1. Never use shame as a motivator – shame and guilt will never cause someone to permanently change, but knowing who they are allows them to live up to what they’ve already attained.

2. Only speak words of life – words of life provide tools for change. They need to be easy to apply, see real results quickly.

You’re so right that the root of sin needs to be dealt with and those roots are common to us all. Christ came to restore all things and cancel the curse, so none of us need to be under it any longer.

If you can find the keys to deal with the root issues and empower people to change you’ll be even more effective in expanding the Kingdom. I know the Spirit will teach you everything you need to know, and I sense you already have many of the pieces to the puzzle.

Thanks for the comments

No,I think that ALL sin is exactly whats between us and the Father. You’ve quoted some pretty plain scriptures about sin, I was wondering if gluttony was something that we as the church were supposed to “wink at” while we’re bashing homosexuals for being
unrepentant sinners.

1 John 3:4
Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=4&contentID=1743&commInfo=5&topic=1%20Corinthians&ar=1Cr_9_27

I was interested in what The Apostle Paul had to say about bringing our bodies under subjection so I read I Corinthians 9:24-27 This is a part of the Matthew Henry commentary concerning it.

Christians are ever in close combat. There enemies make fierce and hearty opposition, and are ever at hand; and for this reason they must lay about them in earnest, and never drop the contest, nor flag and faint in it. They must fight, not as those that beat the air, but must strive against their enemies with all their might. One enemy the apostle here mentions, namely, the body; this must be kept under, beaten black and blue, as the combatants were in these Grecian games, and thereby brought into subjection. By the body we are to understand fleshly appetites and inclinations. These the apostle set himself to curb and conquer, and in this the Corinthians were bound to imitate him. Note, Those who would aright pursue the interests of their souls must beat down their bodies, and keep them under. They must combat hard with fleshly lusts, and not indulge a wanton appetite, and long for heathenish sacrifices, nor eat them, to please their flesh, at the hazard of their brethren’s souls. The body must be made to serve the mind, not suffered to lord over it.

or this…

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

What I want to know is if you feel gluttony is an area the modern church (particularly Americans) really should address in a much more meaningful way. Among so many other things,I see obesity as being a “poor witness” of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in Christian’s lives. I think it would do Christians a world of good to understand what it means to bring their bodies under subjection so that they might be able to have some empathy for homosexual’s who are basically struggling with the same issue.

Thank you for the opportunity to explain what I wrote above…

* Give Scripture It’s Authority – Make sure the offense is not adiaphora (things indifferent).

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16 (New Living Translation)

Allow me to use your question about gluttony to explain.

We know gluttony is one of the 7 Deadly Sins, but try to find it in the Bible.

It’s there… anywhere from 4 – 7 times depending on the version you check on.

That got me looking into what the Bible actually says about it.

The Hebrew word is zalal and it means “to be worthless, vile, insignificant, to make light of”

The Greek word is phagos and it means “a voragious man”

I’m assuming you want to tell overweight people they are living in sin and if they don’t change, they should leave the church. I may have misread your comments, but that’s the gist of what I read in your words.

I’m convinced the Bible doesn’t condone gluttony, in fact it’s clear it’s a bad idea Proverbs 23:21. Is it grounds for excommunication? Please read everything I’ve written about How to Judge and Not be a Jerk.

There are a lot of healthy, balanced, biblical approaches to weight loss. But having a the perfect body can also be a form of idolatry. Even that I’d leave between the person and the Father.