WHEREAS, we are called to, "abstain from all appearance of evil,"
1 Thess 5:22 and
WHEREAS, Godly living should characterize the life of every child of the Lord, and we should live according to the pattern and example given in the Word of God. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; and
WHEREAS, we wholeheartedly disapprove of our people indulging in any activities which are not conducive to good Christianity and godly living, and
WHEREAS, America has become a nation plagued with the spirit of gluttony, creating an epidemic of obesity, and
WHEREAS, Years of research confirm biblical warnings that gluttony leads to physical, mental, and emotional damage (e.g.
Proverbs 23:20-21); and
WHEREAS, Gluttony defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit, our bodies, by causing numerous corollary maladies such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, stroke, and endometrial, breast, and colon cancer; and
WHEREAS, Chronic and morbid obesity among Christians is evidence of a failure to practice biblical stewardship, pursue godliness, and produce the spiritual fruit of self control (
John 6: 27;
Gal. 5:19-24); and
WHEREAS, The undisciplined consumption of food reflects a heart of idolatry (Phil. 3:18-19); and
WHEREAS, There are some religious leaders who now openly display their flagrant disregard for biblical principles that govern a believer's diet, thus denying the church of the Lord Jesus Christ the power of its testimony that the gospel can deliver men from lives of selfish pursuit and worldly ambition for the sake of the Kingdom of God (
1 Cor. 6:12-13); and
WHEREAS, the expanding girth of many UPCI ministers and members demonstrates the degree to which purported servants of Christ have sought excessively after those things that the pagans seek, having denied the beneficent and sufficient provision of their Lord (Mt 6:31); now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the UPCI express our firm belief that the inerrant word of God condemns gluttony as an abomination and a terrible evil in the sight of the Lord; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we are embarrassed by the degree to which our own wicked and idolatrous dietary habits have brought reproach on our Lord Jesus Christ and quenched the Spirit of God in our lives;
RESOLVED, That we urge the ministry of the UPCI to take an active role in renewing their personal commitments to the spiritual discipline of fasting for the sake of the Kingdom of God; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we exhort one another to reflect godly priorities and holiness in all matters related to personal diet and wellness; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the ministers of the UPCI to be actively involved in educating the members of our churches concerning the destructive nature of gluttony; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge that no one be elected to a local, district or national office of the UPCI that is a gluttonous person; and be it further resolved
RESOLVED, That we commend organizations and ministries that treat gluttony from a biblical perspective and promote a healthy diet and encourage local churches to begin and/or support such biblically-based ministries.
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