to more sin. (see James 1:14-15)
Gluttony is consumed with the flesh and therein lies the
danger to your spiritual journey. This overconsumption of the material will
only leave you spiritually ruined as it stands contrary to the will of God.
Gluttons “are really enemies of
the cross of Christ” (verse 18) since
they do not “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (see
Matthew 5:6), instead they elevate their desire above God; their desire is
their god.
But before you do, listen, the sin is not in the having, for
Jesus Himself tells us,
“…your heavenly Father knows that
you need them. But first and most importantly seek (aim at,
strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and
being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will
be given to you also.” – Matthew 6:32-33 (AMP)
The sin is in the loving; it is in the loss of control to
the desires of the body; it’s in the letting the flesh dictate and ignoring the
guidance of the Spirit. Know that this sin of gluttony leads to destruction.
“They are headed for destruction. Their god is their
appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life
here on earth.” – Philippians 3:19 (NLT)
What shall your destiny be? Will you change direction or
stay on the path to destruction?
The good news is that there is a cure for gluttony, it is in
the cup of repentance – a tonic that promotes a holy appetite.
Beloved, I shall leave you to chew on this from the Book of
Wisdom,
“Have two goals: wisdom—that is,
knowing and doing right—and common sense. Don’t let them slip away, for
they fill you with living energy and bring you honor and respect. They keep you
safe from defeat and disaster and from stumbling off the trail.” – Proverbs 3:21-23 (TLB)
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “Let us Repent of…Gluttony” © March 24, 2025
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