So whether you eat or drink, or whatever
you do, do it for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
It’s an oxymoron for a Christian to say any sin is acceptable. No sin is okay with God and believers should feel the same way.
And yet, let’s face it…many times, we live as though there are sins God either cares less about or overlooks because He understands how hard they are not to do. Or, we may not realize or think something is a sin.
For example, gluttony.
Why might we think gluttony is okay?
Well, there may be many reasons. Afterall, it is rather hard to define.
So, let’s see what Scripture says.
Table of Contents
Gluttons Overindulge – Proverbs 23:20-21
Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons,
for they are on their way to poverty,
and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
Notice three words: drunkards, gluttons, and sleep. What do all three have in common in these verses? Overindulgence. Drinking too much alcohol makes you drunk, overeating food makes you gluttonous, and sleeping too much makes you lazy. And these behaviors lead to poverty.
Do you agree? Have you seen it happen?
Earlier, Solomon says he’s writing thirty sayings filled with advice and knowledge (Prov 22:20). These verses are “Saying 15.”
The NLT Study Bible explains it this way: “Discipline is necessary for living a wise and balanced life. Overindulgence in drink (drunkards, see also Prov 23:29-35), food (gluttons, see also Prov 23:1-3), or sleep (see also Prov 10:5; 19:15) results in poverty.”
Jesus is Accused of Being a Glutton – Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say
“He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!”
But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.
In this verse, you can learn a couple of things.
First, those who accused Jesus (the Son of Man) of being a glutton and drunkard did so because he didn’t abstain like John the Baptist did (see v. 18). Instead, Jesus ate and drank freely.
In fact, He ate with tax collectors. Jesus’ accusers considered them the scum of the earth and horrible sinners. The religious leaders were outraged when Jesus accepted Matthew’s invitation to dine with him and later told Zaccheus he was going to his house to eat. Eating and drinking with tax collectors made Jesus a glutton in His accusers’ eyes.
Second, Jesus’ accusers were wrong. They didn’t accept Him because they didn’t have ears to hear Him or John the Baptist (see v. 15). They were looking for any excuse to reject Him, even to the point of making things up.
Dealing With a Rebellious Son – Deuteronomy 21:20
The parents must say to the elders,
“This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and
refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.”
The passage ( Prov 21:18-21) is about a stubborn and rebellious son who refuses to obey his parents even though they discipline him. The parents are to bring the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate and tell them what’s happening.
The consequence is for the men to stone him to death in order to purge the evil from the community and cause fear among the people (much like a child will obey because they fear the punishment for disobedience).
I can’t imagine how disobedient a child would have to be to cause parents to take this action knowing the punishment. But we don’t live in the world of the patriarchs and it would be impossible to purge sin from our community.
Understanding and accepting that the world was different back then is essential. And being grateful we are no longer under the OT Law.
If this passage causes concern, read what Got Questions says. They go into more context and detail.
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Can Gluttony Be More Than Food?
According to Relevant Magazine, gluttony is “the constant hunt for more over what is enough,” and “the soul’s addiction to excess.”
This definition can be subjective, meaning a believer must rely on the Holy Spirit’s conviction when it’s not apparent.
When you refuse to obey your parents and are stubborn and rebellious, those are clear signs of sin. When you get drunk, the Bible calls that sin (Eph 5:18). But when you overeat, it’s familiar and acceptable; it’s more challenging to know when you’ve crossed the line.
Webster defines gluttony as 1) excess in eating or drinking, 2) greedy or excessive indulgence.
You can also read what Got Questions says about whether gluttony is a sin.
What do you think?
Is gluttony the soul’s addiction to excess in every area or just food?
Where do you think it falls under the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the boastful pride of life (1 John 2:16)? Or, as the NLT puts it: “a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, or pride in our achievements and possessions?”
Final Thoughts
Scripture points to gluttony as being a sin and, therefore, unacceptable. Not in those exact words, but you can conclude it by looking at the three verses above. They show:
- This is a warning to not feast with gluttons because it is part of what leads to poverty.
- A false accusation against Jesus, saying He was a glutton and a drunkard because He ate freely and with tax collectors.
- An OT example of a rebellious son who was a drunkard and a glutton. Gluttony was clearly part of the evil that required the son’s death. Remember, keeping the evil out of the Israelite community was the goal.
However, Scripture always couples gluttony and drunkenness together, so it’s unclear what all gluttony encompasses. It for sure means food, but there may be room to connect it with overindulgence in other areas as well. It may also be a self-absorbed lifestyle.