Christian Eating

Dear Victorious,

Do you think that Christians really need to eat healthy foods to be Christian? I have friends who won't drink, for example. But I see nothing wrong with a little wine with a meal, or a cold beer on a hot day. Isn't it more important that Christians live a healthy lifestyle ... but keep it in balance?

Paul S. - Shiloh, IL

Dear Paul,

Christians don't have to limit their shopping to the health food stores, if that's what you're asking. The Bible says we can eat anything. However, consider that most of the crappy food we have to eat today didn't exist in Biblical times (because it's manufactured). Christians should be living a healthy lifestyle ... but they don't do so in order to be Christian. Rather it is a result of their walk with Christ that they live healthier lives.

What we eat and how we eat is probably more an indication of the condition of our hearts than anything else. It's a reflection of how we make choices. So would Jesus eat this? Would Jesus drink this? Would He eat or drink this much of this? If we are truly making decisions with those questions in mind, we're probably okay.

Put differently, if we eat the way Jesus would eat (and have us eat), we'll avoid gluttony and drunkenness, eat everything in moderation and be treating our body as a temple (of the Holy Spirit).