The world would change in an unbelievable way if the church viewed the sin of obesity with the same conviction it views the issue of homosexuality! (It would also be way more relevant to the church!)
That was quite an unpopular statement – but it’s true!
Let me say for the record I believe God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman—period. That is not a statement of hate or intolerance; it’s simply a statement of what I really do believe the Scriptures teach.
I do not have a dislike for people who are gay.
I actually have friends who are gay. I’ve studied the Bible with men who changed their lives and broke the stronghold of the devil telling them they were born that way. I even made a short film about a man I studied the Bible with and became a Christian. He is now happily married and expecting a baby.
Short Film “RESPECT”
I do not have to believe the exact same way a person believes in order for me to accept them. However, God’s church needs to always be improving in loving people who struggle with homosexuality and other sins that one may feel uncomfortable around. Why? Because it is easy to lob scriptural grenades at a situation that we have never had to personally struggle with.
I’ve had Christians try to justify being unloving by saying, “But they are hateful towards us and attack us.” While there are some situations where that may be true, it is not justification to treat people who are gay in an un-Christ like manner.
It is completely possible to love someone and respectfully disagree with them at the same time. Satan is behind the movement in trying to make homosexuality a civil rights issue. Which puts us Christians in false light
“But the Bible says gay people don’t go to heaven,” many object.
Two things:
1: The ONLY people who don’t go to heaven are people who do not know Christ—period.
1 John 2:3-6 NIV
[3] We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. [4] Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. [5] But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: [6] Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
2: The passage that people use when trying to justify their hatred of gay people is found in:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NLT
[9] Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, [10] or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. [11] Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
It does say that a homosexual will not inherit the kingdom of God.
HOWEVER, it does not exclusively call out homosexuals. In fact, the list is pretty much all inclusive of anyone who is reading this post.
That list includes people who do things that are wrong (that would be all of us), the sexually immoral (anyone who has ever looked at porn or gone too far with someone you are not married to), Idolaters (anyone that has something in your life you love more than Jesus), the greedy (anyone want to talk about how quiet it gets when the offering baskets are passed?)
Proverbs 3:9 NLT
[9] Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.
And even slanderers (that would be anyone who has ever engaged on social media while angry). All too often the “Christian community” wants to pick and choose the sins to scream about so we can keep the sins in our lives a secret. It is way easier to use the Bible as a window in order to judge the lives of others rather than a mirror to examine ourselves.
The last verse in that 1 Corinthians 6:11, talks about that is what we WERE…but JESUS essentially power washed our soul and made us brand new. Which does not mean we will never wrestle with who we used to be…it simply means that our new identity is in Christ.
NOW LETS TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF OBESITY
Most of the people reading this article, have most likely never heard a sermon on the issue of obesity.
The very fact I would categorize it as a sin is quite offensive to some.
However, I believe obesity is one of the most prevalent struggles in our nation today, and there are way more people in our churches wrestling with obesity than they are homosexuality. Obesity is not just a problem in America—it’s an epidemic.
According to the CDC’s website
- More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese.
- Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable deaths.
- The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion U.S dollars 10 years ago; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. It has gotten much worse today.
Obesity is killing people.
Our country is literally eating itself to death, yet the CHURCHES chooses to mostly remain silent about the issue because it seems to be too personal.
GLUTTONY is specifically mentioned in the Bible. I was reminded of the seriousness of it the other day when I read:
Proverbs 23:1-3 NIV
[1] When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, [2] and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. [3] Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Wow! That is INTENSE! Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony?
DEFINITION for Gluttony: (habitual greed or excess in eating)
So, back to my original statement: what if the church actually became as passionate about attacking an issue in the church that impacts so many people?
The church screams that people who are gay are abusing their bodies…but what is gluttony?
There are people who have objected to me talking about this issue in the past and try to use the excuse that they are genetically predisposed to being a glutton, yet when people in the gay community try to say they are genetically predisposed to being gay, Christians push back and say “there is no way.” So why does the argument work for one side and not the other?
It’s sad—but church is a place where a glutton, a porn addict and a prescription drug addict can look at someone who is gay and say, “well at least I’m not like THEM!”
Luke 18:11 NIV
[11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
If you are so angry at me right I totally understand…and if you are overweight or obese and are feeling self-conscious let me be very clear about what is going to follow:
My purpose in writing this has not been to hurt you, tear you down or push you away.
I’m writing this to encourage you – and let you know that I know EXACTLY how you feel and the battle that you are going through.
I was fat….my doctor said I fit in obese.
I can remember buying size 42 pants once! I can remember buying 3X Shirts at one time. I still battle weight issues every single day.
I used to hate shopping because clothes I liked may be too small and it would made me look bad.
But, I also know that the Holy Spirit that we receive at baptism allows you to overcome ANYTHING.
Acts 2:38-39 NIV
[38] Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Overeating is simply a lack of self-control, something we are promised by The Lord we have:
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
It is no coincidence that the very first temptation of mankind had food involved. The very first thing satan did when he tempted Jesus was to use food. Food is “the drug of choice” used by most people today.
For years I would joke about my weight and try to excuse myself from being that way by telling everyone that “I was big boned or I have bad knees so it’s difficult to exercise or it’s hard to lose weight the older you get.”
However, there was a day, a snapping point for me, where I realized that as long as I saw myself as a victim I would NEVER walk in victory.
So I didn’t go on a diet, I went on my knees and recommitted to God a spiritual life style change! And I began to work out. I stopped blaming the devil for me being overweight, and stopped asking Jesus to take pounds off of me and took control. I relearned the principle that Jesus taught as one of the first things one MUST do to be in a right relationship with God!
That is to “DENY YOURSELF”
Luke 9:23 NIV
[23] Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Jesus taught that we must not negotiate with our emotions when it came to obeying God. We must learn the power of self control through the power of prayer and suffering.
Hebrews 5:7-9 NIV
[7] During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. [8] Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered [9] and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
And if I can do it…you can too!!
You CAN win the battle with weight! START WITH PRAYING EVERYDAY ON YOUR KNEES. I MEAN IT. Then make an appointment with your doctor, join a gym, adjust your eating, get in a group who will hold you accountable and STOP letting this dominate your life!! You can do ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST!!!
Philippians 4:13 NLT
[13] For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
ETERNITY IS TOO LONG TO BE WRONG!
From an Unworthy servant,
Chris Chloupek
Lead Evangelist