There are some things that are wrong in any circumstance. Paul said, “Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9,10). Those things are always wrong, but things that are right may become wrong if we are “brought under the power” of those things.

Paul put food into this class. “Foods are for the stomach and the stomach for foods” (1 Cor. 6:13), but we must control our appetites. The glutton is under the power of food and no longer eats to live, but lies to eat.

It was not uncommon for first century Christians to fast, which is the voluntary abstinence from food. When elders were appointed, during Paul’s return on the first missionary journey, there was prayer and fasting (Acts 14:23). The Corinthians were told that husbands and wives may abstain from sexual relations to “give yourselves to fasting and prayer” (1 Cor. 7:5). In the second letter, Paul said that he was in fastings often (2 Cor. 11:27). Though the Bible does not teach ceremonial fasting, it certainly does indicate that food should not control our lives. If we cannot temporarily give up eating for a better cause, or cannot control the amount we eat, we may be under the power of food (addicted).

The next thing Paul discussed was the sexual appetite. He said “the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord… Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:13,18). Just as God created the stomach that has cravings, and food that supplies that need, He created the sexual appetite and authorized the marriage relationship in which those desires could be fulfilled.

When people become gluttons, they are allowing food to rule them, and when people commit fornication, they are allowing the sexual appetite to be perverted.

God has provided a legitimate means of fulfilling every desire that He created within man, but we must control those desires and not allow anything, other than God’s will, to rule our lives.