I felt conviction from my overeating because I felt as though I spent more time thinking about what I'm going to eat than I did God. I just started TLT and in my opinion, since I was putting food first, it was my god. I think its different for every Christian, but my personal thoughts are when something comes before God in your life it is sin and you must turn from sin.

Having converted to the Lutheran faith (Missouri synod), I've been taught that sin is sin, and categorizing them is human pride (my sins aren't quite as bad as his or hers...). However, growing up Catholic, I still tend to think of sin falling into two categories (the venial/mortal categories). A priest once explained it as venial sins, being those (often unintended or out of laziness) we commit while we are still putting God first in our lives. Human failings, being what they are, we slip and fall alot even when we "have our eyes on the Prize," so to speak. Mortal sins being those that we have to turn our backs on God in order to commit, knowing full-well it is wrong as we do it anyway (murder of course being an extreme example).

I don't know if "categorizing" sin is helpful or not, or just something humans tend to use to feel "less bad." . If all weakness is sin, then yeah overeating is as much a sin as anything else that is a distraction from what is truly important.

I think it's important though to look at how you're treating and judging yourself and others based on your concept of and definitions of sin and disease. If you're using the concept of sin to punish and alienate yourself, you don't understand sin very well. If you're using the concept of disease to absolve yourselve of responsibility, you're equally as misguided about the concept of disease.

My thoughts anyway.

You can look at it any way you choose. Gluttony is a sin. Addiction is a disease. Overeating to avoid dealing with feelings is both. Either way, hurting yourself does not please God. I've abused my body with food and disappointed God. I choose to accept His forgiveness and move on to do better. Weight Watchers happens to work for me along with prayer. Do what works for you. He loves you no matter what you do. Oh, and don't forget to forgive yourself as well.

Hi belfordmom - your OA mind says - disease, only God and OA - can help, and your TLT mind says - sin, only God. Well, it seems that only GOD is the answer.
He IS the source of your help. Diseases have always been something that has gone wrong within our bodies, a phy. reason behind the problem. There certaintly can be phy. reasons for gaining wt.
Sin is from choices we make. Now, overeating is still a choice even when one is prone to over indulge, bing, etc.
But again, God/Christ is our help. He is a really big god. He can not be put in a box of this program or that one. He works in and through individual people. He is personal. He is a personal god.
Sooo- if you choose OA or TLT or WW or any number or other programs that will guide, encourage, uplift, help you to be accountable in a tangible way, and you ask Him to be your help and your strength, He will. You have to take the first step and you have to do your part and He will come through for you. He desires you to come to Him, sit at His feet, read His Word so you can know him. (Really He takes the first step toward you, because He loves you and desires to help you.)
The others on this post really wrote good answers, I thought. They all said - just do it and include God and He will be with you through it.
You know, you could do OA, and as a bible study you could work through the TLT. What that program offers is, in my opinion, solid biblically and their food plan is not required, as it is offered as a tool, a help to you. Their focus is - get aliened with God/Christ, seek Him with all your heart, mind and soul and these other things will fall into place.
Well girls, that is my two cents worth!

Thank you for your thought provoking post. I too struggle have struggled with which program to become involved with. I've questioned if I was truly depending on God if I was going to OA. About 8 years ago I was involved with OA, I became abstinent....3 meals a day, nothing in between and I also eliminated sweets. I losty weight and food was no longer an obsession or struggle. It was a blessing, I was free. But I continued to struggle with feelings of gulit, that I was not JUST depending on God. Needless to say I blew it. I have now come to believe that was "false" guilt. I now believe that based on scripture that belonging to OA is okay. In the New Testament it speaks of being accountable to other Christians, like an accountability partner....hense a sponsor. The other point is to not be unequally yoked. So I must be sure to chose a Christian sponsor. I also believe the three meals a days and eliminating or strictly limiting sugar is biblically okay. See the verses below.

Ecclesiastes 10:17 (New Century Version)
17 How lucky a country is whose king comes from a good family,
whose leaders eat only at mealtime and for strength, not to get drunk.


Proverbs 25:27 (New Century Version)
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor does it bring you honor to brag about yourself.

As far as the question whether overeating is a sin....I believe that if my body is now the temple of God and I am abusing it and then know it is a sin. Perhaps the whole matter could be summed up in the words of James
JAMES 4:17
Therefore to the one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Based on that verse I sin daily not only with food. After Jesus came we are held to even higher standards than the law. However, I do not feel that my soul is in jeopardy though because my sins are covered by the blood of Christ...all past, present and future sins. However, that does not give me liberty to willfully sin. But I do and I have to confess all. The Word of God tells us that anyone who says he is without sin is a liar. And I am WAY OFF ON A TANGENT. Sorry about that. I was processing my thoughts and writing at the same time. There are times that I am praying but I can't think of things I need to confess. This just reminded me of the definition of sin and how often I do and what all I need to be confessing.


I hope I haven't made this more confusing. These are my experiences.

I pray that God will direct you and give you peace with the correct choice to make.

In essence, the definition of sin as an act that hurts you or someone else,

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (notice the prerequisite for loving your neighbor is, you to love yourself).

Before I knew Him, I thought God was up in heaven somewhere saying “FOLLOW THESE RULES BECAUSE I SAID SO, AND I -AM –THE- BOSS.

God has a plan for your life, and that plan includes you being joyful and successful, He understands our weaknesses, Hebrews 4:15,16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

God says gluttony is a sin for good reason, It’s a serious health condition that can lead to early death.

God sees the value of your eternal soul. You are important to God and He doesn’t want to see you live like this. it doesn’t make Him less of a God if you sin. If God didn’t love you, your pain wouldn’t hurt Him in the slightest. It’s the verity of your suffering He labels as sin, God doesn’t condemn you He loves you.

Being overweight is not a sickness or an inherited problem, it is the result of eating more than your body needs. You may say you have a slow metabolism, and it could be true, but it isn’t your get out of jail free card, it isn’t an excuse to eat more, it means your body doesn’t need as much food to maintain it.

I know the excuses from the medical world make us feel justified, but it doesn’t help our problem. If you think about it, and are honest with yourself those excuses dash all hope of ever being thin, healthy.

You are probably saying to yourself “I don’t need something else to make me feel guilty, I already feel Hopeless”, but I am here to declare to you that there is hope! You need to tap into the power of the almighty God who created heaven and earth. The good news is because gluttony is a sin and not a defect, you have control of weather or not you participate in the sin. The Bible will help you understand the difference and apply the principles from His Word to recognize and overcome Satan’s deception.

When you feel tempted to overeat, pray and pray hard, use scripture, bombard Satan, and he will run. It's not will power you need it's His power, but He won't give it unless you ask, and believe.

Think positive, Satan will get you in the trap of thinking you can't do it, but every single time you resist Satan, it makes your spirit stronger and your flesh weaker!

Love, Kelli

Im not very religious but gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins right? If you are religious you could call it a sin..Its not about personal opinion thats actually what it says! Alot of people distort the bible or manipulate what it says (not saying any of us are)...but the word is there and I do think it means over eating...or eating more than your share...But this word was made in times where they had large droughts and periods where you didnt have much to eat.....Maybe you should do what is best for you? Which program would you rather do? Which on works best for you? And which one makes YOU feel better when your doing it?

1Cr 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. I am a recovering addict/alcoholic, and I haven't smoked a cigarette for over 2 years. I have been a Christian for about 10 years, I came back to the faith still drinking, smoking pot and cigarettes, and overeating. Jesus has gently lead me through the changes I needed to make to honor Him. Granted He is gentle, but He still allowes me to suffer the consequences of my own choices and behavior. I can hear His sweet voice...are you ready to surrender yet..are you ready? I will help you...lean on me. Now I am ready to surrender overeating too. I know I will make it with His help. I have made the choice to change my life. It is His strength I will lean on for this change too. I often pray for the wisdom and strength to walk in His will . He loves me, forgives me, and wants me to be healthy. God be with you.