Gluttony is defined as eating or drinking to excess. The Bible has much to say about gluttony and makes it clear that uncontrolled eating and drinking is a sin.
Here are some key points the Bible makes about gluttony:
- Gluttony is listed as one of the seven deadly sins (Proverbs 23:20-21, Philippians 3:19).
- We are to practice self-control and avoid overindulgence (Proverbs 23:1-3, Proverbs 25:16, Titus 1:12).
- Gluttony often leads to laziness and waste (Proverbs 23:20-21).
- God condemns those who live only to satisfy their appetites (Philippians 3:19, Jude 1:12).
- Drunkenness is strongly condemned and associated with gluttony (Deuteronomy 21:20, Proverbs 23:29-35).
- We are to care for our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:31).
- Gluttony is a manifestation of greed – wanting more than we need (Luke 12:13-21).
- Self-indulgence characterizes those who do not know God (Titus 1:12, Jude 1:12).
- Love of pleasure rather than God is a sign of the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-4).
- Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit we are to cultivate (Galatians 5:22-23).
The Bible promotes temperance and moderate eating habits that maintain health and sobriety. Gluttony is strongly associated with moral decay, lack of discipline, greed, and ignoring God’s principles for living. It leads to laziness, drunkedness, waste, and all manner of sin.
Here are some key Bible verses about gluttony and self-control with food and drink:
Gluttony is Condemned as a Sin
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” (Philippians 3:18-19)
“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” (Proverbs 23:21)
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come on you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
We Should Practice Self-Control
“Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.” (Proverbs 23:2-3)
“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” (1 Corinthians 9:25)
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.” (Acts 24:16)
Gluttony Leads to Poverty and Sloth
“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” (Proverbs 23:19-21)
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7)
The Body Should Be Treated as a Temple
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Do Not Live to Satisfy Sinful Desires
“That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:” (1 Peter 4:2-4)
“These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 1:12-13)
Develop Self-Control as a Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25)
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;” (2 Peter 1:5-6)
Avoid Drunkenness
“Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” (Isaiah 5:11)
“Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:10)
“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” (Romans 13:13)
“Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:” (Proverbs 23:20)
Gluttony is a Manifestation of Greed
“Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-21)
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.” (Colossians 3:5-7)
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” (Titus 3:3)
Love of Pleasure More Than God
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
In summary, the Bible clearly indicates that uncontrolled eating and drinking is a sin and form of greed. We are to practice moderation and self-control over bodily appetites. Gluttony often leads to other sins such as sloth, drunkenness and wastefulness. As Christians, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit that we should care for and not abuse. Developing temperance is key to living a godly life and bearing good spiritual fruit. The warnings against gluttony and drunkenness are present throughout Scripture from Old to New Testament. Therefore, overindulgence in food and alcohol is certainly considered a sin to be avoided by followers of Christ.