Gluttony

Proverbs 23:19-21

Main Idea: Jesus can rescue from gluttony.

1. Overindulgence Is Deadly (23:19-20).
2. Jesus Can Free Us from Overindulgence (23:20-21).

Dr. Bill Cutrer was one of my dad’s best friends, and he was also my mom’s ob-gyn. He delivered my three brothers and me ( Jon). In fact, when my mom was pregnant with my twin brother and me, she had to be put on bed rest. My parents stayed at the Cutrers’ house during that whole time. He also showed my wife and me an ultrasound of our daughter Maddy before she was born. He was a great friend to our family, and he died a couple years ago from unexpected heart failure. But one of the things I found out at his funeral that I did not know was that when my dad first met Bill, it was at a men’s dinner at the church where my dad was the associate pastor. My dad just so happened to sit at the table where Bill was sitting, and they struck up a conversation. Bill was a very funny guy, and he liked to pick at you a little. So the first thing that Bill ever said to my dad—who was in seminary at the time and a little bit heavier than he should have been—was, “You know, I noticed that Baptist preachers love to preach against alcohol and smoking, but you never talk about gluttony. Why is that?” That eventually led to a friendship where they began to run together and train for a marathon.

What Bill said jokingly is actually pretty accurate. Most people have never heard a sermon on gluttony, but most people have heard sermons on the evils of smoking, gambling, and alcohol. This study will address the alcohol and gluttony issues. The Bible says in the book of Proverbs that a lack of self-control when it comes to your appetite for food or drink is foolish and destructive.

When was the last time you heard a sermon on gluttony? Fundamentalist Christianity, especially in the South, really loves to bash alcohol but does not want to touch gluttony. Why? Well probably because gluttony hits a little too close to home. After all, it is so well known that Baptists love to eat that people often make jokes about it. If you asked somebody on the street, “What are Baptists known for?” you would probably get two responses: fighting and potlucks! One man said at the Southern Baptist Convention a number of years ago that the SBC is the only convention where you find the donut vendor right next to the sermon tapes! We joke about that, but one of the big problems of fundamentalism has been condemning the sins of others while ignoring our own sins. Often we are unable to inspect ourselves the way we inspect the world. It is a massive issue, and preachers are guilty of playing into it. A pastor can stand in a pulpit every Sunday and preach hard—really hard—against sin, and everyone says of the pastor things like, “He tells it like it is.” “He is a hellfire and brimstone preacher.” “He’s not afraid to call sin, ‘sin.’” And the preacher can get a lot of “amens” doing that. And yet, he really is a coward because he does not touch the sins of his congregation but only those of the people outside his religious community. We can give the impression that what God really cares about is homosexuality, drug addictions, and wild partying, but he is not all that concerned about judgmentalism, self-righteousness, and gluttony!

Gluttony is a major problem in America and in the church. It is often an avoided topic because so many of us struggle with it. We also tend to think it’s just a physical issue, not really a gospel issue. Unfortunately, it seems that Michelle Obama and The Biggest Loser have taught Americans more biblical principles about food than the church has. Preachers notwithstanding, the Bible is absolutely concerned with overindulgence and gluttony.

We like to bash alcohol and its dangers; and rightly we should because it destroys family ties, social lives, physical health, and even life itself. Yes, we should talk about the dangers of alcohol, but we should be honest about the fact that gluttony is also a big a problem in America. It can be just as deadly. We are eating ourselves to disease and death. Let’s look at some stats to back that statement up—some are humorous, but others are not quite so funny.

In 1957 a fast food hamburger weighed one ounce and was 210 calories. Today a fast food hamburger averages about six ounces and 618 calories. In 1957 a McDonald’s burger, fries, and Coke totaled 590 calories; today a “supersized” Quarter Pounder meal notches 1,550 calories. If you eat a Big Mac and large fries and drink a large Coke, you will have to walk non-stop for six hours to burn off the calories. In 1957 a box of movie theater popcorn was three cups and 170 calories; currently it averages sixteen cups and 900 calories. There are more than 160,000 fast-food restaurants in America. Fifty million Americans eat fast food daily, and $110,000,000 is spent on it annually.

What is the result? Women are at a double risk for heart failure. There has been a 50-percent rise in Type 2 diabetes that is primarily caused by obesity. A survey done of 813 overweight Louisiana school children showed that 58 percent had at least one heart disease risk factor such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or insulin levels (D. Akin, “Vanity of Happy Meal Christianity”). In the 1950s, 9.7 percent of American adults were considered clinically obese; today the United States leads the world with an obesity rate of more than 30 percent—yes, we are number one! We have the highest rate of calorie consumption per capita in the world. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past thirty years. In 2010 more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. Let that soak in. Why is this happening? The CDC says it is a result of “caloric imbalance.” Translation: we eat too much and are not active enough! Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, bone and joint problems, and sleep apnea, and as adults increased risks for types of cancer (“Childhood Obesity Facts”).

We are literally eating ourselves to death. We are unable to control our appetites. Our lack of self-control with money, sex, drink, and food will kill almost every American before any terrorist or foreign army. If we would just listen to God’s Word we could be instructed in wisdom in this vital area.

Listen, my son, and be wise;

keep your mind on the right course.

Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine

or with those who gorge themselves on meat.

For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,

and grogginess will clothe them in rags. (Prov 23:19-21)

Overindulgence Is Deadly

Proverbs 23:19-20

God created the world good, and everything in it worked right. The Creator gave good gifts to his creation for people to enjoy with grateful and worshiping hearts. He gave us things like food, drink, and sex to be enjoyed in the right context and to move us to worship him. The problem is that humanity rebelled against God’s word and departed from God’s design, which led to brokenness. In our brokenness, our affections focus on the gifts rather than the Giver! So now we do not use God’s gifts in ways he intended, but rather we use them in ways that he forbids because he knows it will be harmful to us. Food becomes gluttony, drink becomes drunkenness, and sex becomes fornication and adultery. The gifts in and of themselves are not bad things—they are good things—but we turn them into ultimate things, and they become bad for us. Food is not bad thing. You have to eat to live, and there are times of feasting that are a means of worshiping God. Sex is not a bad thing. It is a great gift to be enjoyed rightly in heterosexual marriage. Drink is not bad in and of itself, but these things become bad when we use them in ways God did not intend—namely, overindulgence.

The subject is complicated by the fact that it is hard to define gluttony. It is not bad to eat or even to want food because we need it to survive, and God gave it to us for our enjoyment! But it is bad to overeat or to eat a wrong thing or to lack self-control when it comes to eating. Balance is needed. The normal routine is to eat in moderation with times for fasting and feasting. It is not only difficult to define gluttony because eating is a good thing, but it is also difficult because the Bible does not equate gluttony with being overweight. There are numerous reasons why someone might be overweight that are not necessarily linked to gluttony or overeating. Some people are predisposed to certain things. Furthermore, you may be as skinny as a rail and still be a glutton—just a glutton blessed with a fast metabolism.

So how do you know when you have crossed the line? John Piper defines gluttony as a craving for food or drink that masters you (“How Can I Conquer Gluttony?”). If I ( Jon) am completely honest, that is me! I am mastered by food. So gluttony can be eating too much or drinking too much. An addiction to food or drink that you cannot control is gluttony. Gluttony—and we will walk through some of this in Proverbs—can be eating food that is too rich or costly (too often), or it can be eating too soon or at inappropriate times. I used to frequently have a “fourth meal” at Taco Bell, and I like the Hobbits’ idea of “second breakfast” and “elevensies.” Gluttony can be eating bad food coupled with inactivity. Gluttony can be eating too fast so that your stomach doesn’t catch up with your eyes. Or gluttony can be eating without gratitude to God for his provision.

Therefore, the issue is not when we use these things in ­moderation—even beverage alcohol according to the Bible. The issue is overuse. As we have said, many in modern Christianity bash alcohol while practicing gluttony; but these verses place meat in the same category as wine. The warning is about the overuse of alcohol and its hazards as well as the danger of overusing food. And if we miss how great the temptation to overindulge food is, it might be helpful to know that the word for meat here literally refers to “the meat next to the bone” (Waltke, Proverbs, Chapters 15–31, 256)—the yummiest part!

As we walk through these verses let’s be honest about what the Bible says and submit to it. The Bible does not condemn the consumption of alcohol in moderation (though the principles of wisdom and witness in our cultural context may lead us to abstain); it condemns the overuse of it. And we should not make unsustainable arguments like saying the wine in the Bible was just grape juice. There would be no warnings against drunkenness if the drink was not fermented. We think it is safe to say that the alcohol content was not as high then as many drinks today, but it was actual wine (Stein, “Wine-Drinking in New Testament Times”). Every word for wine in the Old Testament and the New Testament referred to an alcoholic drink (i.e., what Noah drank in Gen 9:21, the new wine in Hos 4:11, the sweet wine in Isa 49:26, or the communion wine that congregants got drunk on in 1 Cor 11:21).

So, as with food, there are two sets of texts in the Bible on wine: warnings and commendations. Proverbs has many warnings about the dangers of alcohol and its consequences. Proverbs 23:29-35 gives a vivid description of this, even describing the spinning sensation of drunkenness.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has conflicts? Who has complaints?

Who has wounds for no reason?

Who has red eyes?

Those who linger over wine;

those who go looking for mixed wine.

Don’t gaze at wine because it is red,

because it gleams in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

In the end it bites like a snake

and stings like a viper.

Your eyes will see strange things,

and you will say absurd things.

You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea

or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.

“They struck me, but I feel no pain!

They beat me, but I didn’t know it!

When will I wake up?

I’ll look for another drink.”

The Bible warns that alcohol will destroy you, and it is right. Sadly, there are too many instances of this reality to count. My ( Jon’s) mother, Charlotte, grew up in a Baptist children’s home because of an alcoholic dad and mom who could not care for her. My adopted cousin was born with fetal alcohol syndrome because of a biological mother who drank throughout her pregnancy. When she was little, my cousin would sit and bang her head against a wall for an hour as a result of the disease. These biblical warnings and sober tales need to be told in the midst of a culture that celebrates and laughs at drunkenness. Brad Paisley’s song “Alcohol” giggles at how with alcohol you have had some of the best times you won’t remember and that it teaches white people how to dance. Even in some Christian circles there is the expectation that children will go wild in college. The Bible says that what overindulging in alcohol can do is not funny, and tragically we know that all too well in our society.

And yet, we must be honest that the Bible also commends wine in a certain context. Exodus 29:40 refers to a drink offering, and Deuteronomy 14:24-26 describes a party with food and wine as a means of worship. Psalm 104:14-15 says,

He causes grass to grow for the livestock

and provides crops for man to cultivate,

producing food from the earth,

wine that makes human hearts glad—

making his face shine with oil—

and bread that sustains human hearts.

Sex, we all admit, can be used rightly or wrongly. Sex in heterosexual marriage is good, while adultery is condemned as sinful. Too many people view wine like adultery (i.e., sinful sex) instead of viewing it like sex itself, which can be used rightly or wrongly. Not every use of alcohol is sinful. Discernment is required. You must know yourself. Some need to avoid wine at all cost because of possible addiction or because they are underage. In many situations and contexts it is not a bad practice to abstain from alcohol as a matter of wisdom. After all, you will never get addicted if you never take the first drink. Or one might abstain as a matter of witness—not wanting others to stumble. Paul tells the church at Rome to consider witness, but he also tells them to be charitable to each other. Let people make their own choices and do not judge them. We have freedom here to make different choices (Rom 14), but they need to be wise choices.

Overindulging food (gluttony) or drink (drunkenness) is always unwise and deadly. Proverbs says it leads to poverty (23:21), and we also can observe this in our culture. Gluttony leads to poverty for all kinds of reasons. Some people get fired because of an addiction that affects their work. Others perform poorly at work because they are lethargic after eating a huge lunch, and their supervisors notice their lack of productivity when reviews come around. Others overspend on food they want—eating out at restaurants constantly or going to bars—which leads to financial troubles. Some have to spend lots of money on health costs because of their unhealthy lifestyle. The sage knew what he was talking about!

Gluttony is also deadly because it hurts you in social contexts. Proverbs 23:1-3 says,

When you sit down to dine with a ruler,

consider carefully what is before you,

and put a knife to your throat

if you have a big appetite;

don’t desire his choice food,

for that food is deceptive.

This refers to a social context that we are unfamiliar with—eating with the royal family. But we can imagine that it would be nerve-racking! No doubt one would be tempted to overeat when presented with the delicacies that royalty can afford. But I think these verses can have application for eating with an employer today. Longman argues for a broader application as well and explains how the “false” food is a potential trap (Proverbs, 422–23). The food is referred to as deceptive or false because it is possibly a test, or at least an opportunity for the ruler to discern the young man’s character. The ruler—or boss—may be observing to see if the young man lacks self-control and cannot be trusted with key matters, so the scarfed-down meal ends up ruining the career of the young man (Waltke, Proverbs, Chapters 15–31, 238–39). If he overindulges it could be a sign to the king that his appetites are uncontrolled and therefore he cannot really be trusted. That would also be something a boss might observe at a business lunch. Are you able to restrain yourself, or do you seek immediate or over-gratification? If you cannot control yourself, it might cost you the trust of your boss or a possible promotion. The sage says if you struggle in this area, take drastic measures to control it.

I think it can have even broader application. Don’t have eyes that are too big. You sit down to eat and you are starving, so you order way too much. My ( Jon’s) dad always used to get onto me about that. Be self-controlled at meals and enjoy them in moderation, or it will hurt you in social relationships.

Theses verses also seem to indicate that an uncontrolled appetite for delicacies can be a form of gluttony—that is, eating food that is too rich. You have a taste for the best, most expensive foods. As the saying goes, “You eat like a king.”

These verses say that gluttony is to be taken so seriously that you take drastic measures to avoid it, like stabbing a knife into your own gullet! Jesus says something very similar about lust—gouge out your eye (Matt 5:29). It is a hyperbole that urges you to do whatever it takes to curb your tendency to overindulge.

Another reason that gluttony is deadly is because it will make you sick. Proverbs 25:16 says, “If you find honey, eat only what you need; otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.” The principle of this verse applies to all food (Longman, Proverbs, 455). Eating in moderation is good, but if you eat more than you need or too many sweets, you can get sick. Contrary to what the “theologian” Alan Jackson says, too much of a good thing is a not a good thing. If you eat too much you will be uncomfortable, feeling like you have a cinderblock in your chest because you are so overstuffed. You might vomit. You certainly run into health risks, as seen above. The key is knowing when to stop and having the control to be able to do it. Everybody is different, so eating “what you need” is an important clarification. That requires discernment because it may be different from what someone else needs.

The problem here is that we train ourselves to be gluttons. The first time you eat two Big Macs you might feel sick. And you will probably feel sick the second and third times, but by the seventh time you get used to it. Instead of keeping on until you can handle the gluttony, you need to know when to stop!

Proverbs 28:7 says, “A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.” Let’s pick this verse apart. Keeping the Torah is equated with wisdom in the Bible (Deut 4:6). God gives us commands for a reason—he knows what is best for us, so following them is wise. The law commands moderation rather than a lack of self-control when it comes to our diet, and it does so for our good. The lines of this verse are parallel. Therefore, a wise son keeps the law and does not associate with gluttons, whereas a foolish son breaks the law and associates with gluttons, thus dishonoring his family. You disobey God’s law if you are a glutton, which is implied by the fact that the foolish son associates with them. The wages of gluttony according the law is death.

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father or mother and doesn’t listen to them even after they discipline him, his father and mother are to take hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of his hometown. They will say to the elders of his city, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he doesn’t obey us. He’s a glutton and a drunkard.” Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. You must purge the evil from you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid. (Deut 21:18-21)

God’s apparent abhorrence for gluttony is bad news for us because we have all fallen short here. Who has not eaten more than they should? And it is deadly. Gratifying our appetites is disastrous and condemnable.

Jesus Can Free Us from Overindulgence

Proverbs 23:20-21

Gluttony is a spiritual issue, not merely a physical one. Proverbs 9 has shown us that wisdom is personal. Whether or not you walk in the wisdom of Proverbs reveals whether or not you are following Jesus. And foolishness is personal. If you walk in foolishness, it reveals that you are following idols. Gluttony or drunkenness reveals that you have a problem with Jesus and shows that you are following Folly!

If you have a relationship with the Wisdom of God—Jesus—it means Jesus’s Spirit lives inside of you. The fruit that Jesus’s Spirit produces in you includes self-control (Gal 5:22-23). If you have no self-control in the area of sex, food, or drink, it shows you are not following Jesus—not believing the gospel rightly. It is a worship issue. You find your satisfaction in created things rather than the Creator God. That is why Paul describes idolatry as worshiping the stomach as a god (Phil 3:19). You live to eat instead of eat to live. Paul says the destiny for that is destruction.

Since gluttony is a worship or belief issue, it cannot be dealt with merely at the level of behavior modification. There is some value in modifying behavior. Go on a diet, start exercising, and eat smaller portions. But you have to go further than that because without right belief the change will be short lived. That is why so many make New Year’s resolutions to go on a diet and start working out, but by February the treadmill is already collecting dust in the corner.

Our failure should drive us to Jesus and satisfaction in him. Jesus knew when to fast in the wilderness, when to feast at the wedding in Cana, and how to balance! Jesus perfectly kept this law because he knew man does not live by bread alone but by the Word of God. His appetites did not control him; rather, he controlled his appetites. In Matthew 4, when Satan tempted Jesus, he refused to give in to his hunger pangs. What is it like to be really starving and have bread at your fingertips and say, “No!”? Jesus had self-control.

And yet, Jesus was accused of gluttony and drunkenness because of his association with a certain kind of crowd. Proverbs 23:20-21 says not to associate with them, but Jesus was a friend to gluttons and drunks (that’s good news for us)! Luke 7:34 says, “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” Jesus wrongly was accused of being the rebellious son of Deuteronomy 21, and he was condemned to death. Jesus took in our place the punishment we deserved. He was condemned by the elders and executed outside the city—hung on a tree (Deut 21:22-23). Why? Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” His death provides forgiveness for when we fall short, and his Spirit is given to us to produce self-control.

So the positive strategy for battling gluttony and drunkenness is to feast on Jesus—the living water and bread from heaven. If you do that, you will live forever. Satisfaction in Christ will produce self-control so you are able to have a well-balanced diet, feast at appropriate times as a means of worship, and yes, fast to show your dependence on God rather than on bread!

Conclusion

Aren’t you glad that Jesus came to eat and drink with sinners, drunks, and gluttons? He offered himself to save us from our uncontrolled appetites. Feast on and be satisfied in him alone!

Reflect and Discuss

1. Why do we so often avoid the topic of gluttony?
2. In what ways are we eating ourselves to death?
3. In what ways does the culture’s celebration of alcohol obscure its dangers?
4. How would you define gluttony?
5. What does the Bible say about beverage alcohol? Drunkenness?
6. In what ways can gluttony hurt you socially?
7. In what ways does a lack of self-control reveal a problem in your relationship with Jesus?
8. How can Jesus free you from gluttony?
9. What are some things you can practically put in place to modify your behavior in this area?
10. What are some times to feast?