Wellness-Temperance

There are many extremes on this planet, many of them related to some evil even if they initially appear delightful. People in their search for God have pursued many paths. Some have sought refuge in self-denial. Some starve themselves or beat themselves in an attempt to earn their way into heaven, or to achieve some state divorced from the so-called “carnal.” Some have pursued a very different path, seeking every excess in trying to find some pleasure that would make everything worth it, that would make them stop wanting to seek God. God shows us in the Bible that neither of these things are his will. In Eden he gave Adam and Eve “every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.” (Gen 1:29) He obviously meant us to enjoy what He gave us.

When Jesus was here on earth, eating and drinking with the people, He was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard by those who adhered strictly to a healthy Jewish diet. (Matt. 11:19) We know that he was not truly a glutton or drunkard, since both are denounced in (Proverbs 23:2, 23:21, 26:9). We can, however, extrapolate from this passage that he did feast. He was not an ascetic.

Clearly God’s will for us is temperance and moderation. This means avoiding the more damaging substances we can put into our bodies, which can cause permanent damage, death, or birth defects. Any of these would be a very high price to pay for one experience of euphoria. Drunkenness can lead to other situations as well, such as unwise sexual contact, and unnecessary risks which can result in death. These are things which must be considered. If we plunge into them without thinking, the results could be more than we bargain for.

There are some forms of intemperance, though, which are very acceptable in our society, and even in our churches. Overwork, overeating, overindulgence in various forms of entertainment, all these things are included in this biblical injunction against intemperance. When you’re on the couch in front of the TV, a big bag of chips beside you and the remote in your hand, you are still the temple of the Holy Spirit.