Exercising Temperance

I've spent a lot of time realizing that I've made food an idol - I turn to it before I turn to God and that is wrong! Will there be more people in hell over gluttony than other, seemingly gross sins?  Makes you think.  I'm not saying that all obese people are sinning, I'm just realizing in myself that I sometimes turn to food for comfort instead of God and I occasionally eat to excess.  I guess that is a public confession of my faults.  I didn't get 40 pounds overweight from exercising temperance!


Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

The scripture is in the context of referring to the enemies of the cross.  The part where it says "whose God is their belly" really makes you think.  It could be talking about the sensual appetites of the flesh and it very well could be referring to self-indulgence (gluttony) and those that worship food and their appetites.  Then in Romans 16:18, the Bible talks about serving your own belly.  Have you ever really thought on that?

Here is Henry's commentary on the verse:

Whose God is their belly. They minded nothing but their sensual appetites. A wretched idol it is, and a scandal for any, but especially for Christians, to sacrifice the favour of God, the peace of their conscience, and their eternal happiness to it. Gluttons and drunkards make a god of their belly, and all their care is to please it and make provision for it. The same observance which good people give to God epicures give to their appetites.

In the Christian world, not much attention is given to gluttony, as most don't want to define it because they may be guilty of it, but we should:

Gluttony - excess of eating or drinking; greedy or excessive indulgence

So when I eat the whole pie, isn't that excess of eating?  Or is it also when I eat 2 slices, which is more than I need?  Why do we think that we are never gluttonous and since when can we decide what is excess and what is not?  It is, what it is.  We can't get around it, gluttony is a sin, just as adultery is.  Gluttony brings with it consequences - obesity, knee/back/joint problems from holding excess weight, organ problems from excess fat pushing against them, heart problems because it has to beat faster the larger you are, and on and on.

If we can't control our eating and always eat to excess, we need to ask forgiveness and then start exercising temperance; self control, which is a fruit of the Spirit of God living in us.