The scandal of gluttony (John Newton)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Reformed Covenanter

Cancelled Commissioner
John Newton said, "A propensity to indulgence either in the quantity or quality of food, is a meanness unworthy of a man, still more unsuitable to the character of a Christian, and scandalous in a minister." (Works, 5: 80) Okay, his point about the quality of food is perhaps going too far, nonetheless, he is correct to draw attention to the sin of gluttony. No one is saying that you have to be skin and bone, yet that does not justify the intemperate dietary habits in which we often allow ourselves to indulge.
 
Re. quality of food, this came to mind....

More commonly, I'm thinking of people who spend vast sums on "organic, farm-selected," etc. foods. But would be curious abt. other interpretations.
 
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6. The effectiveness of the temple ministry in the OT would be proportionate to its upkeep and its order according to the command of God, as well as the true spirituality of the service. Who would have thought much of the glory of God, and who would have expected much manifestation of God's glorious presence, if the caretakers were negligent themselves either in its physical upkeep or in the lack of spiritual worship?

And If so much care was demanded of a typical temple, and there was such a glorious manifestation of the presence of God, and so much grief at its ruin, then shouldn't we New Covenant believers be all the more diligent over the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, in a time period when the expectations of the manifestations of God's power in the revelation of His Son are much greater, and the consequences worse for the loss of that manifestation?

And in a time when there is not application of the blood of typical sacrifices, but the one true sacrifice?

Some demons don't come out by anything but fasting and prayer. Is an immoderate person going to have the discipline necessary to deal with some of the uglier spiritual battles that will inevitably come?

And these things I preach to myself first of all.
 
Imagine John Newton visiting America in 2020.

I believe obesity is usually sin-related. Of course, I weigh 230 and eat like a horse (but have not yet eaten a horse....yet...but am willing to try).
 
Another note: People in Papua are amazed when I tell them that the poor people in America are usually the fattest.

Good quality of food usually costs more money. Cheap food is poor quality and unhealthy. It is better Christian stewardship to spend more on that grass-fed steak than all the Dollar Menu meals in the world.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top