When our thirteen-year-old granddaughter mentioned her taste for octopus, my
eyes widened. “Wait a minute, Lilly,” I warned, “The Old Testament food laws
command that seafood should have fins and scales, otherwise it is unclean.” She
showed disappointment. I had disapproved.
She is adventurous; part of her influences are her mother’s parents: one from
India and one from Africa originally. So, our adorable granddaughter innocently
taught me an important lesson.
What happened a few weeks later, “changed my religion;” my health nut
tendencies had neared unchanging views. Only the Bible had an important
broadening for me now. I was reading it one night and happened on New Testament
verses about food that had eluded me. Here are the few I discovered that night.
My favorite Version of the Bible is the King James, though my husband and I read
others too.
The New Testament on Food Changed from the Old...
From the Law in Leviticus: “This shall be a perpetual statute throughout your
generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.” Lev.3:17.
After the Flood, God told Noah and his family when they emerged from the Ark,
“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things,
even as the green herbs.” Genesis 9:3.
There is guidance in the New Testament: “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus,
that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.” Romans14:14. There is freedom in the Bible to develop a personal preference about food, worship, rest
days and other convictions as you read Scripture. Consider the denominations and
differences in understanding. That is exciting for me. I am amazed at how the
Bible speaks through the Holy Spirit to every Believer in Jesus. Be careful
about the belief of another Christian, “For meat destroy not the work of God.
All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with
offence.” Romans 14:20. My grandfather forbad his family to play ball on Sunday,
but my father allowed his eight children to play ball games on Sunday. “All
things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are
lawful for me, but all things edify not.” 1 Corinthians10:23. “Let no man
therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the
new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the
body is of Christ.” Colossians 2:16. Some make up non Biblical teachiing or
deceive others about truth. “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. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be
refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word
of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou
shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and
of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:4.
An endlessly exciting Book, the Bible, through the Holy Spirit will make you wise
and strong and good and kind...if you let it.
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