Maybe I live in a bubble. Maybe my sample is not a fair cross section of the American population. But I can’t get two steps these days without hearing the words organic, non-gmo, free range, natural, gluten-free, whatever. And every day it seems to get weirder. Add to this the workout gurus who worship their gods at the gym, training for their next cross fit yoga essential oils marathon, you have a people constantly talking about what is healthy, good for you, or isn’t good for you because the hormones, the injections, the chemicals, and the internet, and studies show, and because of the great goddess: All My Friends Are Doing It.
Now there are many things to say about all of this, but I’d like to limit myself to two. First, we’ve got an idolatry problem here. And by idolatry problem I mean the sheer volume of conversations, blog posts, facebook likes and shares, and financial sacrifice going into this project of “eating well” and “living well” is idolatrous. If ancient pagans saw and heard our day to day conversations and practices, they would know what was going on. There’s a god or a goddess promising long life and happiness. All you got to do is bow and scrape before the shrine. She’s the nutrition goddess, the health goddess, the science goddess, but the papa god at the top of the totem pole is named Peer Pressure. Thus saith popular opinion, thus saith my Facebook feed, thus saith all the cool people, and all the devotees bow their faces to the ground and dutifully change their eating habits (again).
Of course the masses claim scientific certainty and speak with a religious tremor in their voice: Science shows that plastic containers put chemicals into our food. Science says that genetically modified grains give us gluten problems. Science says that if you drink fish oil you can add six years five months three days eight hours and seventeen minutes to your life. Science says that if you drink goats’ milk, you can have three orgasms at a time. And I heard the other day that if you put cat pee in the kids’ oatmeal, they’ll be smarter and better looking. Really? Nope.
The first thing to remember is that Science sucks at being a god. Science gave us blood letting. Science said that you could turn lead into gold. Science told us that smoking a cigarette after every meal was good for digestion. Science says that an unborn baby is just a blob of tissue. Science says that the universe is millions of years old, er, I mean hundreds of millions of years. Er. I mean billions of years old. Maybe the High Priest of the carbon dating whore house had a bad day. Who knows.
But secondly, remember that popular opinion has never done any better. The masses gave us the French Revolution, the masses gave us abortion, the masses are trying to give us sodomy at the moment and doing a damn good job because once again, we are a bunch of cowards, unwilling to speak clearly into the microphone: You want to put your *what* where? People need to see the connections. It’s the same logic (or lack thereof) that suggests you consider using magic beads on your teething toddlers. It’s the same peer pressure at work, breathlessly proclaiming the healing properties of baby urine. The rich irony is that we’ve got a complete lack of discernment masquerading as a pietistic legalism.
So pretty much when anybody tells me they are really concerned about nutritional issues, organic farming, or are just really into healthy eating, I pretty much just picture them going home and kissing little icons of Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud. But your gods are dead, and soon you will be too. I don’t have any problem with people experimenting. I don’t have any problem with real science, even real nutritional science. But that requires, you know, actual evidence, proof, not hunches, not blog articles, not something you heard from somebody who had a dream, and not capitulating under the pressure of fifteen friends who all do it and look at you a little worried for your soul. God commanded Adam to take dominion of creation, and that means people should study, learn, experiment, and hypothesize. So three cheers for that sort of humble adventurous spirit. But that kind of humility has laughter in the eyes, joy in the heart, and a fearlessness that colors everything. But idols give people the look of scared gerbils.
But here’s the other thing I wanted to say. It’s crazy how much time and energy people spend on things that may or may not be helpful or harmful to our health. The Peer Pressure god mumbles, the Science god has a lisp, but the true God speaks clearly. The true God has spoken, and He has told us very clearly that certain things will tend to good health and long life while other things will tend toward early death. For example sexual promiscuity, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, drunkenness, bitterness – God says it’s all bad for your health. So why aren’t Christians more worked up about being faithful wives and husbands? Why aren’t Christians more concerned with cultivating joy in their marriage bed? Or how about honoring your parents? That’s the first command with a promise of long life in the land. How about more posts about honoring parents, delighting in our children, guarding one another from drinking too much, and less about the magical oils you got from the witch doctor that may or may not do anything other than let everyone know you’ve arrived by the scent that billows into the room moments before your appearance.
Organic, free range chickens may or may not be worth anything. Maybe in a hundred years, our great grand children will snicker about us and our stupid farming theories. Or maybe everybody will go to free range, and they’ll look back and despise our chicken factories. Maybe, maybe not. But we know for a fact that fornicators will be judged. Do you spend as much time and energy teaching the fear of the Lord to your children as you do worrying about where the milk came from? Do you spend as much time celebrating the gospel of grace, telling the story of Jesus, worshiping God together as a family, as a community? Do you gladly tithe and give extra to the needs of missions and the poor? Do you sacrifice for the sake of others? That’s for sure good for you. That’s for sure the way of the good life, the blessed life.
Your life, your Facebook, your bank account are all proclaiming a gospel all day long. Which gospel is it proclaiming? Is it the gospel of Jesus, the gospel of His grace? Is it built on the certainty of God’s Word, a Word that cannot be broken? Is your hope built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness? Or is it a gospel of nutritional fads and salvation by diet and the weirdest homeopathic methods you can find on the internet? What makes your heart sing? What gives you joy? What do you go back to again and again? That is your god, that is the gospel you are clinging to. But Jesus will not let you down, and He is risen with healing in His wings.
Jack Bradley says
Wise, timely words, Toby!
K says
Interesting post. A few things: If we aren’t concerned about our health, we will be less able to serve God, and possibly for a shorter time (it also just makes sense to take care of what we’ve been given to the best of our ability). I certainly wouldn’t call trying to live and eat well “idolatrous” unless it becomes an all consuming obsession wherein that’s all a person thinks about such that it prevents them from functioning in multiple aspects of their life. Also, everyone should be concerned about where their food comes from. I’m surprised more Christians aren’t concerned about the issue of animal cruelty. This is a great piece regarding that subject:
http://www.rollingstone.com/feature/belly-beast-meat-factory-farms-animal-activists
The end of the article discusses the future of farming. Hopefully, our great grand children will be appalled by our cruel, greedy and unsustainable farming practices.
Andy says
Protein after work outs is amazing…….omg. So good.
AP says
K – I’m not a mind reader but it appears you’ve missed the entire point of this post. The issue of stewardship is certainly a biblical and noble one (which encompasses “animal cruelty” and eating well among virtually everything else in life). We have very little time on this earth when it’s all said and done and even less discretionary time. As a followers of Christ we should put our time, energy, resources and effort into THE BEST things, not secondary, bullet points to the larger more important things.
Virginia Shirley says
Wow, That was an ear full. First of all just because someone wants to buy organic chicken because its tender and taste better is OK . We in America have a terrible problem with obesity.( cause of many diseases ).Its not because they eat way too much,it’s what they eat. The food ( if you want to call it that ) leaves you empty and craving more. Just like sugar and fried food. I am a believer and thank God everyday when I get up to exercise that I can do it one more day. I am very aware of my body and it’s limitations.I try to be aware of what I eat because it makes me feel better ( and isn’t this body a gift ).I am not sure about all the oils and such but I think the oils go way back in the bible. I love Yoga ,I am a Yoga teacher . If we as Christians avoid all Yoga and such we should be ashamed of ourselves. These people are searching for truth and we need to be willing to share how our God is creator of all.Behind all this crap they sell as food is greed and money, ( inject a chicken with hormones and antibiotic , just so they breast is bigger and cram the chickens in a horrible filthy environment ) all for the sake of money. I will add organic cost more also. Food and Yoga are not my Gods.I have friends that expect Christians to say these things. Let’s just love them where they are as Christ did. Rejoice for unto you a savior is born.
Amanda says
I agree that many people treat “healthy” living as an idol. No denying that. I try very hard to not succomb to that temptation of idol worship , but I do also believe God created real food for us to eat, real food that requires work.
Anyway, the thing I’d disagree with you about here is your statement that “science says…yada yada…” No science doesn’t say that. Interpretation of science says that. Athiestic interpretation of the fossil and rock layers say the earth is billions of years old. Biblical interpretation says the earth is about 6,000 years old with massive amounts of rock and fossil layers laid down by the Flood of Noah’s day. Please don’t give them any more credit than is deserved by saying SCIENCE says that because it isn’t SCIENCE that says anything (in relation to any subject matter). It’s man’s fallible interpretation of science. We all have the same data, it’s how we interpret it that makes those conclusions.
Amanda says
Correction to my statement above – after the Fall, we had to work for our food. God didn’t create it that way, that’s the curse of sin. But real food requires work is what I meant to say.
James Bramer says
Pastors do need to weigh in on this issue, but I’m distressed at how they do it in a way that deepens existing divisions and sows discord, both justifying those who hold one secondary opinion about food, while alienating those who hold a different also secondary view. In essence, for the sake of our food choices we are to see one another as idolaters!
Obviously anything good or bad can be made an idol. But refusing to see organic food as an idol, while still believing that it represents a wise choice is not an option that some people can tolerate. All that has ever been necessary is for people to be encouraged to hold their views moderately and charitably in the church. Just like the guy who works at the Chevy factory and the guy who works for Ford. They are going to have strong opinions, too. They could even be idolotrous in their loyalties. But no would ask them to quit their job if they were having a heated discussion of the relative merits of their cars. Whatever you would pastorally tell those guys is what you should be saying in this context. And yes, people might get tired of hearing about Fords and Chevys. Probably their pastor should own a Dodge. But if he owns a Ford, he should avoid giving his automotive opinion in any official capacity. So, why do I know with crystalline clarity what opinion Pastor Sumpter holds about organic food?
But apparently, nothing will satisfy some people except that others of us stop eating and believing as we do. We must also unilaterally shut our faces about it, while others are left free to boast.
And apparently this organic farmer is nothing more than an idol factory. Tell me, should I get another job, Pastor Sumpter, like I was Demetrius making images of Diana? I’m eager to know, (just as soon as I, literally, get back in from tending to my free range chicken flock) because there are a lot of easier ways to make a buck.
A Scientist says
A little harsh on science but otherwise I completely agree.
Jonas says
So, and I could be misreading this, I can’t do organic, non-gmo, etc because it is a god to some people and therefore, since it doesn’t reflect Christ, it shouldn’t be done?
It’s funny how there is no scripture to back this up.
It’s also funny how on your ‘about me’ you suggest people read Chesterton, is he your god?
The reasons these posts never do any good is because we can find hypocrisy in everything.
Do what you do in the limits and freedom that God has placed in your life, but don’t tell me what God’s freedom is in my life. This is another blog designed to guilt-trip people into living a thoughtless life of listening to the pastor. Come at me when you have 1) a bachelor’s degree in science and 2) dislodged the mote in your own eye.
Cori says
I don’t trust the public education system of the day, nor do I trust the farming practices of the day. The government controls both. Why would you blindly trust one while obviously being very opposed to the other? I got news for you, the same wickedness is rampant in both places, and both are doing a very good job of making a society extremely sick, spiritually and physically. You would do well to educate yourself a bit better about what goes on with the way food is grown in this country before just lashing out at people who wish to grow their own or buy from a farmer with a face and practices they can trust. Calling people who take an active roll in what goes in their bodies idol worshipers is just plain wrong. People who take it to extreme maybe,but then my only hope is you are not saying this while being a homeschooling parent!
Lawrence says
I think your onto something. After we started putting cat pee in the kids oatmeal the only change we noticed was that they no longer come when we call their names.l
James says
Remember that time we Americans all had horrible eating habits and then it caught up with us?
Yeah, just ignore that.
Jc says
I think a lot of the commentors missed the point. It is not sinful to eat organically or locally. Food is good but in it’s context. I have lots of friends who like to purchase from local farms, have their own chickens, gardens, etc… But when they are overzealous in telling me what I should or should not eat, or bring their own food when they are invited to oyr house… It crosses a line. I cannot speak to their hearts- only actions. I can look at myself, my thoughts, etc. regarding this issue. If I ponder spending more money on organic food but feel more greedy or less hospitable, then that is a sin, an idol in my life.
Overall, really enjoyed this blog post. Especially the last paragraph!
Haven says
Matthew 15:17-18 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. It is good to constantly question your heart, and if you still want to eat what you wanted to before, feel free. Pastors are right to be more concerned with your heart than your arteries.
Rachel says
I think you hit a nerve:) very well written!
Cheryl says
Loving your neighbour as yourself is something that is to be done not only as individuals but corporately. And stewardship of creation is not only an individual pursuit, but one that should also be done corporately. If this is true, then how you raise animals and whether or not you use chemicals or natural means *IS* a moral question. And it is NOT idolatry to have concerns that extend to these arenas. Honestly, I get impatient with churches who never blink at the use of all kinds of use of toxic pharmaceuticals, which is closer to witchcraft than anything I know of (poison your way to health, people!), and then go after people who want non-toxic foods and supplements and kind treatment of animals. It isn’t a question of either/or, or at least it doesn’t need to be. I love my husband dearly, I’ve raised 12 kids. I serve God by serving people as a holistic practitioner (basically how doctors used to function before the discipline got overtaken by pharmaceuticals) and I’ve shared Christ on an almost daily basis in my practice. Look out over your congregation and see how many obese people are sitting there. And listen to the numbers of people coming down with cancer and other chronic degenerative conditions that are the result of too many calories, insufficient nutrition, toxicity, and lifestyle choices. Then tell me that this doesn’t affect their spiritual life, their families, and their ability to serve God. Too much time and money is going into managing disease states that were preventable. Ideas have consequences. Food choices have consequences. Lack of exercise has consequences. I’m sorry, but it isn’t more spiritual of you to ignore this. And I usually hear this sort of argument from those who need to eat better and exercise more but think this line of reasoning provides them with an excuse for not eating, drinking, etc., to the glory of God.
Le Noir Faineant says
James, Cori, et al, he never says organic = idolatry, or that free range chickens should be stuffed into small cages so they can stop being evil. The point is that our culture is consumed with health fads of varying levels of usefulness, and that Christians who want to live a heathly live would do well to not neglect more important things (E.g. honoring one’s parents). Not only does he not “lash out” at anyone who buys organic, he doesn’t even say don’t buy organic food. Seems like a lot of hysteria about a fairly innocuous post.
Voges says
I very much appreciate your article. I my self only by organic chicken, BUT after reading the above responses to your article its still clear that MANY individuals FAILED learning critical thinking and context throughout their education.
Ells says
I am not sure who you are ranting on? Sounds like you ran into someone or some situation that made your blood boil. I guess I just don’t see wanting to be organic and not spray questionable chemicals on my food and raise animals in a way that violates the Kingdom of God, and fight Monsanto and GMOs as being unbiblical….? But then I believe my reasons are in line with the Word of God. From experience if I I didn’t question everything that went in my mouth…..I would not be able to get out of bed in the morning and carry a sword for the Kingdom. And yes, I am boycotting corn syrup and and corn products because of Monsanto. You know…..science goes both ways. You make claims that science has no right to tell us that GMOs are bad and yet….they told us long ago they were ok. OK, so….I get that I don’t put my trust in almighty science and I don’t! Monsanto is against everything you are against in your article. Wouldn’t surprise me if Monsanto was doling out $$$$ to planned parenthood.
“So pretty much when anybody tells me they are really concerned about nutritional issues, organic farming, or are just really into healthy eating, I pretty much just picture them going home and kissing little icons of Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud. But your gods are dead, and soon you will be too. I don’t have any problem with people experimenting. I don’t have any problem with real science, even real nutritional science. But that requires, you know, actual evidence, proof, not hunches, not blog articles, not something you heard from somebody who had a dream, and not capitulating under the pressure of fifteen friends who all do it and look at you a little worried for your soul.”
Three more things: Thanks, umm can’t stand ether of those guys and I combat evolution daily and 2nd – are you really even qualified to speak on this because I am pretty sure this is a blog rant thoughtlessly put together and I am kind of disappointed. 3 – what is “real science”?
Jim Shiloh says
Matthew 6:21
oldfatslow says
Organic is just a synonym for famine.
ofs
Rick Davia says
First of all, great article.
Second, I giggled to myself when I saw how quickly the chanting began in the comments section: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Third, I agree with some of the commenters that within the church we should cultivate a charitable attitude that allows people freedom of conscience on these issues. However, what I often see from the organic crowd are statements to the effect that “I eat this way because I… (1) Love my children (2) Care about God’s creation.” Implying that those who do not eat this way don’t love their children and don’t want to be good stewards. So how about a little less judgmentalism and more freedom of conscience here?
Also there are some people, as seen in the comments above that really DO think that not making your eating habits a top priority in your life is a bad thing. And there are also some people who feel the same way about not worrying about the starving poor in Africa, not being well-versed in the latest academic theological discussions, not getting involved in politics, etc… There is only a limited amount of time in a finite human life and there are many competing claims. For some people, food issues may come near the top of the list of things they want to spend their time under the sun thinking about. For me, those are some of the least essential issues. I’ve got other places that I’d like to try to chase after the wind in all the days of the life of my vanity.
verheek says
I guess the key to all of this is the same as the rest of life: balance your priorities. It’s not that eating healthy or being good stewards is wrong. What is wrong, is making certain things your god and being obsessed by them. God comes first and with that mindset, the rest flows from it in our relationships, how we approach life and what we spend our time on. We also read labels and try to avoid preservatives and processed foods for our family. But that also costs more and sometimes we want to eat our favorites anyway.
Warren says
This is my first experience reading a post from Mr. Sumpter, so I am sure I lack some context for his general writing style. I confess that I was shocked by two things in particular, completely apart from the actual content of the post.
1. The whole context of the post was framed as a Christian, yet I found Mr. Sumpter using vulgar language to emphasize(?) his points. While promising three “orgasms”, contending that science “sucks” and observing the masses have done a “damn” good job may perk up the ears of the audience, but it is beneath either a Christian or a gentleman. I do not pretend to be “Puritan”, and casual conversation with the boys around the campfire may be different, but in a published work, it struck me as crude, unnecessary, and offensive.
2. At the top of his blog, Mr. Sumpter identifies himself as a pastor. A man of God. A shepherd of the sheep. A representative of Christ. Pastors are no less sinners than the rest of us men, but they are leaders and are responsible to be careful in their example, just as parents need to model well for their children. Lots of pressure? Yes, but it goes with the territory.
The example that Mr. Sumpter provides is a seeming rant, written in a hasty, loose style, with many opinions and few facts. It is a blog, it is his blog, and that is allowed. But as pastor, I expected better. This was not exhortation or even confrontation (for the building up of the body), it was berating, sarcastic, and divisive (as the comments plainly show).
I want to take some of the very good observations seriously and apply them to my own heart, but at this point I do not trust Mr. Sumpter to get the speck out of my eye with that log clouding his vision.
Valerie says
Maybe my sample is not a fair cross section of the American church, but I am seeing repeated articles claiming that people who eat healthfully don’t love and serve Jesus well. This is exactly what’s forbidden in Romans 14:13-23.
Dr Rod Story says
Little “s” (s)cience is a tool, a line of reasoning, a means of testing questions assuming that the universe is made in a consistent fashion. It is limited to our scope of view, our ability to ask the right questions, our means of testing those questions. It cannot begin to answer the questions that really matter.
Big “S” (S)cience is worldview, an idol in a long list of idols that replaces our worship of the One True God. All idols deserve scorn and derision. They need to be torn down, broken, burnt, shown for the dumb wood that they are.
As for course language: there are many examples in scripture where men of God speak with rhetorically sharp words, even vulgar words to awaken our foolish hearts. My favorite is Elijah on Mt Carmel, where he tells the worshipers of Baal to yell louder, as their “god is busy defecating.” Scripture is not tame and flowery as some might imagine.
Jeremiah Thompson says
This argument gives me exactly two choices. I can worship Jesus or drink raw milk, but not both. Definitely not both.
Toby says
Thanks for all the feedback. In case you missed it, I have a follow up post here: http://tobyjsumpter.com/more-on-sustainable-yoga-practices-vs-jesus/
Rachel says
As a mother to a four year old that almost died from Celiac Disease I will assure you that for him eating gluten free is the farthest thing from weird or should ever be connected with the word “whatever”. Eating that way gives him life. One of the biggest battles that I fight for him as a parent is the “lumping” of gluten free eating into a trendy fad. You would not state those words about a peanut allergy – it is the same for one with Celiac Disease. I kindly ask you to look at the initial paragraph and to assess if it is a paragraph that seeks to understand or seeks to divide. And I would also kindly ask if you would consider adding a disclaimer regarding the thousands of people whose lives depend on never eating gluten.
Jasmine says
I understand. And, I completely agree with your sentiments. While I love exercising and natural methods, I understand they cannot bring the healing and life that only God can give me through obedience to His word. Psalm 107:20.
My mother-in-law is 96 years old. She ate simply all her life. Forgave generously. Honored her parents. A woman of peace. She has lived a good and long life because, I believe, she obeyed God’s principles.
Great stuff. Thank you.
HMS Boyd says
I like science so I thought I would add that science actually does confirm that life begins at conception and that recently conceived babies are not just blobs of tissue. Of course this fact is often ignored because it is problematic. If it is brought up it is often trumped by the distracting and popular woman’s reproductive rights discussion. Many facts do have half-lives as you point out, which distinguishes facts from truth. Science is not too good at determining absolutes, but when performed fearlessly and with joy, it is wonderful to watch it confirm truth while adding a bit of flavor.
Ian Perry says
I’ll let alone the main debate (I personally think Americans need to eat healthier–look at the obesity rate– but think eating organic isn’t necessarily substantially healthier, and think genetically modified foods may be useful in reducing hunger or for allowing people to grow food in difficult environments). However, as for the potshot, “Science says that the universe is millions of years old, er, I mean hundreds of millions of years. Er. I mean billions of years old.”–as someone who’s actually spent a bit of time studying both sides of this, can you (or any of the people in this thread) actually substantiate the insinuation that mainstream science is wrong on this? (If you’re not prepared to defend your position here, perhaps you should not make such remarks.)
“Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the
other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size
and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of
the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and
this knowledge he holds to as being certain from reason and experience. Now, it is a
disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the
meaning of Holy Scripture, talking non-sense on these topics; and we should take all
means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance
in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual
is derided, but that people outside the household of the faith think our sacred writers held
such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of
our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men. If they find a Christian
mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his
foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters
concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of
heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves
have learnt from experience and the light of reason?”
Sadly, I couldn’t find the full text online, but see http://college.holycross.edu/faculty/alaffey/other_files/Augustine-Genesis1.pdf for some context.
Mrs. Jeff Swanson says
Thank you, Mr. Sumpter. This is just terrific.
Patrick says
Robin Phillips refuted this pastor on his website.
Jeff says
Next thing you know Toby will tell us all that Santa does not exist. Prophetic post.
Rebekah says
Yes, there is idolatry in anything that becomes more important than Christ our King in our hearts and lives.
However, I find the tone of many of your comments unnecessarily inflammatory. You’ve made it clear that you’re a skeptic of pretty much anything and everything that sounds weird or unbelievable to you. That’s alright–its your perspective and opinion. My dear husband is a bit of a skeptic actually. And I love him–he keeps me on my toes. I, I’m a believer. I’m a believer in God, in His son, our savior Jesus Christ, in his grand and beautiful purpose in the scheme of history, and also in the tiny, mundane details of our individual lives. I believe that everything matters. That everything we do should be ever more aligning itself to the ways and wisdom of God.
Funny that you should mention it, but I’m a user of essential oils, homeopathy, chiropractic, and many other wonderful and effective means of healthcare that amazingly enough I didn’t pick up from a witch doctor. I believe it is extremely important for Christians to strive for health and life because He created it, and because it honors Him. Oh but don’t worry, I don’t think I’ll be adding cat pee to my children’s oatmeal.
I think it is less than helpful to pick on the things you find ridiculous and shout about them. I might find any of your ways of doing life ridiculous or wrong. But that’s not the point. The point is doing all to the glory of God, and delighting in Him. That includes our health, our stance on social and political issues, our tithing, our giving, our love. It includes it ALL.
Max says
Loved the article. Noting all the irrational, defensive folks who missed the main point – it obviously hit a nerve. I think an article needs to be written focusing on the Romans 14 passage – the weak & the strong. I don’t have a problem with GMO foods. As a matter of fact, I believe it saved billions of people in the 20th century who would have otherwise starved to death. I don’t have a problem with eating gluten, or fatty foods, meat, alcohol, etc. Everything within reason and balance. All ought to be received from the Lord with cheerful thanksgiving. But there are obviously some spiritual immature people who believe you have to follow those dietary guidelines and more in order to be a Christian in good-standing.
Interestingly enough, in my reading of the NT, when Jesus and Paul talked about food it was more along the lines of – it’s all good. Eat. Enjoy. Glorify God. What comes in isn’t the important part. What is more important is what is produced outwardly…