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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Leviticus chapter 11 lists the dietary restrictions God gave to the nation of Israel. The dietary laws included prohibitions against eating pork, shrimp, shellfish and many types of seafood, most i...
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George Delmindo
Supporter
Whatever commandment God has given to the Israelites is good because God knows what is good for man. In the Book of Malachi God said "I the Lord changes not"(Mal 3:6). In Acts 7:8, the israelites is the church of God in the wilderness. We christians today is a type of that nation called by God. Jesus Christ is the God who was with God the Father all through out eternity according to John 1:1-2. In 1 Cor 10-4, Jesus Christ is the spiritual rock that followed the israelites in the wilderness. Paul said also that Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever. Do you think Jesus as God's only begotten son would break God's laws? He said "I came not to destroy the laws and the prophets, but to fulfill them". In Mark 7, Jesus Christ and his disciples were questioned from eating without washing their hands according to the traditions of the elders. To make the story short, Jesus reasoned that it is not the filth in the food which can defile the body but the things which come out of the mouth from the heart which are spiritual in nature. So what Jesus cleanses is not the kinds of food that the people were eating, but the filth that the food might contain. Understand that jews eat only kosher food. In Acts 10, Peter was shown in a vision all the kinds of unclean meat on a sheet knit on four corners and was commanded by the angel to kill and eat. What was Peter's reply? " I have never eaten any thing unclean in my whole life!" and then the vision disappeared. When Cornelius, a high ranking officer of the Italian Regiment summoned Peter to his house, what did Peter say in Acts 10:28? " You know that it is unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean." Peter realized what the vision meant! So the vision is used only to resemble in accepting Gentiles into the Church. So it has nothing to do with unclean meats to be used for food. The vision Peter had is only an 'analogy' of two things that are considered common or unclean, common meat and common people - Gentiles. So God is not intending that Peter should eat common meat but to accept Gentiles into the church. Salvation comes from the Jews (John 4:22). To the jews first and then to the Greeks, in other words - and then to the Gentiles. Should the Jews keep God's commandments while Gentiles are allowed to trample on it?
JD Abshire
Supporter
1 Timothy 4:1 " Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils". 1 Timothy 4:2 " Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" 1 Timothy 4:3 " Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." 1 Timothy 4:4 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:" 1 Timothy 4:5 " For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
Dorcas Sitali
Supporter
The foods that a Christian should avoid are ones sacrificed to idols Acts 15:29 because 1 Corinthians 10:20 says what pagans sacrifice to idols they do so to demons. 1 timothy 4:4 says we are to receive everything with thanksgiving and prayer non of all God created is to be refused.
Jim Tumlinson
Supporter
The foods that God prohibited the Israelites to eat was bad for them just as it is today. Though we are not under the law it is still good to avoid those kinds of food. However in Christ we have the freedom to eat as we choose. If God gave us commandments today for the food we eat then the fast food industry would be bankrupt, yet christians still eat at them knowing that kind of food is killing them. As a first responder I see it all the time. 1 Cor 10:18-33 18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23 "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." 27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake— 29 the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. NIV As we can see we can do what we want but it is not necessarily good for us or profitable as Paul states. If your conscience won't let you eat bacon then don't, as for me I eat it every day. Yum Yum
Hing Heng Tay
Supporter
We all look at what was mentioned in Leviticus chapter 11 from the bible perspective to say that it is only for the Jewish people, but have we look at it from God's stand-point when He instituted the requirement? God always wants what is good for us, looking the type of food that is "unclean", you can find that most of them are unhealthy food. Can any one care to comment?
Hairy Animals
Supporter
Yes, the Bible gives a detailed list of foods we shouldn't eat in Leviticus 11:3-42. Please read the whole chapter for yourself. The first thing you should notice is that it only mentions meat - which means we can eat all food except certain kinds of meat. So, what kinds of meat should we not eat?
Fish must have both fins and scales (Leviticus 11:9). That means, some of the things we are not supposed to eat are:
Abalone
Catfish
Clam
Crab
Crayfish
Cuttlefish
Eel
Jellyfish
Limpet
Lobster
Marlin
Mussel
Octopus
Otter
Oyster
Porpoise
Prawn
Scallop
Seal
Shark
Shrimp
Squid
Sturgeon
Tarbot
Walrus
Whale
Notice shrimp. Because shrimp do not have both fins and scales, they are considered unclean.
As for mammals, they must chew the cud and have a divided hoof (Leviticus 11:3-4). This immediately labels pork, monkeys, cats, dogs, rabbits, and many others as unclean, while the following animals can still be eaten:
Antelope
Beef
Buffalo
Deer
Elk
Giraffe (Not eaten due to being a protected species)
Goat
Moose
Sheep
Lamb
Leviticus 11 verse 18 and onwards gives a long lists of birds ("fowls") that must not be eaten. Namely, they are:
Albatross
Bat
Bittern
Buzzard
Condor
Cormorant
Crane
Crow
Cuckoo
Eagle
Flamingo
Glede
Grosbeck
Gull
Hawk
Heron
Kite
Lapwing
Loon
Ossifrage
Osprey
Ostrich
Owl
Pelican
Penguin
Plover
Raven
Stork
Swallow
Swift
Vulture
Water hen
Woodpecker
The following birds are still clean and edible:
Chicken
Dove
Duck
Goose
Grouse
Guinea fowl
Partridge
Peacock
Pheasant
Pigeon
Songbirds
Sparrow
Quail
Turkey
Leviticus 11:20 says that all "creeping things" (insects) are unclean, but the next two verses give further instruction.
21 There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. 22 Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. 23 But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.
God's meat eating regulations may seem rigid at first. (Gasp! I have to stop eating pork, etc.) But we must remember that God put them there for a reason. They are there to please God and keep us in good health. Remember Exodus 15:26: "And He said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am Jehovah that healeth thee."
Nathan Toronga
Supporter
Until we get a full grasp of why we're here on earth, we may continue to wrestle with certain aspects of the bible. Regrettably, I will not attempt to explain why we are here - not under this question. A. Genesis 12:3 ".....and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." B. Genesis 18:19 "For I have chosen him (Abraham), so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of YHWH by doing what is right and just, so that YHWH will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him." God chose Abraham, and extracted him from Babylon to an isolated place, and there He groomed Abraham to be the father of peoples as it pleased Him. The Hebrews were no different from any other pagan tribe, but God instilled His instructions so as to make the Hebrews 'set-apart', HOLY. Abraham could very well eat ANYTHING, for his appetite was no superior nor inferior to ours today. Point is, Abraham, and later the Yisraelites, did NOT choose which items they didn't like to eat. It was God who told them what He didn't want HIS CHILDREN to eat. Deuteronomy 14:1 "You are the children of YHWH your God.......3 Do not eat any detestable thing." This is applicable to the children of God. (God did not say, "you are the children of Abraham"). Hence the requirements are for us, the children of God. They are certainly NOT applicable to outsiders, strangers. Those have to listen to their own father! Who are the children of God according to the Abrahamic promise? Galatians 3:28-29 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 IF you belong to Christ, then YOU ARE ABRAHAM'S SEED, and heirs according to the promise." There is "IF". That is a condition. If that condition is met, we follow our father of faith, who "obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws." Genesis 26:5 Yes, there are animals and other things which we, the children of God, will not eat. Not necessarily because they are inherently bad for health (although some are admittedly bad), but because He said so - our Father said so. This abstinence will further distinguish us from the the rest of people - we will be 'set-apart', 'holy'. Ezekiel 20:26 "Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common, THEY TEACH THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN..." Yet, "without holiness no-one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14. I know there are those who quote Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23 to justify their rebellion. But those two discussions were about eating "food", as defined, with unwashed hands, which the Pharisees and teachers of the law classified as 'unclean hands'. Then there are those who quote Acts 10:9-16, but then, this was a vision about salvation coming to the gentiles. (see Acts 10:28, for example). None of the above relates to dietary laws for children of God. If anyone could please supply a verse that REMOTELY suggests that Jesus or any of the apostles ever ate pig meat. Whose footsteps are we tracking? Let us delight in the requirements of our God - our Father. Bless.
Mark Hilburn
Supporter
This one is pretty simple. The Mosaic law per se is gone. Thank goodness for grace or we all probably would have been stoned by now. BUT, compare the health of people who eat a normal western diet compared to the people who eat according to the dietary guidelines in Deuteronomy. God knows what is best for our bodies and for our health, He made them after all.
Tom howard
Supporter
What does the Bible say about what foods we should eat (kosher)? First of all Peters response to God's revelation about food (Acts 10:10-16) was no surprise. "Not so Lord", was the answer from this circumcised Jew, as it would be from all Jews, not just Peter. Thats not astonishing. What was is this brand new revelation to Peter. It is now much later, and Paul has caught Peter "living as a Gentile" and said so, for all to know. Yes it does look pretty much, as its stated, that Peter was both; "eating" with, and "living" as a Gentile, as Galatians 2:12,14 acknowledges. Now, when they of the circumcision (Jews zealous of the law) came near, he (Peter) feared! Feared what? Being caught by those Jews and that's when he (Peter) started demanding they (Gentile) be as the Jew. He was covering his actions of betrail to Judaism. Caught in a crossfire between two worlds. Paul was furious with this, the height of hypocrisy (dissimulation) and he called Peter out on it, Galatians 2:14. Not that Peter was living as a Gentile, which freedom in Christ has established, but his dealing so with his fellow gentile brothers. But this is not surprising, as it is a result of his earlier encounter with a vision of a sheet containing all manner common and unclean animals, Acts 10:10-16. This was brought down 3 times telling Peter to rise, kill and eat, for what God has cleansed, call not common. This being done three times, was showing us it was 'perfectly clear what God was telling Peter, as that number three means 'perfection'. He was now free from from restrictions. Both food and fellowship. God is not the author of confusion. God would not use a false hood to revile a truth, as neither would we do to our children. Peters fears were not unfounded, as neither were Paul's. As Paul had his own troubles with the Jews and found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time at Jerusalem.. Its touched on here in Galatians 2:18. What was Paul's trouble with the Jews? Circumcision, as circumcision is against, or contrary to the Gospel, Galatians 5:11. Paul could not preach both the gospel and circumcision, as they were contrary to one another, and he was being 'persecuted' for it. As, circumcision was mandated by God for all male's that passed through the cervix. This was to show there alliance to the law. It was the first step in keeping kosher. But Paul knew that after he preached the liberty we have in the faith (that which Peter had), the faith were he, in Romans 13:10, say's "Love works no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." He could not, with convection,now preach circumcision. Was Paul a heretic for preaching against circumcision Or was it he found a new gospel reveled through revelation of Jesus Christ as it say;s in Galatians 1:11,12. By which we are made at liberty! Galatians 5:1. To the Jew he was for sure that, and this brings us to the final assault on him when he meet with the Apostle James and the other Apostles at Jerusalem, Acts 21. Here we see his first mistake of not heeding the prophesy that he was 'not' to go to Jerusalem Acts 21:10-12. Then after meeting with the pillars of the church, they give him the bad news that they (the zealous) had heard of his stance on circumcision, Acts 21:21,22. This word instilled fear in Paul, so much so as to now go along with their plans for him. Plans to make it look like he was a good (law abiding) Jew, just as Peter had done and was berated for it earlier by Paul. They needed to quail the fury of the angry Jews who have always persecuted Paul, but now mean business. But for all their plans "of mice and men", they failed miserably and the prophesy came to pass, No brainier here! This was the beginning of the end of Paul. If he had only stayed away from ground zero, hot spot of the zealous Jews, he would have lived to see other day's of church planting.
Ariel HaNaviy
Supporter
Christians (those striving to be "Christ-like," and those mature enough to handle the meat of the Word...pun intended) should avoid the items God told Isra'el to avoid eating. After all, those Gentiles in Isra'el who believe in Yeshua (Jesus) do indeed comprise the Remnant, since they are grafted in (Rom. 11:17-24; Eph. 2:2-22). Thus, the Torah given to Isra'el belongs and applies to them as well. Many in the Gentile Church often ask "W.W.J.D?" Why not ask "W.D.J.D?" What did Jesus do? He kept the dietary requirements laid down by his Father, as recored by Moshe (Moses) in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. And since we are on the topic of asking what Jesus did, why not include Peter, Paul, and the rest of the disciples? What did they do? They kept kosher just like their Master Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah--even after Yeshua ascended to the Father. What is more, many Jewish believers in Yeshua were still zealous for the Law long after Messiah was resurrected as well (read Acts 21:20). So if I am going to emulate someone by my dietary lifestyle, I would rather emulate the Master and his 1st century followers than someone I might hear in the pulpit on Sunday morning saying it is okay to eat anything you want to put into your mouth. Call me a legalist if you will, but I would rather err on the side of what God says that what man says. I don't judge my brothers who do not eat like I do, but please do not label me the "weak" of Romans chapter 14. That term is most likely referring to those unsaved Jews found fellowshipping with Messianic Jews and Gentiles, but who were still investigating the notion of whether or not Yeshua was the Messiah the others were saying he was (thus, their undecided faith in Messiah was labelled as "weak" by Paul). Besides, since Paul wrote that letter, and since he labels himself among the "strong" in Rom. 15:1, and he kept kosher his entire life (Acts 21:24; Acts 24:14-16; Acts 25:8; Acts 26:4, 5), does't that make Messianic Jews the "strong" ones?
James Kraft
Supporter
The problem comes when one man's convictions become another man's law. We can have convictions about certain things, but we cannot make them a law for everyone. When we start adding laws to what the bible clearly teaches then we are playing God and telling others they have to obey our laws as well as the bible. We are not to obey the doctrines of men. If something is a sin to you, do not do it. But you cannot make it a law for everyone. These extra biblical laws and traditions become more important than Gods laws, and become idols in the church. According to Galatians we are not under old testament law but under grace. We use the law wrongly and put people in bondage to rules and regulations instead of following Christ. We can become our own gods and tell everyone else they have to flollow us as well as what God has revealed to us through the bible. Many preachers are going to lose their reward because of preaching things that are clearly not taught in the Bible. What the bible does not clearly say is sin we are to obey God rather than men. All of these extra biblical rules just lead to pride and self righteousness. We do more than what God requires of us inorder to make ourselves more righteous in our own eyes. The Pharisees' religion is alive and well. Jesus himself said that by the works of the law no flesh will be justified. I will beleive God rather than men. If eating meat is a sin to you don't eat it.
Ruth Ibekwe
Supporter
Ok...well i believe that Jesus said we should not call anything He has made clean unclean. When Jesus died...His nlood touched the ground and brought about renewal and cleansing from the hold the devil had. The Bible also tells us that he who the Lord has made free is free indeed. Now talking about circumcision, Paul reminded us that whether jew or greek, the only thing that matters is circumcision of the heart. So i believe that there isn't a restriction as to what we should or shouldn't eat. When we walk in the grace and the understanding of who we are, we would know that we operate under a different set of rules than tthose operating under the law.
Scripture Guide
Supporter
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Romans 14:2-3 Let not the Christian who uses his liberty, despise his weak brother as ignorant and superstitious. Let not the scrupulous believer find fault with his brother, for God accepted him, without regarding the distinctions of meats. We usurp the place of God, when we take upon us thus to judge the thoughts and intentions of others, which are out of our view.
David Huffman
Supporter
Certainly, this is an interesting and vibrant discussion. I will add a few thoughts beginning with this question. What does it encompass when Jesus says, "I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it"? Fulfill is synonymous with complete. So perhaps we can agree that Jesus completed the requirements for sacrifice fully. He died once for All. Romans 6:10. Did he die for the Levitical requirements for the priesthood? Hebrews 6: 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. He is the only priest mentioned in the New Testament church where the hierarchy is Apostles, Pastor/Elders, deacons. Also see 1John 2: 1 and Eph. 2: 18. A question for our friends who are Messianic Jews. If Jesus died for the sins of mankind, and the affect of that is an imputation of righteousness to otherwise lost sinners thus fulfilling the sin sacrifice of the Law, how is it then determined that dietary requirements under the Law remain unfulfilled? As Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, then he abolished NO Law. Conversely, If He came to fulfill the law does it not follow that He fulfilled ALL the law? Why is animal sacrifice no longer required or practiced for the covering of sins? It is because Jesus death satisfied the Law. Humanity, Jews, Christians, or others have never been righteous under the law nor made righteous by the Law. The law pointed ultimately to Jesus. It does gradually reveal to us how to live righteously. It reveals God's Grace and His Justice along with His other attributes. That which is called unclean in the OT was clean until sin entered the picture. Note the declaration in the six days of Creation in Genesis 1. God said it was very good. Unclean would not be called good. The first LAW was to not EAT of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. My personal translation is Adam you are my subject, not my equal. Adam disobeyed, sin entered the picture, the penalty is realized. Behavior gave birth to more law. The second Adam erases the penalty for the first Adam. 2Cor. 5: 17 So if any one be in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new:...
Michael Harris
Supporter
My main interest is what Jesus would and would not eat today. There is no doubt that He ate meat 2,000 years ago. When Jesus says to us : “ … My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness”. … 2 Cor. 12:9. NKJ. This completely counters and sets aside that we Vegans are weak in our faith - Romans 14 : 2. It is in our weakness that Jesus is our strength. Praise His Holy Name. Amen. When Paul says to us : “Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil". Romans 14 16 NIV. Who can deny that it is good to STOP - when he/she looks at the truth and the facts in 2016. Who can contest with us, that we Vegans will never allow what we consider is good in 2016, can be spoken of by others as bad/evil? When Paul says to us : “ … If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning”. Romans 14 : 23. NLT. This relates to our conscience/s; this 'backs-up' what James, Jesus' own half-brother, said : “Therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin”. James 4 : 17. NKJ. P. S. If you want the Biblical truth and the scientifically proven facts Re murdering (what we Christians call 'slaughtering') and eating animals, then go to eBook at : http://epublishbyus.com/cry_out_by_jesus_the.../10042317 There you will find the answer/s. (‘CRY OUT’ is a free read).
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