Is it a sin for a Christian to be Obese

This article is in response to another article I read this morning titled: Should a Christian Drink.  I thought on this during my entire 5 mile run today and couldn’t help but notice (not on the author’s part … but on his toe-the-line argument) a degree of hypocrisy.   Let me explain.  The basic premise of his article was as follows,


“This is a post for professing Christians not regarding alcohol as much as the process of sanctification and personal holiness…



I’ll say it: I think drinking alcohol is a sin. I think the Bible clearly addresses the issue. I think Christians have made a black and white issue gray.



Context: I often hear from folks who would know, that one of the huge issues killing the effectiveness of churches today is that of social drinking. No one argues over drunkenness. But everyone seems to argue over how drunk is sinfully drunk.



Last week I attended a wonderful conference of church leaders and we spent quite a bit of time on this sensitive issue. There was (from what I could tell) 100% agreement that Christians should not drink alcohol. But no one in the room seemed willing to step over the line and call it sin. The political-correct dancing around the topic was almost amusing to watch.”

The complete article can be read at: https://jeffljohnson.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/should-the-christian-drink-imo-nope/



While I have never drank alcohol … the Bible does not say that drinking alcohol, in itself, is a sin.  It is an issue of Christian liberty.  Christian liberty is a discussion it itself, but with that being said … the Bible implores us to “not let our good be evil spoken of.”  Churches need to do a better job in helping their people respond to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis and life circumstances.  The goal is to give glory to God in what we do, say, or where we go.  This understanding will solve the to drink or not to drink issue.



Let me answer this by posing another question; one to which there is much need.  Is it a sin for a Christian to be obese?  That question is of more practical importance than asking if it is a sin for Christian to drink.  A few years back I weighed in at 240 pounds.  I was obese and it was a sin.  I would not admit this until I read a verse one day and it struck me between the eyes that God is comparing gluttony (in all its forms) to the sin of drunkenness.  Gluttony (in the form of food) is loose living ... as the Hebrew words describes.  Is eating ice-cream a sin ... no.  Is eating too much ice-cream a sin ... yes.  And if not disciplined will manifest itself in a very visible and unhealthy way.

Pro 23:21  For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

 

The realization of the truth of that verse settled it for me and I lost 75 lbs. in four months.  I kept it off for about 4 years and then found myself at 230 once again.  This is when I discovered running.  I began running about 2-3 miles per day and regained my normal weight of 180-185 lbs.  My cholesterol has dropped 200 points and all my vitals are in the normal range.  I am placing in the top three in a majority of my 5K and half marathon races.  I am as healthy as I have ever been in my life.  It was when I applied the spiritual principles of “running the race of life” to my physical and spiritual existence that I overcame the sin of obesity.

 

The reason this issue is of such importance is because over 70% of our “spiritual leaders” and body of Christ are obese.  Obesity it is a sin unless there is a real medical condition that causes it.  How can we seek to help people in spiritual disciples when we can’t disciple ourselves to take a fork out of our mouths …. Really. It’s as simple and powerful as that.  The world sees this as if they were to go to a gym and have an obese person leading their workout.  That would be insane.  The same is true with obesity in the Christian life … it should not exist. 

 

So … instead of focusing on whether drinking is or is not a sin … I believe a bigger focus is on realizing obesity is a sin and helping people understand how that impacts their ability to influence their worlds for Christ.

 

While we can debate how much drinking constitutes a sin, we have real evidence that obesity is a sin … just a much a sin as drunkenness.  The whole dietary aspect of the OT law was so that Israel could be healthy.  Everything that God forbids Israel to eat is proven to be bad for us.  While it is not a sin to eat pork … it is not the best of choices.  God knew that and placed it in the dietary aspect of the law given to Israel. 

 

Your body is the Temple of God, and as such, we should strive to take care of it in every way.  I believe it is important for believes to remove this blight from their circles.  If giving glory to God is truly our goal … let’s Get FIT both spiritually and physically.  If that means abstaining from alcohol for the glory of God (even though drinking in itself is not a sin) … so be it.  But with obesity there is no debate.  It is a sin!  My question to you today is:  RU FIT with a Faith that Influences Today?

 

Live OUT LOUD!

Mark Harrell – Habakkuk 2:2