Appetite
Abuse
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rom the time that
the human race began upon this earth, there has been the need to control
appetites. The fruit from the forbidden tree had desirable fruit. “So when
the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the
eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She
also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6).
It was not wrong for Eve to
see the good and pleasant food, but it was wrong for her to touch or eat it. God
had told both of them not to TOUCH or EAT of it, and if they did so, they would
die (Genesis 3:3).
When God created the human
race, He gave us appetites. These
appetites are not wrong unless they are abused.
However, the centuries testify that men and women have abused these appetites
and continually sinned. Only five chapters from the beginning of the Bible, the
human race is engulfed in sin. Here is God’s summation:
“Then
the LORD saw that the wickedness of
man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).
The appetites that God gave us are essential. For
example, our appetite for food and water sustain our lives! Those who reach the
point where they do not desire food and drink are seriously ill, and if such
continues, they will die. However, appetites for food and drink become sinful
and destructive when we abuse them.
In all generations, there
have been those who (as the old proverb goes) have “dug their graves with a
spoon.” These not only eat harmful
things, but they eat too much. Gluttony
is a sin, and is often associated with those who live uncontrolled lives. In
the Old Testament, a son who could not be disciplined by his parents was
brought to the elders of the city with the following accusation:
“This son of ours is
stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard” (Deuteronomy 21:20).
When Solomon wrote his
collection of wise proverbs, he included the sin of gluttony: “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to
poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags” (Proverbs 23:21). He also associated gluttony with drunkenness.
When
the enemies of Jesus made their attacks, they falsely accused Him of this sin.
A comparison was made between John the Baptist and Jesus. John had come eating
special food from the wilderness. “And John himself was clothed in camel's
hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4). However, Jesus ate
the normal food from the land and sea. The enemies of John and Jesus made the
following false accusations:
“For John came neither
eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”
(Matthew 11:18-19). Even though their accusation was
completely false, they still put together the sins of gluttony and a
winebibber.
When
God created us, He made it essential for our bodies to receive water. He even
gave us a powerful thirst that is present when our bodies are deprived.
However, millions continue to abuse this God-given appetite, and perhaps the
most serious abuse to drinking is intoxicants.
The
Bible records how Noah, after the flood, abused this appetite. After planting a
vineyard and receiving a harvest, Noah made wine that caused him to be
intoxicated:
“Then he drank of the
wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent” (Genesis 9:21). This abuse even brought about a temptation and sin
for one of his sons. There is no way to know the damage that has been done to
the bodies and souls of billions over the centuries.
The
abuse of this appetite is associated with almost every kind of sin. It all
begins with the sin of drunkenness,
and spreads to others. We should know that drunkenness is condemned in both the
Old and New Testaments. Solomon wrote often about the sin of abusing wine:
“Wine
is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not
wise” (Proverbs 20:1).
“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine” (Proverbs 23:29-30).
“Do
not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it
swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites
like a serpent, and stings like a
viper” (Proverbs 23:31-32).
The
New Testament reveals that the abuse of the appetite of drinking is a sin that must be avoided by all Christians.
Paul goes so far as to say that drunkenness is one of the sins that will keep
one from the kingdom of heaven. To
the church at Ephesus he wrote:
“And
do not be drunk with wine, in which is
dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,”
(Ephesians 5:18).
The
Christians at Rome were commanded how to walk: “Let us walk properly, as in
the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and
envy” (Romans 13:13).
When
Paul gave a list of sins that would keep one from inheriting the kingdom of
heaven, he included: “envy, murders, drunkenness,
revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told
you in time past, that those who practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God”
(Galatians 5:21).
The apostle Peter referred to the sins that were practiced
by the Gentile world before conversion. He taught that these should be avoided.
“For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the
Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness,
revelries, drinking parties, and
abominable idolatries” (1 Peter 4:3).
In this reference, Peter
included the abuse of the appetite of drinking, drunkenness, along with other
destructive sins.
Just
as surely as God gave all normal human beings appetites to eat and drink to
survive, He also gave the sexual appetite. This appetite, like food and drink,
in it’s God-given place is essential for the survival of the human race. After
God made the first couple male and female, He commanded them:
“Be
fruitful and multiply; fill the earth
and subdue it; ...” (Genesis 1:28). After
they had disobeyed God, they were driven from the garden. Then we read:
“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and
bore Cain,..” (Genesis 4:1).
The sexual appetite
between a husband and wife was fulfilled as God had commanded. Therefore, those
who fulfill this appetite in an acceptable marriage, have God’s blessing just
as surely as satisfying their appetite to eat and drink the right foods.
The
Holy Spirit guided these words from the book of Hebrews:
“Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled;
but fornicators and adulterers God will judge”
(Hebrews 13:4).
In this verse, we have two
types of sexual relationships—God approved
and God condemned! Thus, this appetite in marriage is
honorable, but outside of marriage it is sinful! Those who abuse the sexual
appetite are unrighteous and will lose the kingdom.
“Do
you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit
the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9,10).
Please take note of the sins in these verses that are in
bold! These are sins that abuse the sexual appetite, and God will punish those
who continue in them.
Why
were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding cities destroyed with
fire? They continually abused their natural sexual
appetites. Jude refers to these cities as “having given
themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set
forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7). Their fire only began
with the burning of the cities, but also suffered the “vengeance of eternal
fire.”
When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he referred to those who engage in sexual appetite abuse, as being involved in “vile passions.” They had turned from the honorable relationship of marriage to an unnatural abuse. He described them in this way:
“For
even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned
in their lust for one another, men with
men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of
their error which was due”
(Romans 1:26,27).
Surely
it can be seen from this study that sin arises from God-given appetites that
are abused. As Christians, we must
discipline our bodies to avoid these destructive sins. Paul felt the need to
keep his body and appetites pure.
“But I discipline
my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I
myself should become disqualified” (1
Corinthians 9:27).
Yes,
the natural appetites relating to food, drink, and sex are powerful drives.
However, as Christians, we must keep our hearts, thoughts, and actions pure. Remember, denying self to follow Jesus
is a vital part of Christianity. Jesus taught, “If anyone desires to come
after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross daily, and follow Me”
(Luke 9:23).
What
are the rewards of keeping our appetites under control? A happier life while
living on earth, and a beautiful eternal life! —BBBristow