Let’s answer your question. Is gluttony a sin?
Gluttony is a Sin
It’s Destructive
Gluttony is sinful because it destroys us. It ruins our health and gives others a bad impression. The Bible links it with laziness, carousing, and drunkenness:
Hear, my son, and be wise…. Do not be among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags” (Proverbs 23:19-21).
It’s Controlling
God expects us to do everything we can to nurture our bodies and live disciplined lives. Overeating becomes habitual, and like any vice, it controls us. The Apostle Paul counseled us:
“All things are lawful to me,” but not all things are helpful…. I will not be brought under the power of anything. “Food is for the belly, and the belly is for food,” but God will destroy both of them” (1 Corinthians 6:12-13).
It’s Undisciplined
Because Jesus came and died in our place to save us, God expects the believer to live a disciplined life. This age isn’t the time for Christians to dedicate their lives to partying (1 Corinthians 4:8-13). And the Bible pairs gluttony with carousing.
It’s Inappropriate
Jesus was asked why His disciples don’t fast (fasting suggests mourning).
“ Jesus answered, “Can the guests of the bridegroom (Jesus) mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15).
It’s Unrestrained
The Apostle Paul was “in danger every hour” because he testified to wicked men, who tried to harm and silence him, that Jesus was raised from the dead. He asked why he’d endanger himself if Jesus weren’t raised from the dead. In that case, he might as well spend his time partying “for tomorrow we die.”
“And why do we stand in danger every hour? … If … I have fought with beasts (a metaphor for evil men) at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me if the dead do not rise? “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:30, 32).
An Example of Gluttony
Eli’s Downfall
Eli, the high priest in Israel who ministered in the eleventh century B.C., ruined his life through gluttony. And God removed the priesthood from Eli’s descendants because he and his sons didn’t control their appetites.
God allowed the priests to share in a portion of the sacrifices the Jews brought to the temple as offerings to God. However, the best of the offerings, i.e., the fat of the offerings, belonged to the Lord:
“All the fat belongs to the Lord” (Leviticus 3:16).
Eli’s Crime
However, Eli’s sons took excessive portions of the offerings, including the fat. God chastised Eli for his role in their sin. Eli scolded his sons for their actions, but when they brought the offerings to the dinner table,
Eli shared their bounty. God charged Eli with his sin:
“Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering, which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?” (1 Samuel 2:29).
Eli’s Eulogy
Eli became fat from eating the excess offerings, and consequently, the Holy Spirit included Eli’s weight when He gave Eli’s eulogy:
“When he (the messenger) mentioned the (capture of the) ark of God, Eli fell from off the seat backward…. And his neck broke and he died, for he was an old and heavy man” (1 Samuel 4:18).
Summary
***Gluttony is a sin because it’s destructive, controlling, undisciplined, and unrestrained.
***The Bible links gluttony with laziness, carousing, and drunkenness. It suggests a partying attitude that’s inappropriate for a Christian whose Savior died for them.
***Eli is a Biblical example of someone whose actions were controlled by his gluttony. His sin had eternal consequences because God removed the high priesthood from Eli’s descendants.
