A Godly Man's Diet for the Body

Introduction

For some reason, many American men have bought into the notion that careless and indulgent eating is a sign of masculinity. It’s largely assumed that salads and early morning walks are for women. Meanwhile, it’s considered normal for men to be hunkered down on the couch watching baseball, with a can of beer in one hand and a bag of potato chips in the other. In many circles there can be an unspoken rule that the more manly you are, the less concerned you’ll be about the calories and contents in your food.

But we need to stop and ask questions here, especially as Christians. Why should we think that an attitude like that is inherently masculine? Is the ideal man really someone who’s dismissive of life decisions and dull in his thinking? Or – I think the answer is obvious here – is the ideal man someone who’s dialed in, and devoted to living for God?

As God-fearing men, you and I have an obligation to be wise and right in our decisions. The reality of Jesus Christ’s rescue operation, to free us from sin’s corruption and curse, should motivate us to be intentional with how we live. This is, after all, the logic of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:20 gives the reminder that, “[Y]ou were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body.” And one of the ways we should rightly glorify God with our body, is by giving attention to how we eat.

Godly Goals in Your Eating Habits

Though I’ll intersperse some insight on what we should eat over the course of this article, the primary issue I want to encourage Christian men in is how we eat. After all, the the specifics of what an appropriate diet looks like won’t be exactly the same for everyone reading this article. But the issue of universal importance is to have the right principles guiding us in our eating decisions. As men who take God’s Word seriously, here are three goals that you and I should aim for when we sit down at the table for mealtime:

Have Moderation on Your Menu

First, a Godly man should aim to have moderation in what he eats, both in the volume of food that he eats, as well as in the variety of food that he eats. When men eat amounts of food that are immoderate, this is what the Bible calls gluttony. In the Old Testament law, God clearly communicated that gluttony is a manifestation of rebelliousness and sin (Deuteronomy 21:20). Engaging in gluttony is forbidden in Biblical wisdom literature, and is associated with grievous life outcomes (Proverbs 23:20-21; 28:7). And the New Testament, as well, identifies gluttony as disgraceful (Luke 7:34; Titus 1:12). When Jesus teaches about the heaven-bound beggar Lazarus and the hell-bound rich man, the rich man’s self-indulgent, sumptuous feasting is identified as an expression of his ungodliness (Luke 16:19). Clearly, this should have an impact on how we understand ideal masculinity. Consuming 45 hotdogs in half an hour shouldn’t be admired as a feat of manhood, but instead should be addressed as a failure of manhood. The Lord calls his people to moderation in the volume of what they eat.

But godly men should also aim for moderation in the variety of what they eat. In Biblical times, honey was the most readily available form of sugar. And God, in his wisdom, warns us to be moderate in our consumption of sweet things like this. Proverbs 23:16, “If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.” Likewise in Proverbs 25:27a – “It is not good to eat much honey.” God intends for us to know that certain foods – sugars especially – are intended to be eaten sparingly. But as a broader principle, here, we’re encouraged to avoid lopsided diets (like bread sticks and chicken nuggets only), and to include a moderated variety of nutritious foods on our dinner plate.

Have Mastery Over Your Appetite

Here’s a second goal, though. As godly man, you should aim to have mastery over your appetite. Or, to say the same thing another way, your appetite shouldn’t have mastery over you. In Philippians 3:19, Paul warns Christians about men who are walking as enemies of Christ. He explains: “…their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Certainly, Paul recognizes that it’s an act of idolatry to serve at the altar of our stomachs!

Instead, Scripture explains that the godly man is one who has self-control over his appetites. One of the fruits of God’s Spirit in us is this spiritual ability to exercise self-restraint (Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Timothy 1:7). We aren’t animals, driven haplessly by our instincts. And we aren’t of such a low station, that we should allow that big tray of French fries to dictate our dietary choices. But as men, as image-bearers of God, we should exercise proper dominion over the other creatures (Genesis 1:28-29), including the items we find on the supermarket shelves.

Have Meaningful Goals to Direct Your Food Choices

Godly men should also make sure that their food choices are being directed by meaningful goals – goals that are aligned with God’s purposes for us. Ultimately, all our decisions (including our food decisions) are driven by whatever goal we prioritize the most. Yet we often don’t take the time to consciously evaluate what motivations are determining our life choices. Many people make food decisions based on convenience (which explains the wild success of fast food restaurants). Other people, obsessed with their personal appearance, make food decisions to try to obtain a certain body shape. Alternative goals exist, too. But as Christian men, what grand goal should we be aiming for with respect to how we eat?

Short answer – our ultimate goal should be to glorify and enjoy God. Consider 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism echoes Scripture’s teaching on this, when it affirms that “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Even in something as basic as our eating, our goal should be to glorify and enjoy God. But practically, what should that look like?

Well, if you want to glorify God in your eating, you should eat in a way that promotes your usefulness in God’s service. As a Christian man, you should eat with the conviction that “to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21), rather than eating in a way that’s primarily self-indulgent and self-oriented. It’s often easier to gravitate toward snack foods that are higher in sugar and processed components. But the mission we’re called to isn’t about serving our tastebuds. It’s about serving Jesus. And our long-term physical and mental functioning will generally be better off if you replace your candy bars and chips with foods that are richer in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats. It isn’t insignificant – those who choose a healthier pattern of eating will tend to have more meaningful years of ability and opportunity to glorify God with their bodies.

Of course, it’s also intended that we would enjoy God in our eating. Many people associate healthy eating with raw celery sticks and misery. But God has created numerous different fruits, meats, and other foods that are both nutritious and delicious. And every time we eat a handful of fresh raspberries, or enjoy a ham sandwich on homemade bread – we can (and should!) find it precious that God both invented tasty food, and he also delights in allowing us to enjoy it. When we sit down at the dinner table, our goal isn’t just to extract pleasure out of the pizza slice on our plate, but is for that pizza slice to intensify our pleasure in the goodness of God.

So as a Christian man, be intentional in what you eat. As you seek to bring every part of your life under the Lordship of Jesus, don’t neglect to submit your mealtime decisions to him. Because all things aren’t just created through him – all things are also for him (Colossians 1:16).

Devon Rossman (MS, MDiv) is the planter and pastor of Fellowship Reformed Church in Mt Pleasant, MI. Devon enjoys growing food, exploring nature areas, and playing ultimate frisbee. He and his wife Taylor have 6 children.