Does The Bible Say You Can Eat Pork
Bible Gateway Leviticus 11 :: NIV. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses they are unclean for you.
Does The Bible Really Endorse The Consumption Of Unclean Foods By Christians
Here are some New Testament scripture references to contemplate as we finish the discussion:
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit .
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.
For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We cannot save ourselves. Salvation is found in no other name but the name of Jesus. Its not in our works, but in his work that was completed on the cross.
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ -not in the dietary laws- as pure -and as wonderful as they were- of the Old Testament. The path to eternal life and Gods favor lies in receiving the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
What Is The Cleanest Animal In The World
pigsContrary to popular belief, pigs are unable to sweat instead, they wallow in mud to cool down. Their mucky appearance gives pigs an undeserved reputation for slovenliness. In fact, pigs are some of the cleanest animals around, refusing to excrete anywhere near their living or eating areas when given a choice.
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Why Does The Bible Say Not To Eat Shrimp
The passage about not eating shrimp is found in Leviticus 11:9-12. Gods people were originally under this covenant to not eat anything that didnt have fins and scales, which includes shellfish and shrimp. God gave this law to the Israelites when they were delivered out of Egypt as part of their covenant with Him.
Viewpoint #2 Christians Can Eat Pork
The reason why some Christians chose to eat pork, is because if you are a Christian, most understand that we go by Gods moral commandments, not the law for the Israelites in the Old Testament.
Because it seems clear Jesus declared all foods clean in the New Testament, we can understand that we no longer have to follow this law in the Old Testament.
However, some believe that this passage in Mark is not about Jesus declaring all foods clean, but that Jesus is speaking in a way where he is sharing a metaphor.
Some believe that Jesus was using a metaphor to explain that purity and righteousness rest in the heart, not in religious rituals or customary habits.
But according to Scripture, Jesus was speaking and clearly stated that he declared all foods clean.
Since it enters not his heart but his stomach and is expelled?
Mark 7:19
And this makes sense because of the fulfillment of the law . Jesus work is not to abolish the law, but to fulfill them.
This means to fulfill the Laws intent and show the goal to which it leads which is Jesus.
Jesus is saying that He achieves the purpose of the Law and the Prophets in the inauguration of the kingdom of His life and ministry and in its consummation at His return. The law is valid under the new covenant when used lawfully , but cannot be followed rightly apart from Christ.
Ligonier Ministries
Jesus was the end of Gods sacrificial system. We now obey Gods demand for atonement by approaching Him through the shed blood of Christ .
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What Makes Man Unclean
In Mark 7:18-19, Jesus was teaching His disciples. He said, Dont you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean? For it doesnt go into his heart but into his stomach and then out of his body. Mark adds in saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.
In Acts 10 when God was preparing Peter to present the Gospel to the Gentiles, He gave Peter a vision. A sheet full of unclean animals came down from heaven and voice said kill and eat, but Peter said he couldnt because he had never eaten anything unclean. Gods answer to him was in Acts 10:15 do not call anything impure that God has made clean.
In 1 Corinthians 8:8, Paul talks about eating food that has been offered to idols, and says that food doesnt bring us near to God therefore, we are no worse if we dont eat, and no better if we do. Paul goes on to explain that the most important thing is our conscience. If we have a clear conscience when we eat food then it is alright to eat it, but he gives a warning.
Does The Bible Say Not To Eat Pork
Bible Gateway Leviticus 11 :: NIV. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses they are unclean for you.
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What Did Jesus Say About Christians Eating Pork
In Acts 10:9-16 Peter a Jewish disciple of Christ- received a vision from God that he was no longer supposed to reject certain animals for food on a religious basis:
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.13 Then a voice told him, Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.
14 Surely not, Lord! Peter replied. I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
I knew that when Jesus came and died and rose again, he paid the price for all of our sins and that we were no longer under the law.
This meant our salvation was not by the works of the lawfor by grace you are saved through faith and this is not from yourselves, itis the gift of God it is not from works, so that no one can boast- .
These are more good New Testament verses that support the idea that the Christian is free of the Old Testament Laws:
How Did Moses Know About Pork And Shellfish
Moses grew up in the house of Pharaoh and was raised as a prince of Pharaoh. He was well-schooled in the ways of the Egyptians and raised as an heir to the Egyptian throne.
Their medical practices included treating an open wound from a splinter by mixing worm blood with donkey dung and applying it to the affected area.
Knowing modern medical knowledge today, how do you think that preparation worked out for the ancient Egyptians?
How then did Moses know to institute washing with waterthen a radical idea- unless he learned it from- shall we say- a higher source?
Moses methods are consistent with modern medical technologyin fact his practices were nearly 4000 years ahead of their time.
Modern man didnt even understand the benefits of these laws until at least the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Now imagine:
How many people suffered through the last 4000 years without knowing that help was so near? So near as the pages of the Bible?
Why- if Moses had all this Egyptian knowledge- did he not include it in the Bible Law also known as the Mosaic Law?
Instead, he displayed knowledge of diet and health -4000 years ahead of mans technology.
The book None of These Diseases chronicles these differences and shows how the Jewish people who followed these Biblical dietary laws from the time of Moses, lived longer, healthier and happier lives- in many different locales- than people from the same areas who did not observe the same practices.
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What Does The Bible Say About Alcohol
Its easy for us to forget that refrigeration was invented very recently and advanced food packaging is only a few decades old.
We take these things for-granted and often fail to realize the lengths people had to go to just to stay alive thousands of years ago.
It was often very difficult to prepare and store foods. It was not easy to find sources of clean water.
You could grow grapes, but what do you do with them?
You certainly couldnt store grapes for very long unless you crushed them to make juice.
But without refrigeration, the juice didnt last long.
After a while if the juice was handled and stored the right way, it would turn into wine.
The wine would be stored in a wineskin. If you couldnt find clean water, you might end up drinking wine.
But if you drink too much wine we all know what happens if people drink too much of a beverage with alcohol in it.
So the Bible is actually quite clear on the matter. Be careful. Dont drink too much wine.
Be extra careful about causing a brother to stumble.
At my church, they ask everybody in a leadership position to abstain from alcohol. But the same is not required of everybody else.
Consumption of alcohol is sadly a large reason for vehicle traffic accidents and the death and misery that come from it.
Many lives have been tragically altered by a combination of automobiles and alcohol.
Why add to the tragedy with unhindered consumption of the stuff?
You Cant Just Pick And Choose Bible Verses
Lets hit the pause button for just a sec.
When I mention this special verse, please dont get thewrong impression!
You cant just go somewhere in the Bible andfind a verse that agrees with a position you want to take with the idea thatyou will be correct.
You must first place it in context with other chapters,verses and general Biblical principles.
In other words, context is very, very important!
When we interpret Bible passages, we must consider the context.
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Why Do Christians Eat Pork When The Bible Forbids It
Have you heard the Bible forbids eating unclean foods in thewhole chapter of Leviticus 11 in the Old Testament?
Well, its true.
But theres more! There are even New Testament passages that arent very kind to the idea of eating unclean foods.
Check this out!
Jesus visited the Gadarenes and encountered two demon-possessed men.
He exorcised the demons and sent them into a herd of swine. Next thing you know the swine all ran into the lake and the whole herd drowned.
This is taken by many and rightly so- as a sign that Jesus was killing two birds with one stone: He exorcised the demons from the two men and he showed the Jewish Gadarenes that they shouldnt be raising swine in contravention to Jewish law.
Shame on them for raising swine in Israel. They knew Leviticus 11, didnt they? And this is the Law of Moses.
Jewish traditions ultimately point back to Leviticus 11. Its the fundamental Biblical prohibition of unclean foods.
So why do so many Christians eat the stuff when the Bible clearly forbids it in Leviticus?
And could there be reasons eating swine in the New Testament is OK? Here? Outside of Israel? Well look into this very soon.
Why Do Some Christians Eat Pork
There was an incident that you find in Mark chapter 7, it says
then some of the Pharisees came to him having come from Jerusalem, and when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with the defiled, that is with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way holding to the tradition of the elders.
Mark Chapter 7
There was a tradition of ceremonially washing their hands. Theysaw the disciples did not do this and they said they may be defiled and Jesuscontended with them and he said that they were setting aside the commandment ofGod.
This is verse 8, holding to your tradition, the washing ofpitchers and cups and many other such things you do he said, all too well youreject the commandment of God that you may keep your tradition.
Going on down he said in verse 14
hear me everyone and understand there is nothing that enters a man from the outside that can defile him. But the things that come out of the man are the things that defile him. If anyone has ears let him hear.
Mark 7:14
When I first heard that, I thought oh good that means that as a Christian, I can smoke cigarettes, eat pork and drink anything I want to because theres nothing that enters a man that defiles him.
I took that verse the way some other churches are teaching it. This is a verse that most Christians misunderstand about eating pork, drinking, and smoking.
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Is Eating Pork Unclean
Occasionally sincere Bible-believers will ask us whether the Bible does not say that pork is unclean, and therefore question whether Christians ought to eat it. Now thats a good question, as my brother-minister R.C. Sproul says. So lets go to the Bible and ask, is eating pork unclean?
One of the early names we considered for our ranch was Thousand Hills Ranch. The idea is from Psalm 50:10For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills . What a beautiful truth that is! The cattle on a thousand hills belong to God, not anyone else. He created them and they are His. And not only the cattle on a thousand hills, but all the cattle on all the hills in all the world belong to the Lord God. And not only all the cattle are His, but so are all the horses and chickens and sheep and goats and all the pigs. They are His, too!
And since all animals belong to God, we human beings have the privilege to eat them only because God has given us that privilege. And, as we look closely into the Bible, we see that God did indeed give mankind the privilege of eating foodwhich belongs to God. And so, when God created man, He said to himSee, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed: to you it shall be for food . But, you may ask, I see that God did not give mankind permission to eat meat only plants. Maybe were supposed to be vegetarians!
What Does Jesus Say
The religious leaders of Jesus day criticized him and his disciples for not conforming to the Old Testament food laws. In response, Jesus said:
Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them. Mark 7:15
Jesus makes the point that with his arrival, the Old Testament rituals no longer have the same power now, what is more important is what comes out of a person things like gossip, lying and slander.
Jesus disciples were perhaps a little shocked at what Jesus says, so they ask for clarification. He replies:
Are you so dull? he asked. Dont you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesnt go into their heart but into their stomach, then out of the body.
Jesus repeats his message, and just to make absolutely certain weve got the point, Mark clearly tells us in brackets that in saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean fit to be eaten.
So while the Old Testament food laws were important for the Israelites to obey, Jesus makes it clear that these laws are not necessary for his followers. For Gods people in the new covenant, what comes out slander, gossip and lying is much more important than what goes in.
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What New Testament Passage Gives Christians Permission To Eat Pork And Other Foods Formerly Forbidden Of Jews
While the Jews were subject to various food laws, forbidding to eat several types of food , the Christian is under no such restriction today.
Note the following texts:
Matthew 15:17-20Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. KJV
1 Timothy 4:1-5Now 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 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. KJV
You might read some of the other questions on this site that deal with the doing away of the Old Law.