Gluttony
Gluttony is the sinful excess of eating or drinking that reflects lack of self-control and disordered desire. Scripture treats it as part of foolish, indulgent living rather than thankful, disciplined enjoyment of God’s gifts.
At a Glance
Gluttony is the sinful excess of eating or drinking that reflects lack of self-control and disordered desire. Scripture treats it as part of foolish, indulgent living rather than thankful, disciplined enjoyment of God’s gifts.
Description
Gluttony is the sin of excessive, undisciplined indulgence in food or drink, and more broadly a pattern of appetite that is not governed by wisdom, gratitude, and self-control. In Scripture, gluttony is associated with foolishness, laziness, drunkenness, and shameful excess rather than with faithful enjoyment of God’s provision. The Bible does not condemn eating with gladness or receiving food thankfully; it warns against allowing bodily desire to rule the heart and behavior. Because the term can be applied too loosely, it is best defined carefully as habitual overindulgence or appetite-driven living, not merely eating generously at a feast or enjoying God’s blessings. In Christian moral teaching, gluttony is therefore a form of intemperance that calls for repentance, self-control, and grateful stewardship of the body and of God’s gifts.