How many people know about this sin, Do you beileve it?

Question

In 1 Corintians 3 in the Bible, Paul speaks to his fellow Christians lecturing them and criticizing their behavior. Most of the passage deals with the duties of Christians. Yet, in verses 16-17, Paul states:

" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
--1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Most people associate that verse with the abuse of substances, such as alcohol and drugs. I interpret this verse to mean, You should avoid anything that can destroy your body, as your body is sacred and holy.

So, I began to ponder. Everyday many of us consume unhealthy food. Many people OVER-consume unhealthy food. This unfortunate reality leads to high cholesterol, heart problems, and obesity, among others. Now, America is criticized even on this site, as being fat and lazy. Though i disagree, I am aware that obesity is increasing among our country. There are many reasons behind this, but that is not the point of this post.

It came to my attention, that the Bible also criticizes gluttony, or excessive eating and drinking. The Bible condems gluttony in the following passages:

"Be not among winebobbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."
-- Proverbs 23:20-21

"Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."
--Phillipians 3:17

Thus, do you think that Obesity could be condsidered a sin?

Answer 1

Yes, unless you have some sort of medical condition....... like my dad has a thyroid problem that prevents him from losing weight.

Answer 2

Not necessarily. Gluttony involves a state of mind. The dictionary defines a glutton as "a person with a remarkably great desire or capacity for something" or "a person with an inordinate capacity to receive or withstand something". They greedily desire more and more to the point of making themselves ill. This greed is what God hates. (1 Cor 6:9, 10)

Obesity can be a sign of gluttony, but that's not always the case. Some people are heavy because of their genetics, hormone imbalance or metabolism. Obesity is a state of being "Extremely fat; grossly overweight" whereas gluttony is a mental attitude. A person can be thin and gluttonous.

Nonetheless whether one is heavy or thin, they want to do things for the sake of God's glory and don't want to be known as pleasure-seekers. They'd want to do what they can to live a healthy life. (1 Cor 10:31)

Answer 3

No I dont think it is a sin. Most people who are obese are that way not because of eating too much but just from eating the wrong types of foods. There also a lot of people who are obese but it has nothing to do with what they eat its genetic or an actual disease. So no I dont think you could say that being obese is a sin. I do agree that we are supposed to take care of our bodies and not defile them and fill them with unhealthy things, but when all that we create is not healthy then there is not much you can do about it. I do notice that we are starting to move towads fresh and organic foods now. I think that is a good thing. Perhaps we can start building healthier children and better futures.

Answer 4

Anything in excess is not good. Obesity is not a sin, in it's self as there are other reasons for obesity other than gluttony. Some medical problems and medicines cause obesity. However, deliberately eating, drinking, smoking in excess and many many other activities that put a person in danger.
My view? When a person causes pain or discomfort, emotional or physical, to another, that is the sin. Most people have someone who love them or must take care of them when they are sick, drunk, obese, have disease...either physically or monetarily.

Answer 5

Obesity isn't however gluttony itself could probably be considered a sin. You do have to take into consideration that some people eat for reasons other than gluttony same as an alcoholic. It's not all about abusing one's body but also what preceded it. (I believe people should help those who seek it.)
I just can't see taking everything in the Bible literally and in black and white terms, meanings get lost or diluted in translation and re-writing.

Answer 6

hmmm...excellent question

i do not wish to condemn anyone, but i personally think that stuffing your face constantly and eating unhealthy food instead of healthy food and not trying to lose weight could be considered 'a sin'

'sin' is not an expression that i like to use!

i understand that people can turn to eating as a source of comfort to help them deal woth pressures of life or hardship.
i have close friends that do this, so i am aware of what people may be going through

however, these people need to be aware that it IS slowly destryoing thier bodies. we all have a choice whether or not to eat healthy food

we are so lucky that we can just go to the supermarket and buy whatever we want.

people in third world countries can only eat what is available. we are so spoilt that we have a large variety to choose from!

therefore, we are able to make our own decisions and we should be buying healthy food

if you have an eating problem, you should tak to someone and GET HELP FOR IT

if you are overweight, dont keep eating and igmore it. admit you have a problem, talk to someone and get help. consult a dietician, go to the gym, have a personal trainer

contact a weight loss agency!! they are REALLY GOOD and are commited to helping you

it is not impossible to acheive! you can do it!
:-) :-) :-)

there is enough help out there, so saying that ' i cant lose weight!' is not an excuse

'when there's a will, theres a way'

ask God to help you! He will never leave you, for you all are His precious children!

God bless and good luck to all who are trying ot lose weight!!

Answer 7

Interesting thought process there. I would not say that obesity is a sin. No. Overeating, food addiction, would be the sin. People are obese for more reasons than just overeating or gluttony... you should be careful in judging fat people.

By the way, your interpertation of that verse is very expansive. I believe it is referring specifically to sexual sin/fornication.

Answer 8

This is going to sound so far out that you might have trouble believing it.

I am not concerned with specific sins, especially of others. And no, I am not considered obese. Never have been.

I am more concerned with the relationship that I have with God through Jesus Christ. My eyes are busy looking in that direction. If I do look at myself long enough I will hate what I see. I don't like myself very much at all. Haven't for years and that's perhaps a product of my prior willingness to commit suicide. That was around the time that I got saved.

So I look for things in the Bible that lead me to playing the song of Salvation ( so to speak) , and not merely playing the notes. The Spirit of God led me to look at things this way.

I feel sorry for Paul with what he had to write, the Corinthian Church was very unsupportive in particular, and full of looking on the flesh for spiritual things. I choose not to do those things. And I know that if God wants to change me, He will. Not only because He has already done much work upon me, but because He promised it.

Answer 9

It would depend. Some people have a genetic problem where they just can't lose weight. However gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins. If you were like the Romans were and just pigged out, only because you could, then maybe. But I would't worry about it.

Answer 10

Yes, obesity is a sin. God wants us to eat healthy and take care of our bodies.

All sin is serious stuff, but we need to remember that God forgives us all the sins we surrender to Him. If we do not, then we suffer the consequences of those sins. God wants to protect us. : )

Answer 11

"Sin" is subjective and relative to each person. If a person chooses to believe that something is a sin, through their own reckoning or by taking the word of another that something is a sin, then it's a sin. Just because someone says, or believes, something is a sin, doesn't necessarily make it so.

Although, I will agree that there are some act(ion)s that are universally a sin; but I will not agree that >everything< someone chooses to label a sin is a sin.