How do you link the Gospel to Gluttony?

Guest Post: How do you link the Gospel to Gluttony?

Rick Thomas, a NANC fellow with an online biblical counseling ministry called Counseling Solutions recently posted this very relevent piece on the life-dominating sin of gluttony, and how the Gospel needs to affect those who struggle with it. I have found Rick's webinars on how to help a counselee remember the Person and work of Christ in context to her specific problem extremely helpful.

Check out his blog for more gems like these.

Rick's full article is below:

An attendee at our very popular seminar “How to Connect the Gospel to Everyday Life” asked the following question:

Mailbag: How would you link the Gospel to addictions? The one I’m especially interested in is gluttony.

If the Gospel is the launching point and the sustaining power as it pertains to our sanctification, which I believe it is, then it is essential that we are able to connect the Gospel to all areas of our sanctification. Therefore, my friend’s question is an important one.While some believe and teach that the Gospel is for our salvation and obedience is necessary for our sanctification, I would say that the Gospel is definitely for our salvation AND absolutely essential to our sanctification.

What Does the Gospel Have to Do with My Gluttony?

There are two ways to think about and apply the Gospel to the problem of gluttony:

1.Gluttony is not the real problem, but a symptom of a deeper problem.
2.Our bodies are not ours, but were bought by the power of the Gospel.

Symptom vs. Core Problem

One of the advantages of Christian counseling, over secular models, is that the Christian counselor is not satisfied with merely behavioral modification. While we want to change our behaviors (gluttony), we also understand the necessity of resolving our problems at their root or origin in order for lasting change to happen. As the Savior said, “…out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” – Luke 6:45 (ESV)

Jesus was tying the tongue (symptom) to the heart (core problem). Our words are not disconnected from who we are as people. Similarly, being overweight is usually not merely an external, problematic manifestation which has no relationship to the deeper reality of who the obese person is. Without going into a lot of detail, here is a short list of some of the potential core problems a Christian counselor would want to explore with a person who is overweight:

Anxiety Fear Self-sufficiency Arrogance Lack of Self-Control Unbelief Comfort Anger Slothfulness Performance-Driven Self-Righteousness Etc.


As you can see, this is a bigger issue than merely gluttony. Also it is rare that this kind of obesity can truly be an organic problem over which the person has no ability to control. From the sin list above you can see how the Gospel could speak specifically to a person who is struggling with some of these core issues, while bringing rest, hope, and help for such a person.

The Power of the Gospel Bought Me

Secondly, God the Father executed His Son on the cross in order to redeem a helpless and hopeless people to Himself. This was the most expensive purchase that has ever been made. After God regenerated me, He not only began to abide in me, but I also began abiding in Him. I am no longer my own and, because of the Gospel, I no longer have the right to do whatever I want to do to my body.

I am to love the Lord God and love my neighbor with all of my heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:36-40) Because of the Gospel I want to make His name great in this world. I also want to manifest the transformative Gospel to all those who are desperate for the hope the Gospel reveals. If I am not rightly affected by the realities of the cross and the resurrection (the core elements of the Gospel) and the sin list above is what controls me, then I am essentially mocking the Gospel.

If the Gospel does anything to us, it is transformation. But if we are not living in the good of the transformative Gospel then our role in glorifying Him and/or modeling the power of the Gospel to others becomes vain.

Bulimia, "bi-polar", and the viscious cycle of meds

Something I have noticed in my ministry to Christian women with eating disorders is the high frequency with which well-meaning doctors medicate them - either with anti-depressants (the futility of which I've discussed before), bi-polar medication, or both. All this tends to do is make the patient physically dependent upon these chemicals (which may or may not affect her symptoms), while further convincing her that the life-dominating sin of bulimia is actually a "disease".

A few words about "bi-polar disorder" - it's the current diagnosis du jour. Years ago, people with severe mood swings were termed "manic-depresives", whereas now the label "bi-polar" has been expanded to include virtually anyone who has trouble coping and staying on an even keel. Although no laboratory tests are done, patients are routinely medicated and told they have a "mental illness" whenever they display the tell-tale signs: erratic behavior; depressison; bouts of (usually compensatory) high-energy behavior; lack of concentration. In fact, a friend of mine who is already a certified NANC counselor told me that of her adult counselees, more than half have been given a diagnosis of "bi-polar". Bi-polar disorder has become, for adults, what ADHD has become for children: an excuse to push more drugs.

If I used to believe bi-polar was a legitimate medical condition, I no longer do.

What does this have to do with bulimia? A lot. I strongly suspect that doctors are reading a correlation into the incidence of bulimia and bi-polar, based on two tell-tale symptoms: depression and a short attention span. To me, both as a counselor who has spent the last several years doing extensive research, and more importantly as a former bulimic, the reason for these two "symptoms" should be patently obvious - they are caused by the bulimic behavior, NOT by some mysterious, secondary "mental illness" which needs additional medication!

Let's start with the depression. I have never yet met a bulimic, Christian or non, who is not depressed (or at the very least convicted) about her behavior. The obsession over food, weight, and all things related grows; the bulimic instinctively knows she has lost control, and to put it in biblical terms, she is a slave to sin. I have quoted this before and I'll do so again: "There is no creature on earth more miserable than a disobedient Christian." Even a non-believer will eventually become depressed if she is mired in an eating disorder - she will lose friends, progressively isolate herself in a veil of secrecy from those she loves, and eventually see her health adversely affected. Bulimia also wreaks havoc on the endocrine system, which regulates hormones (I did not have a single period for over four years). The effects of ths on mood are well-established. The knowledge that she is sinning, if she is a believer, will cause conviction if her conscience is not seared, which will intensify her depression. Lastly, the spiking and plummeting blood sugar levels each time she binges and purges will cause wild mood swings.

Likewise, a bulimic has a notoriously short attention span. The reasons for this are both physical and non - the fluctuating blood sugar levels impact concentration as well as mood. Ever hear the advice not to feed children a sugary breakfast before school? There's a reason for that - sudden drops in blood sugar always lead to poor concentration. Add to that the fixation on food that is constantly running through the bulimic's mind and you can see why the attention span is almost non-existent. A "tape" loops again and again, re-playing the next binge; the next "fix" - providing an ever-present background noise to her conscious thoughts. She is scattered, jumpy, and emotionally erratic.

By the way, when I stopped purging and started digesting regular, well-balanced meals six years ago, one of the very first changes I noticed was a dramatic increase in both my physical energy AND my ability to concentrate for prolonged periods of time. Within as little as two weeks, the difference was amazing. Although I did not write my book manuscript until 5 years after I was recovered, immediately I found I was able to stay focused on studying or performing any task as the eating disorder became history. "Renewing the mind" is certainly a deliberate, spiritual discipline, but there is a physical component too - it's the way God designed our bodies. If you eat healthfully, you will feel better and your brain will (obviously) function better. There are enzymes released when certain foods are consumed that contribute to a stable mood and overall sense of well-being (serotonin and tryptophan among them). When you purge, the damage done to your body's systems (electrolyte imbalances; dramatic blood sugar fluctuations) will ultimately impact your brain chemistry.

You won't feel well, and you won't function at peak capacity. BECAUSE OF THE BULIMIA. It has nothing to do with "bi-polar", and you don't need to take more drugs (which will become increasingly difficult to stop, as you build up a chemical dependancy upon them). You need to start eating (and digesting) healthy meals - and asking the Holy Spirit to help you renew your mind.

You don't have a mental or "emotional" disorder - your emotions are working just fine. That's why you might feel like you need a drug - to numb them. The best way to FIX the problem, and thus overcome ALL of these symptoms - like fluctuating energy levels, depression and short attention span - is to decide today to turn away from the bulimia. It's a self-centered lifestyle that will lead to death (see my post "How do I repent from bulimia?" for more advice). Stop hiding in the bi-polar/mental illness smokescreen, and recognize bulimia for what it really is: a soul-destroying, life-sucking sin. Sin has only one solution, and it isn't Amitriptylene.

New Additions to the Resources Page

As I am now a contributing writer to Christian Notes and the CIR (Christians in Recovery) website, I would like to call your attention to the addition of these two pages under "helpful links". Christian Notes features edifying articles written by and for believers on many different pertinent topics; CIR is an online recovery community for born-again believers struggling with different types of life-domionating sin. (Note: it is not a counseling resource, but CIR publishes helpful articles and refers members to sites and places where they may seek Christian counseling). Also see the NANC directory at right, and Rick Thomas' Counseling Solutions site (the members only section, which only costs $55 per year, gives you access to many helpful resources and monthly webinars).

These are the articles I have had published at CIR:

The Role of Hope in Counseling Eating Disorders

How Does God View Eating Disorders?

and the CIR homepage: http://christians-in-recovery.org/

Visit Christian Notes here: http://www.christiannotes.com.au/

Is Bulimia Your "Temper Tantrum at God"?

Last week, David Powlison of the CCEF posted a superb series entitled
"Making All Things New: Restoring Pure Joy to the Sexually Broken". The 2-part article went into some depth in giving biblical counselors insight in identifying problem patterns in those who struggle with lust and pornography, as well as helping the counselee truly grasp the grace Christ offers and allow himself to be transformed from within. I highly recommend you read the series (there are many parallels between the life-dominating sins of sexual lust and eating disorders).

Part I

Part II

While reading Part II, I was particularly struck by how similar the thought patterns of a man habitually falling into sexual sin are to a bulimic. Powlison relates a conversation with a single Christian man who has struggled for years and years against his flesh, only to succumb to the temptation after seasons of "success". He vascillates between remorse and apathy; hope and despair. Yet he always goes back to the magazines. Powlison writes:

"I asked Tom to do a simple thing, attempting to gain a better sense of the overall terrain of his life: “Would you keep a log of when you are tempted?” I wanted to know what’s going on when he struggles. When? Where? What just happened? What did you do? What were you feeling? What were you thinking? If you resisted, how did you do it? If you fell, how did you react afterwards? Does anything else correlate to sexual temptations?

Through all the ups and downs, Tom had maintained a great sense of humor. He laughed at me, and said, “I don’t need to keep a log. I already know the answer. I only fall on Friday or Saturday nights – usually Friday, since Saturday is right before Sunday.” If you have any pastoral counseling genes in you, you light up at an answer like that. Repeated patterns always prove extremely revealing on inspection. I asked, “Why does sexual sin surface on Friday night? What’s going on with that?” He said, “I go out and buy Playboy magazine as my temper tantrum at God.”

Now we’re not only dealing with a couple of bad behaviors, buying pornography and masturbating. We’re dealing with anger at God that drives those behaviors. What’s that about? Tom went on to give a fuller picture. “I come home from work on Friday night, back to the apartment. I’m all alone. I imagine that all my single friends are out on dates, and my married friends are spending time with their wives. But I’m all alone in my apartment. I build up a good head of steam of self-pity. Then by nine or ten o’clock, I think, ‘You deserve a break today’ – I even hear the little MacDonald’s jingle in my head, and then sexual desires start to look really, really sweet. ‘God has cheated you. If only I had a girlfriend or a wife. I can’t stand how I feel. Why not feel good for awhile? What does it matter anyway?’ Then I hop in the car, head to 7-11, and fall into sin.”

Amazing, isn’t it? Pornography and masturbation grabbed all the attention, generated all the guilt, defined the moment and act of “falling.” Let’s call that Screening Room #1. But we’ve also heard about anger at God that precedes and legitimates sexual sin: Screening Room #2. We’ve heard about hours of low-grade self-pity, grumbling, and envious fantasies: a matinee performance in Screening Room #3. We’ve heard Tom name the original desire that leads to self-pity, to anger at God, and finally to sexual lust: “God owes me a wife. I need, want, demand a woman to love me.” That’s playing in Screening Room #4, an unobtrusive G-rated film, seemingly no problem at all. It’s a classic non-sexual lust of the flesh that Tom has never viewed as problematic. In fact, in his mind, it’s practically a promise from God: “Psalm 37:4. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. If I do my part, God should do His part and give me a wife.”

Powlison's analysis of the spiritual chaos brewing just below the surface of Tom's life continues from there. (I highly encourage you to read the full article linked above). But I quote this portion to point something out to you that you may have in common with Tom (even if you've never looked at porn): do bouts of self-pity precede your binges? Is anger (or disappointment) with God at the root of your rebellion?

Very often, people in bondage to life-dominating sins (addictions) are most likely to succumb when they are going down the road of self-pity. We feel sorry for ourselves, so we must reach for something - anything - to deaden the pain. Most likely, for you that is food....copious amounts of it; preferrably the high-carb variety. The cycle continues in the remorse following a binge. Powlison continues:

"And why does Tom mope in self-lacerating depression for days and weeks after falling, rather than finding God’s living mercies new every morning? That’s the self-punitive, despairing ‘downside’ of the legalistic construct: “I’m bad, therefore God won’t give me the goodies.” Screening Room #6 is where self-punishment, self-atonement, penance, and self-hatred play out."

It is only by catching these sinful thought patterns as they enter your mind that you can free yourself of the inevitable downward course. In fact, it isn't really you freeing yourself at all - but rather, as you consciously and deliberately yeild to the Holy Spiriut, He will renew your mind in order to help you conform more closely to the image of Christ. In other words, you will "put off" demonically-inspired, sinful thinking (self-pity; anger at God; thinking God "owes" you something), and "put on" the thoughts of Christ (gratitude; love; others-centered thinking; peace in circumstances).

The self-abasement following failure is a subtle form of legalism. Typically, after a few days of victory and fleeing the temptation to purge, do you feel somehow more 'acceptable' to God? Surely He is pleased with me now! Of course, God is well pleased whenever one of His children walks in obedience, but to think that you are more acceptable to God at one time than another is the height of pridefulness. Even your ability to obey is from Him - any big or small victory you have in your spiritual life is all of grace, "so that none should boast". There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more, and when you hide from Him in shame He does not love you any less. (In fact, it is also pride that keeps us running - and allows spiritual apathy to creep in). This apathy is what eventually leads to open rebellion.

So the next time you feel tempted to turn to the food, check your spiritual pulse. What's going on? Why is your soul downcast, or what is it you are expecting from God that He hasn't provided? Self-pity is a sneaky, subtle sin that must be caught and rejected - before it leads you back into the pit of your addiction.

"You're Beautiful!"

Last night, I was listening to a training webinar by Dr. Rick Thomas, a NANC mentor and author of biblical counseling books. The lecture was actually on maintaining sexual purity, but a certain point he made also had direct bearing on the development of eating disorders.

Dr. Thomas cited the "atmosphere of comparison" about one's body created by teen and glamour magazines as being destructive to a healthy view of sexuality. I completely agree, and it is no secret that the airbrushed, seductively-posed photos of teen and pre-teen girls encourage more "average" girls to strive to attain this aesthetic ideal. As I have written before, this breeds an unhealthy preoccupation with one's body (which is the definition of vanity), and leads to an idolatrous view of physical beauty (defined as thinness or sex appeal).

"Fantasizing is a form of dissatisfaction with God over your current circumstances," he said.

In short, when feeling insecure about her body, a girl (whether Christian or not) is falling prey to the twin sins of pride and fear of man. She is not "setting [her] mind on things above, [but instead] on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). This atmosphere of comparison is antithecal to the Gospel. Psalm 139 presents God's truth about how His daughters are to see themselves:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

This is not "new" information, but it needs to be taken seriously if you are coveting the body types you see in worldly magazines, or seek to use your body to draw attention to yourself. The biblical antidote to this type of wrong thinking is to cultivate inner beauty. See the following verses which describe true beauty through your Father's eyes:

Psalm 45:11, Proverbs 31:30; Isaiah 53:2 (speaks of Jesus - the Messiah Himself did not come to attract attention by His human looks); Ezekial 16:15; 1 Peter 3:3-4.

I came across the lyrics of a Mercy Me song today which illustrate this truth well:

Days will come when you don't have the strength.
When all you hear is, "you're not worth anything."
Wondering if you ever could be loved.
And if they truly saw your heart, they'd see too much.

You're beautiful.
You're beautiful.

You are made for so much more than all of this.

You're beautiful.
You're beautiful.

You are treasured.

You are sacred.

You are His.

You're beautiful.

Praying that you have the heart to fight.
Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight.
For all the lies you've held inside so long,
They are nothing in the shadow of the cross.

You're beautiful.
You're beautiful.

You are made for so much more than all of this.

You're beautiful.
You're beautiful.

You are treasured.

You are sacred.

You are His.

You're beautiful.

Before you ever took a breath,
Long before the world began,
Of all the wonders He possessed, there was one more precious.
Of all the earth and skies above, you're the one He madly loves ... enough to die.

You're beautiful.
You're beautiful.

In His eyes.