LESSON 6: CHRISTIAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS "EATING AND DRINKING"
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1. GOAL
1.1 To learn Biblical principles relating to food and drink.
1.2 To have the goal of glorifying God in our daily lives.
2. CONTENT
2.1 Introduction
We can divide people in this world into 3 categories in relating to "eating and drinking." The first category is the person who lives his life for pleasure and eating (Life for food). The second one is the person who eats food in order to live and to be healthy (Food for life). The third one is those who do not have food to eat. As Christians, we live our lives in this world to glorify God and enlarge His kingdom. We eat food for good health and to take proper care of our bodies.
We will learn Biblical principles relating to "eating and drinking."
2.2 Question
What kind of food should Christians eat? What kind of food should Christians not eat?
a) ______
b) ______
c) ______
2.3 What essential food should Christians take first?
a. John 6:27 - Food that endures to eternal life (Spiritual food)
b. John 4:32,34 - Spiritual food is to do the will of God
c. Matthew 4:4 "Jesus answered, 'It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
d. Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
2.4 What kinds of attitudes should Christians have toward eating and drinking
a) Proverbs 23:2, 20-21 "2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. 20Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags."
Christians should not be gluttons and drunkards.
b) Titus 1:12 "Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons."
Christians should not be lazy gluttons.
c) 1 Timothy 3:2 "Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach."
Christians should be temperate and self-controlled in drinking and eating.
d) Colossians 2:16 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day."
e) 1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
2.5 What kind of food should Christians not eat?
a) 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 "Everything is permissible for me"- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me" - but I will not be mastered by anything. 13"Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"- but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
Christians should avoid food that will destroy their bodies, such as alcohol, raw food.
b) Romans 14:15, 1 Corinthians 8:13
Romans 14:15 "If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died."
1 Corinthians 8:13 "Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
Their eating must not cause their Christian brothers and sisters to stumble or to fall into sin such as eating food sacrificed to idols, drinking alcohol in front of those of other religions who believe that doing so is a sin.
c) Romans 14:20 "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble."
They should not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.
2.6 Discussion questions
a) What is more important in your life - food or God's Kingdom?
b) Which way is Biblical - eating to please your taste or eating balanced food in order to be healthy?
c) How will you glorify God in your eating and drinking?
2.7 Memory verse
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
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