Is being fat a bad testimony???

Chuck7 · 08-10-2005, 03:50 AM

Is being fat a bad testimony?

I do believe so. Is this a trap question? Hardly. I am writing this for myself. I won't post references because I know you folks know the para phrase verses that I plan to post.
1. "We are the temple of God." In the scripture drunkeness and gluttony are often mentioned together.
2. Gluttony is a sin that the church has winked at.
3. Gluttony is not good for your testimony. As you talk about." I can do all things through Christ that strenghens me."
4 Over eatting dulls the senses which enables us to fully be acute of the Holy Spirit;I beleive that. The opposite...fasting or eatting in moderation somehow helps us to be in tune . How does that work ? I don't know ,it just does.
5. Eli was a fat priest. His sons grossly misused their priestly duties. Eli ended up falling backwards off a fence and died.
6. Paul talks about those who won't carry the cross instead the have made their stomach their God.

Phllipians3:18 (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:

3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their BELLY, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

7. Phillipians4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Men.....For those of youwho this applies..let's do it. Let's repent.And when others say WOW how did you lose all that weight.?Tell them about the hope within.,To you who are serious let's pray one for another. We all have the knowledge of what to eat. We just need to stop making our stomach our god.
Love ya.
Brother Chuck

Leafrivermac · 08-10-2005, 05:25 AM

I don't think being overweight is a bad testimony at all. Being a glutton however is. Somewhere in the bible it says to "eat what is sufficient to thee" (I think). It was a practice among some romans to eat their fill and then purge themselves and eat some more. This I believe is an extreme form of gluttony. However with many people today eating is not the total reason for their being overweight. Many things can contribute to obesity . . .not all of which has to do with over eating.
No . . .I don't think the rail thin standard that we impose upon those that have weight problems should now bleed over into their "right standing" with God. JMHO

Tazman · 08-10-2005, 05:38 AM

My thoughts exactly Brother Mac, there is a distinct difference in being overweight and gluttony.

That being said some one who is grossly obese due to nothing except stuffing thier face is a bad testimony.

I find it repugnant what both the medical community considers the ideal weight for people and despise what the advertising community sells as what is supposed to be normal!

I am 5' 7" and weigh between 205 and 215 depending upon the time of year, according to doctors charts I am obese! There is no consideration given for me being extremely big boned, nor for being a former weight lifter. My legs are like tree trunks, they are solid muscle, I do have a bit of a gut, but that is it.

Normal healthy people do not have 6 packs, nor are they cut!

IMO it is one thing to lose weight for health reasons and a totally other thing to lose it for vanity.

Rebel Hog · 08-10-2005, 06:57 AM

Some pepole have aTyroid condition and other pepole have Low Bood Sugar
and have to increase it by eating. Other pepole have bad eating habits and really
does'nt know better and needs medical help.
I think it's a Sin to stare, make fun of, or talk negetive of a Fat person. If a person
is in perfect shapeand is always braging on himself, I think that is a Sin.

Tazman · 08-10-2005, 07:34 AM

Quote:

If a person is in perfect shapeand is always braging on himself, I think that is a Sin.

Brother Hog I totally concur, it is called vanity, the sad thing is a certain degree of vanity is normal for teenagers and some of them hurt themselves trying to meet what is really a un-natural weight or physique due to what the media potrays as attractive.

Goose 11 · 08-10-2005, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Brother Hog I totally concur, it is called vanity, the sad thing is a certain degree of vanity is normal for teenagers and some of them hurt themselves trying to meet what is really a un-natural weight or physique due to what the media potrays as attractive.

Good post Taz, The biggest problem for teens are: Boys- Lust. Girls- Anarexia. These also prove hard on adults. Anything that gets between you and God is a sin.

MOTOWNHONKEY · 08-10-2005, 09:29 AM

I have 15 to 20 I could loose. Hey my wife still loves me.

Leafrivermac · 08-10-2005, 09:34 AM

I'm 6'1" and weigh 235, my best weight is 210-220, . . .hey, I figure to save 15-20lbs for hard times.

etothepii · 08-10-2005, 11:37 AM

Well, I was overweight for no reason other than over eating and under exercising. There were definately times when I was a glutton, such as waiting until my wife was in bed, then pounding down three PB&J sandwiches (This is after a normal day of eating). That behavior, I'm confident, was not pleasing to God.

God has warned us of gluttony on more than one occasion, but it is rarely if ever mentioned, that I know of, in sermons or teachings about how to live and follow the Bible.

We have to be careful about using a person's size as a tell for gluttony though. Processed food in our country has made us very fat. A kid can eat normal sized meals and reasonable snacks and be fat, just because what they are eating is so bad.

Typical of sin, gluttony is a private struggle, but the side effect -- obesity -- can't be hidden.

Is fatness bad testimony? Possibly. Remember Paul set higher standards for himself because he knew critics would use him to judge Christianity? All Christians can be used as an example for their faith -- that's why no one will see me sitting at a bar ever again. Even though I know I could sit at a bar and drink soda, I don't even want to give the false appearance that I'm a drinker.

Could overweight people put forth bad images of what should be meek, self-controlled Christians? Even iffat Christiansare not gluttons, non-Christians can be sensitive (or critical)to so many things, and tie negative images to Christianity. It's not fair, but it could be reality.

Rebel Hog · 08-10-2005, 11:48 AM

Eto,

Proverbs 23:19-21 says "Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags".