Eating What is Sanctified by the Word of God
Compiled by
JS Lowther
As all things regarding the Christian’s walk, Biblical sanctification is paramount, the Word of God (the Bible), determines what is preferable, commanded and intimately what is a Sin. The Christian life is to be patterned off of the walk and life of Christ Jesu(s) the Son of God.
The Apostle John teaches a simple truth:
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:4-8
Literally the word devil is the Greek diabolos / diaballo which literally means ‘to throw over or across, to send over’. The devil may be at times a spirit working to over throw God’s people, it may be working in any one or our selves, the way this spirit works is by lies.
Christ taught:
…the devil… was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44
John has thus taught a simple truth in 1 John 3:
1. Sin is the transgression of the law
2. (Christ) was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
3. Whosoever sinneth (transgresses the law) hath not seen him, neither known him.
4. he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
5. He that committeth sin (transgresses the law) is of the devil;
for the devil (liar) sinneth (transgresses the law) from the beginning
6. The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (transgressing the law and lying).
Even in the case of Food this above truth is in application in the Christian life. Food is among the most essential thing to any creature, this is the case with Adam as well. Yet because of Adam’s special status with YHWH God as his Son(s) (Luk 3:38), made after God’s spiritual likeness and image (Gen 1:26). All other creatures and beings are entitled to eat as their nature dictates, Adam was not given this option. From the time Gen 1:26 was uttered to Adam man the law of food was part of the law of God as the eating of flesh is undoubtedly implied in the dominion given to the Adam when he was made and formed.
Noah the 8th from his father Adam knew the difference between beasts which were clean and beasts which are unclean long before Jacob was born and the Israelites called out of Egypt by Moses: Gen 7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
The obvious reason for this command of more ‘clean beasts’ was to supply food, and to supply the sacrifice after the flood: Gen 8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Noah knew the law of clean and unclean flesh, the one which Moses Codified in Israel’s National Kingdom Law:
And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Leviticus 11:1-2
Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. Deuteronomy 14:1-3
Just as Adam, Noah was a son of God, and as Noah, Israel was son of God, thus in Deut 14:1 this portion of law starts with this enactment ” Ye are the children of the LORD your God “, This very statement places the 5th commandment: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. (Exo 20:12.), at the head of ‘the food laws'(Lev 11:46).
Simply, YHWH, as father of His people has deemed what spiritual diet they are to eat, YHWH’s diet is not based on fleshly heath it is based on a spiritual connection, while there are many who think the laws on food commanded in the bible are for Israel’s health and welfare no such scripture exists for that proof, rather Israel’s admonition to be sanctified or holy is the only reason given, to be God’s separate people.
If you are keeping the clean food laws for health reasons perhaps you should consider the 100+ year old people who eat flesh with out discretion!
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17
For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Leviticus 11:45
The apostle Peter teaches the principle reason to his readers as well:
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 1 Peter 1:14-17
Joining Deut 14:1 and Lev 11 together as a witness to Peter’s lesson it was undoubtedly referencing the Child Father relationship on this subject of food as well as others mentioned.
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes (H2708 EQaH), and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
And ye shall not walk in the manners(H2708 EQaH) of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. Leviticus 20:23-26
The Father YHWH God’s calling of Israel as His Children is directly connected to Israel not WALKing in the statutes / manners ( both words are have the same Hebrew meaning H2708 EQaH) of other nations or other god’s which includes the food those nations eat and the food their gods allow. For Christians to eat contrary to the Fathers food manners as it was plainly commanded is to WALK contrary to the way the Son of God would walk.
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to WALK, even as he (Christ) WALKED. 1 John 2:3-6
See all of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 for those Manners / Statutes God the Father would have Christian Israel walk in.
Another interesting point to consider here, is that to a Hebrew speaking and reading person, the un-clean beasts are not even considered food.
as the Hebrew word אכל /AKL / AKL means both eat and food, thus Deu 14:4 could just as well read ‘These are the beasts which are food to you’, as well as the KJV These are the beasts which ye shall eat
See James Strong’s definitions for AKL: H400 אכל – From H398; food: – eating, food, meal [-time], meat, prey, victuals.
Dispelling Deception
or
Casting out un-clean spirits?
There are those who would oppose the notion of Christians having a food law, it has become part of traditional christian doctrine to believe that this portion of Law has been made void while there is no admonition from Christ or his Apostles.
In truth only a lie can ‘over turn’ (see definition of devil above) a law of God.
As not one of Christ’s Apostles have ever made a an attempt to overturn God’s law including his statutes or manners of food it shall be seen in some of the common deceptions or lies that there is no reasonable evidence for such a notion.
That which defiles a man deception
Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:1-23
Interesting that Christ used a violation of the 5th commandment as his example of the the tradition of men vrs. the commandment of God, as well, when one reads that some of the things which truly defile a man, such as: evil thoughts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness may all be obtained by eating unclean food in derogation of the Father’s Law, insomuch as sin is transgression of the law, the very weak foundation under those who wish to userp direct commands with speculative evidence crumbles by the wieght of God’s authority.
Peter’s vision deception
… Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an 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.
Acts 10:9-28
… in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting.
Acts 11:5-12
This scripture is straight forward for someone without an agenda to try and prove the opposite, as Not only is there no direct null or voiding of Lev 11 and Deut 14, but Peter tells the voice he hears “No” when it directs him contrary to God’s Law, and by doing so Peter was ‘trying the spirits’, this is seen in Peter’s doubting of the meaning of the vision; yet Peter gives the God inspired interpretation plainly stated in Acts 10:28, that the vision was on account of Peter keeping company with uncircumcised men such as Cornelius.
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Acts 11:17-18
…but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean
Deception
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 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. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:1-23
This section of scripture starts with the week vrs. the strong brother, one who eats flesh and the other who eats herbs. And the same content may be seen in Pauls same admonition on the matter, that is for meats offered to idols as being defiled or unclean. The section of Romans 14 above is echoed in the below 1 Corinthians 8.
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. 1 Corinthians 8:4-13
The subject in Romans 14 is not a null and avoidance of Lev 11 and Deut 14 it is an admonition of brotherly love and self denial. Just simply ask your self, if this portion of scripture was about the same unclean meat mentioned in Leviticus and Deuteronomy why is the weak brother the one who eats herbs and the strong the one who eats flesh? What is the stumbling block in doing what God says ?
The answer is in the meat offered to idols, a weak brother is afraid he will be worshiping another god is he eats flesh which was slaughtered in the name of another god, the flesh of course would be among the clean beasts pre-ordained in God’s law which Christ him self ate of.
Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused… deception
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; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 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 (product, not just animals) 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. 1 Timothy 4:1-5
Ironically, Paul is teaching Timothy about those to watch out for, those who will lie and deceive, who will teach the Church to not marry or eat meats (foods), that is the one’s God made to be received, which are also sanctified by the Word of God (Lev 11 and Deut 14), and the word of God specifically sanctifies the eating of clean meat:
For I am the LORD your God:
ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:
neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.
For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God:
ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl,
and of every living creature that moveth in the waters,
and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean,
and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Leviticus 11:44-47
For thou art an holy (sanctified) people unto the LORD thy God,
and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself,
above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
Deuteronomy 14:2-3