Gluttony and Masturbation
THE TWINS SINS OF SELF INDULGENCE AND SELF-ABUSE
Masturbation
THE TWINS SINS OF SELF INDULGENCE AND SELF-ABUSE
Der Völler by Georg Emmanuel Opiz
Gluttony (Latin: gula, derived from the Latin gluttire meaning "to gulp down or swallow") means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food or drink.
In Christianity, it is considered a sin if the excessive desire for food leads to a lack of control over one's relation with food or harms the body.[1] Some Christian denominations consider gluttony one of the seven deadly sins.
Masturbation
Gen 38:9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
Gen 38:10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals for sexual pleasure, often to the point of orgasm. It is a common and unnatural behavior that can be a part of unhealthy sexual development and functioning. Masturbation can be done alone or with a partner, and it can involve a variety of techniques or sexual fantasies. It is generally considered safe and can be a way for individuals to explore their bodies and sexuality.Absolutely—while gluttony is directly addressed in Scripture, masturbation is not mentioned explicitly by name. However, biblical principles related to lust, sexual immorality, and self-control have been historically applied to the topic of masturbation.
📖 SCRIPTURES ABOUT GLUTTONY
Proverbs 23:20–21 (ESV)
"Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags."
→ Gluttony is associated with laziness and eventual ruin.
Philippians 3:19 (ESV)
"Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things."
→ Speaks of those who serve their appetites rather than God.
Proverbs 25:16 (NIV)
"If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit."
→ A warning against overindulgence, even in good things.
Ezekiel 16:49 (ESV)
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."
→ Overconsumption and neglect of others are condemned together.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
→ Even eating is to be done with spiritual mindfulness.
📖 SCRIPTURES RELATED TO MASTURBATION (Through Lust, Impurity, and Self-Control)
Matthew 5:28 (NIV)
"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
→ Jesus equates internal lust with external sin.
1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 (ESV)
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor..."
→ Calls for sexual purity and self-discipline.
1 Corinthians 6:18–20 (NIV)
"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body..."
→ Warns against using the body in ways contrary to its spiritual purpose.
Genesis 38:9–10 (KJV)
"And Onan knew that the seed should not be his... he spilled it on the ground... And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also."
→ Often cited in relation to masturbation, though the context is about Onan's refusal to fulfill his duty.
Proverbs 6:25–27 (NIV)
"Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes... Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?"
→ A metaphor warning about the danger of lustful indulgence.
Galatians 5:19–21 (NIV)
"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery... Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
→ Impurity and debauchery encompass habitual, lust-driven acts.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH PROBLEMS OF EXTREME MASTURBATION
Excessive or compulsive masturbation can lead to several physical and psychological health problems:
Physical Injury: Frequent or aggressive masturbation can cause skin irritation, swelling, or even minor injuries to the genitals.
Sexual Dysfunction: Over time, excessive masturbation, especially if it involves very intense or unconventional methods, can lead to sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction or difficulty reaching orgasm.
Prostate Issues: There is some debate about this, but excessive masturbation may be linked to an increased risk of prostate problems, although more research is needed.
Relationship Problems: If masturbation becomes compulsive, it can interfere with relationships and lead to neglect of social and emotional bonds with a partner.
Emotional and Psychological Issues: Compulsive masturbation can be a sign of underlying emotional or psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, or guilt. It can also lead to feelings of shame, low self-esteem, and social isolation.
Addiction: In some cases, excessive masturbation can become a behavioral addiction, leading to an uncontrollable urge to masturbate, even when it causes negative consequences.
Interference with Daily Life: Excessive masturbation can interfere with daily activities, work, or school performance, especially if it becomes a way to escape from stress or responsibilities.
If you or someone you know is experiencing negative effects from excessive masturbation, it may be helpful to speak with a healthcare professional or a therapist for support and guidance.
Gluttony and Masturbation
“The Twin Sins of Self-Indulgence and Self-Abuse”
Introduction
Human desire—when unrestrained—often leads to corruption of both the body and soul. Gluttony and masturbation, though seemingly unrelated on the surface, share a spiritual kinship: they are both expressions of unregulated craving, a giving over of the self to immediate gratification. They are sins of appetite, and their roots are deeply embedded in self-focus, not self-discipline. These sins do not merely offend by act, but by what they reveal: a heart surrendered not to God, but to the tyranny of flesh.
Gluttony: The God of the Belly
“Their god is their belly…”
—Philippians 3:19
Gluttony (Latin: gula, from gluttire meaning “to gulp down”) is more than just overeating—it’s idolatry of appetite. When one lives to eat, rather than eats to live, food becomes a god. It controls. It consumes. It blinds.
The classical painting "Der Völler" by Georg Emmanuel Opiz captures this vividly: an individual bloated, drunk on indulgence, blind to dignity, reason, or virtue. The spiritual man becomes a beast, ruled by desire rather than discipline.
Gluttony is often underestimated because it is culturally normalized. Yet, it is one of the seven deadly sins—not just because it harms the body, but because it numbs the soul, dulling spiritual sensitivity. In Scripture, the Israelites grumbled for food even after God provided—revealing how quickly physical desire can override gratitude and faith.
Masturbation: The Seed Spilled in Vain
"And Onan spilled his seed on the ground...and the thing which he did displeased the LORD."
—Genesis 38:9-10
This passage has long been debated, but one undeniable truth is that Onan’s act was self-serving. It rejected both God’s purpose for life and the sacrificial responsibility of love. Masturbation today, especially in compulsive or fantasy-driven forms, is not a celebration of the body, but a distortion of its purpose.
Masturbation becomes self-abuse when:
It trains the mind to detach sex from covenant.
It fosters a self-focused and fantasy-driven sexuality, distant from real intimacy and responsibility.
It cultivates addiction, where lust becomes a god and satisfaction never satisfies.
Proverbs 31:3 warns: “Give not thy strength unto women…” This isn’t merely about women—it’s about not giving your spiritual vitality to sexual appetite, which has the power to “destroy kings.” Consider Samson, Solomon, and David—men whose strength was drained by lust before it was taken by enemies.
Twin Sins: Self-Indulgence & Self-Abuse
Both gluttony and masturbation spring from the same spiritual root: self-rule. When a person elevates their desires above divine order, the result is spiritual decay—even if the body feels momentary pleasure.
Gluttony is indulgence through consumption.
Masturbation is indulgence through release.
Both bypass discipline, purpose, and community, favoring isolation and gratification. They promise comfort but yield shame. They offer escape but result in bondage.
Health Consequences: A Warning in the Flesh
Physical
Gluttony: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, fatigue.
Masturbation: genital irritation, sexual dysfunction, prostate concerns (in debate).
Emotional
Shame, guilt, low self-worth, isolation, body-image struggles.
Spiritual
Dullness in prayer, distance from God, compromised witness, weak spiritual authority.
When unchecked, these behaviors re-wire the brain to seek instant pleasure over delayed purpose. They diminish the capacity for self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
Absolutely—while gluttony is directly addressed in Scripture, masturbation is not mentioned explicitly by name. However, biblical principles related to lust, sexual immorality, and self-control have been historically applied to the topic of masturbation.
🔥 GLUTTONY & WOMEN
"Her god is her appetite; her body becomes her battlefield."
Physically
Weight gain and obesity: Chronic overeating leads to increased fat storage, often centered around hormonal shifts unique to women (e.g., menopause, pregnancy, etc.).
Health risks: Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and hormonal imbalances (like PCOS) are often aggravated by excessive eating.
Chronic fatigue: Overeating and poor nutrition rob energy and decrease metabolic efficiency.
Fertility issues: Being significantly overweight or undernourished from binge/restrict cycles can impair ovulation and reproductive health.
Mentally
Food obsession: The mind becomes consumed with cravings, meal planning, guilt, and diet cycles.
Brain fog: High sugar or carb-heavy diets can impair cognitive clarity and memory.
Poor focus: Excess indulgence leads to dopamine crashes, affecting attention and mood regulation.
Emotionally
Guilt and shame: Many women silently battle cycles of overeating and self-loathing.
Low self-esteem and body image issues: Constant dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, especially in comparison to beauty standards.
Anxiety and depression: Tied to unstable blood sugar, hormonal shifts, and internal condemnation.
Spiritually
Idolatry of appetite: Food becomes a comforter, replacing prayer, worship, and surrender.
Loss of discipline: A lack of temperance in eating often leaks into other areas of spiritual laziness.
Emotional eating as spiritual numbness: Instead of running to God in distress, one runs to the fridge.
Guilt blocks intimacy with God: Overindulgence produces shame, leading many women to avoid prayer or Scripture.
🔥 MASTURBATION & WOMEN
"Her body becomes an altar of false intimacy, and her soul quietly withers in silence."
While the conversation around masturbation often centers on men, many women struggle just as deeply—though more privately, often wrapped in guilt and secrecy.
Physically
Desensitization: Frequent or fantasy-fueled masturbation can make it difficult to experience real intimacy or arousal with a partner.
Pelvic discomfort: Overstimulation can lead to soreness or tension in the pelvic floor area.
Hormonal confusion: Orgasm releases hormones like oxytocin and dopamine—without real connection, this confuses the brain’s bonding systems.
Mentally
Fantasy addiction: Masturbation is often accompanied by porn or mental fantasies, which reinforce unrealistic expectations and mental bondage.
Guilt loops: Especially in Christian women, the act can feel like a betrayal of purity, leading to cycles of resolution → relapse → regret.
Mental fragmentation: Splitting between public spiritual life and private sexual behavior creates inner dissonance.
Emotionally
Loneliness and emotional numbing: Masturbation may become a substitute for healthy connection or processing feelings.
Emotional dependency: It can become an emotional escape when dealing with stress, heartbreak, or anxiety.
Shame and secrecy: Few women feel safe talking about this, even in church—so they carry this pain alone.
Spiritually
Defilement of the temple (1 Cor 6:19): The body is meant to honor God—not serve lust, even privately.
Self-worship: It reinforces self-centered pleasure instead of relational or covenantal love.
Distance from God: Lust clouds spiritual perception, and habitual masturbation can dull conviction, prayer life, and worship.
Distortion of desire: It reshapes sexual identity around fantasy rather than God-ordained intimacy.
💡 The Deeper Root: Self-Sovereignty
Both gluttony and masturbation flow from the same spiritual posture—“I will do what feels good for me, when I want it, how I want it.”
For women, this rebellion is often quiet, internalized, and dressed in emotional language:
“I deserve this.”
“It helps me cope.”
“At least I’m not hurting anyone.”
But self-rule always leads to self-destruction. The call of the Spirit is to surrender, to let Christ reign even over our cravings, our silence, our hidden struggles.
🌿 Restoration Is Possible
God doesn’t shame us into healing—He invites us.
Fasting breaks gluttony.
Confession and accountability break sexual bondage.
Scripture renews the mind and purifies the heart.
Intimacy with Christ fills the emptiness we keep trying to feed.
📖 SCRIPTURES ABOUT GLUTTONY
Proverbs 23:20–21 (ESV)
"Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags."
→ Gluttony is associated with laziness and eventual ruin.
Philippians 3:19 (ESV)
"Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things."
→ Speaks of those who serve their appetites rather than God.
Proverbs 25:16 (NIV)
"If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit."
→ A warning against overindulgence, even in good things.
Ezekiel 16:49 (ESV)
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."
→ Overconsumption and neglect of others are condemned together.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
→ Even eating is to be done with spiritual mindfulness.
📖 SCRIPTURES RELATED TO MASTURBATION (Through Lust, Impurity, and Self-Control)
Matthew 5:28 (NIV)
"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
→ Jesus equates internal lust with external sin.
1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 (ESV)
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor..."
→ Calls for sexual purity and self-discipline.
1 Corinthians 6:18–20 (NIV)
"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body..."
→ Warns against using the body in ways contrary to its spiritual purpose.
Genesis 38:9–10 (KJV)
"And Onan knew that the seed should not be his... he spilled it on the ground... And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also."
→ Often cited in relation to masturbation, though the context is about Onan's refusal to fulfill his duty.
Proverbs 6:25–27 (NIV)
"Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes... Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?"
→ A metaphor warning about the danger of lustful indulgence.
Galatians 5:19–21 (NIV)
"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery... Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
→ Impurity and debauchery encompass habitual, lust-driven acts.
Conclusion: Redeeming the Appetite
The answer is not asceticism for its own sake, but alignment with divine order. God is not anti-pleasure—He is the Creator of satisfaction—but He calls for it to be enjoyed within His design.
Fasting subdues gluttony and restores gratitude.
Purity and self-control redeem sexuality into covenant and intimacy.
In Christ, we are called to rule over the flesh, not be ruled by it. These twin sins must be unmasked—not merely as physical excesses, but as spiritual disorders.
Let us hunger and thirst—not for food or release—but for righteousness, for only then shall we be filled (Matthew 5:6).
KELVIN L. STUBBLEFIELD IS A GRADUATE OF Middle Tennessee State University IN 1983.
HE IS THE AUTHOR OF “AMERICAN REPROBATE: GOD'S CURSE AND RESTORATION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN”. THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2012.
HE AND HIS WIFE SANDRIA, CO-FOUNDED “BIGSTUB CREATIONS” IN 2018. We are a vehicle for creativity! Our mission is to encourage individuals to utilize their artistic expression through the performing arts.
He has recently published his second book in November 2023.
STAYING HUMAN: EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD, MAN AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE”.
Biblical, Spiritual, and Social Analysis and Solutions to Black Americans and Mainstream AMERICAN Dysgenics, Narcissistic Self Indulgence, and the Current Politics of Self Annihilation. Amidst the dawning of Artificial General intelligence and Trans-Humanity.
YOU CAN PURCHASE HIS PUBLICATIONS OR LEARN ABOUT OUR NEXT PROJECT; YOU CAN VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES.
https://www.klstubblefield.com/
Staying Human
https://www.bigstubcreations.com/
https://loveintheblack.blogspot.com/
https://lovingmyhumans.blogspot.com
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