Punishment for Gluttony not Glutton for Punishment

Titus 1:12-13 "Even one of their own prophets has said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith."

I noticed the other day that gluttony is mentioned here with several other sins such as lying and idleness. Gluttony is not a topic you hear talked about much. But it is a sin. Maybe it's too common. I know when I consider it, I become convicted. But when does eating become gluttony?

Gluttony was common among the wealthy in Rome. They would eat till they were full, go make themselves throw up and then go eat some more. Perhaps you have heard of a Vomitorium. Meanwhile, others in Rome starved. As I think of that practice, I wonder how our all-you-can-eat buffets compare. Do the Golden Corral or Ryan's Steak House encourage gluttony? Are we eating more than we need? Isn't gorging yourself on food for the mere pleasure of eating sin? Isn't that gluttony?

We know the Bible encourages us to take strong measures to keep ourselves from gluttony. Proverbs 23:2 says, "put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony." But why? Because gluttony is a sin with consequences. Proverbs 23:21 says, "...gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." First, we notice a connection between gluttony being lazy. We know how after a big thanksgiving dinner, we get sleepy. Why? Because the blood rushes to the stomach so aid in digestion. This makes us drowsy. People who eat to much have trouble staying active.

Also gluttony shows a lack of self control and submission to indulgence that will manifest it's self in other areas and bring a person to disgrace. That is why fasting is a spiritual discipline of self control and refocusing that teaches us temperance. Proverbs 28:7 says, "He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father." Gluttons are bad company. They have a self indulgent attitude that makes them dangerous company to keep.

As Rallys hamburgers points out, "you gotta eat!" However, that is not an excuse to eat whatever and when ever you like. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, "Everything is permissible"— but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"— but not everything is constructive." Sure, we are free to eat what we like. However, what we eat should also be beneficial and constructive to our bodies.

Many of us point to smoking as a sin. We realize that it is a deadly habit that causes the death of hundreds of thousands each year. We remind people that their body is the temple of the Holy spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and that whoeve destroys God's temple will be destroyeded by God (1 Corinthians 3:17). But we don't point out that thousands more die of health problems related to obesity than die of smoking related illness. Convicting?

The sin of gluttony is when your appetitete is uncontrolled, and eating is not about healthy sustenance but about the over indulgence in food to please fleshly cravings. When your stomachs cravings control you more than the word of God you are following after the flesh not the spirit. Is your mind on spiritual or earthly things? What controls you and your eating habitsts? You might as well bow down in the mirror to your new god, your stomach. Some of us have ever enlarging gods. Think about it. Pray about it.

Philippians 3:19 "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things."