Overeating and Control of Appetite
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which he appeals to his brethren, by the mercies of God, to present
their bodies, “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.” This is
true sanctification. It is not merely a theory, an emotion, or a form of
words, but a living, active principle, entering into the every-day life. It
requires that our habits of eating, drinking, and dressing, be such as
to secure the preservation of physical, mental and moral health, that
we may present to the Lord our bodies—not an offering corrupted by
wrong habits, but—“a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
Let none who profess godliness regard with indifference the health
of the body, and flatter themselves that intemperance is no sin, and
will not affect their spirituality. A close sympathy exists between the
physical and the moral nature.
Testimonies for the Church 9:156
God requires of His people continual advancement. We need
to learn that indulged appetite is the greatest hindrance to mental
improvement and soul sanctification. With all our profession of health
reform, many of us eat improperly. Indulgence of appetite is the
greatest cause of physical and mental debility, and lies largely at the
foundation of feebleness and premature death. Let the individual who
is seeking to possess purity of spirit bear in mind that in Christ there
is power to control the appetite.
Testimonies for the Church 9:163-164
Those ministers who feel at liberty to indulge the appetite are
falling short of the mark. God wants them to be health reformers. He
wants them to live up to the light that has been given on this subject.
I feel sad when I see those who ought to be zealous for our health
principles, not yet converted to the right way of living. I pray that the
Lord may impress their minds that they are meeting with great loss.
If things were as they should be in the households that make up our
churches, we might do double work for the Lord.
Letter K 158, 1909
Present before the people the need of resisting the temptation to
indulge appetite. This is where many are failing. Explain how closely