Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

As indicated in passages such as Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23, and Acts 10:9-16, former distinctions made in the Old Testament Law between ceremonially "clean" and "unclean" food items do not apply to Christians. 

When originally given, the Old Testament commandments (in addition to being based on criteria such as those given in Leviticus 11 as to whether an animal eaten for food did or did not have a cloven hoof, and did or did not chew the cud) may have had an unwritten hygienic purpose with respect to preventing food-borne illness or disease under conditions that prevailed in ancient times. However, there is no modern necessity (either hygienic or Scriptural) -- especially with the food-safety provisions in effect in the United States -- for Christians to purposely avoid or abstain from certain foods based either on those purposes, or on religious beliefs. Some foods (such as pork, as noted in the question) may still present health issues if not thoroughly cooked, but that is a matter of human practice, irrespective of, or unrelated to, the religious faith of the person eating those foods.

January 25 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe

The Bible clearly states that pigs are unclean animals that should not be consumed (Deut 14:8; Lev 11:7; Isaiah 66:17). I could not find one single Scripture saying that pork is suitable for human consumption and there is no Bible record of Jesus or His followers eating any unclean foods. 

However, among modern Christianity several arguments in favor of an unrestricted diet are being promoted and the most popular are as follows: 
1. Diet restrictions were only for the Jews
2. Jesus declared all food clean 
3. Peter did it 
4. All foods can be sanctified by prayer 

Let's take a closer look at these arguments and see if the Bible supports any of them.
1. The original diet prescribed by God, the Creator of human body, was a vegetarian one (Gen 1:29; 3:18). Meat was permitted only after the Flood (Gen 9:3-4). There were no Jews in Noah’s day, yet God makes the distinction between clean/unclean animals (Gen 7:2-3). 

2. Jesus observed all OT food laws (John 8:46). While He allowed demons to enter and kill pigs (Matt 8:28-34), He did not allow leftovers to be thrown away (John 6:1-13). Also, in Matthew 15:2-20 the issue is not unclean food, but the ceremonial hands washing (Matt 15:20). Jesus here was pointing out Pharisees' hypocrisy, who were offended that the disciples did not observed a silly man-made law while planning Jesus’ murder. 

3. In Acts 10:9-16 Peter has a strange vision. Most telling here is Peter’s answer, that he never ate anything unclean (Acts 10:14). After spending more than three years with Jesus, Peter did not believe that unclean creatures were acceptable for Christians' consumption. Moreover, although Peter was hungry, he did not kill and ate any unclean thing from his vision (Acts 10:16). Finally, in Acts 10:28 Peter explain the meaning of all this: the vision wasn’t about unclean foods but about people that Jews considering unclean. God used the vision to teach Peter that he should no longer consider the Gentiles unclean and had nothing to do with foods. 

4. In 1 Timothy 4:1-5 Paul writes that food suitable for Christians diet should have two criteria: it must be approved (or sanctified) by the Bible, and it should be prayed over with thanksgiving. Again, here Paul is not addressing clean food issues, if that was true, then dog, cats, rats or bats would be fair game as long as we pray over it. Would any parent allow his/her children to eat anything, as long as they prayed over it? I hope not! 

God loves his Creation so much that wants to share with us His secrets of long life and happiness – and a healthy diet is a big part of that (1 Cor 6:19, 20). God wants to add years to your life and life to your years – rather than feeling cheated or short-changed by God's dietary guidelines, we should be thankful that God care so much for us and want what is best (1 John 3:2, 3; 3 John 1:2).

January 26 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Bryan Myers Minister of the Body of Christ

The topic of dietary restrictions upon Christians is not a new one. Jesus, being an observant Jew adhered to Jewish Law so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Being under the New Covenant, we are no longer under the Law given to the Jews. The Apostle Paul specifically addressed the issues of food in Romans chapter 14, in which we are taught that all foods are acceptable and in Colossians Chapter 2, which points out that such restrictions in reality draw one away from faith. To many, food becomes a stumbling block. If one chooses to follow the Law, I say make certain you follow all of it, all 613 laws. You still will not be saved. Only Jesus lived under the Law and was without sin. In Christ we have been made free from the Law.

January 31 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report