Question about Biblical Foods and What Can I Eat?

QUESTION RECEIVED:

What does the Bible say we should eat?

And it does say which animals are clean and unclean to eat in the 613 mitzvot (ancient Jewish rabbinical commandments).  

Acts 10:15 said that God made all animals clean.

I heard that God was saying that this is about gentiles being His people also and not eating these foods.

And that when God said do not call anything impure that God had made clean.

I think God wasn't talking about food He was talking about Cornelius, a gentile.

I just think if it were the case that meant all animals were clean then we could eat snakes, rats, vultures, scorpions, monkeys, and whatever else.
Which I think is obviously not okay.

Does really mean that all animals are clean?

I'm not too sure about that.

Are we still to obey the old laws?

MY ANSWER:

You are missing something in your diet – Liberty.

Do not join the “back to Egypt party”. 

Christians are under grace not law.

Romans 6:14 (NASB)

“ 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

God made vegetation.
I hate green beans.
Beets make me gag.
Am I sinning by not eating these things God has made?
NO!

I am free to choose what I like to eat and not what I am told I have to eat or not eat.

So no you do not have to eat rats or monkeys – unless you for some reason would want to.

Romans 14:2-4 (NASB)

“ 2  One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4  Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

Christians are not Old Testament Jews.

Jews converted to Christ are not Old Testament Jews.

In the Old Testament there was -

1) Ceremonial Law (how OT worship was to be performed)

2) Civil Law (how Jews were to act under the legal system then over 2,000 years ago)

3) Moral Law (The Ten Commandments).

Concerning Ceremonial Law -

Christians do not need the Old Testament Ceremonial Law. 

Why?

We have true worship today because, as John 4:24 says, we have the Spirit and Truth.
We Christians now have the Holy Spirit and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

We need no High Priest as we have Christ.

We need no animal sacrifices in the temple on our behalf.
The sacrificial system was temporary.

We look to Christ was our final and perfect sacrifice to forgive sin.

Concerning Civil Law-

We Christians do not need a Civil Law that is 2,000 plus years old – that day and its customs and culture has passed just as today we have no need of civil laws that deal with regulating street cars because they are out dated.

Concerning the Moral Law or Ten Commandments  -

 Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”

Jesus kept the Moral Law so he could be the perfect sacrifice as “The Lamb of God” as he died on the cross in the place of those who repented of their sins and trusted in Him for salvation.   

Why did Jesus Christ keep the Moral Law or Ten Commandments?

Because we cannot!

Christ had to be, and is, and was the perfect sinless and unblemished "Lamb of God" so he could be the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins on the cross.   

Is the Law evil?

No!  The Law is good in that it is our “tutor” (Galations 3:14) as it sends us to Christ for salvation as we realize we are not righteous yet He is.

Peter had a vision and three times he heard and saw the Lord tell him the once unclean animals were declared clean and said  
"Get up Peter, kill and eat."
What faith was Peter raised in?
Peter was raised a Jew.
Acts 10:15  (NASB)

“15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 

God gave Peter the vision that nothing of the earth is off limits to eat if he desired – three times.

Do you think He did not mean it? 

In the days of Moses, and as the children of Israel fled from the Egyptians in the desert, certain foods were forbidden.

Shell fish and pork and fresh cut meat can all spoil quickly.

The ancient Hebrews were too busy fleeing Egyptians and fighting those in barren lands to stop for barbecue and shrimp cocktails.
God knew to prohibit easy to spoil foods for a forty year desert trip. 

Did abstaining from shellfish, pork and rare cuts of meat make them closer to God? No.

Abstaining from these easy to spoil foods in desert flight and battle did make them healthier.

Christ gives the eternal nutrition for eternal life for all people.

John 6:54  (NASB)

“54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

God has a people.

In the Old Testament he had Israel.

In the New Testament God reached out to the gentiles.

God through Christ Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to create His one faith.

This one faith is faith in God as people can be only be forgiven of sins by the life, death,

burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Through faith God graciously accept those who believe.

Why?   

Christ became our sin and received the wrath of God intended for law breakers.

Those who turn from their sins and to Christ,  Christians,  are viewed as having the righteousness of Christ, are forgiven of all sins and receive eternity in Heaven with the Father.

That’s grace.

That creates a New Man from the old chosen people and gentiles.

Ephesians 2:12-14 (NASB)

“12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

We declare we are forgiven from our sins by God by the atoning work of Christ on the cross –NOT THE LAW.   

We declare to those who have repented of their sins and turned to Christ that they now are at peace with God and are now citizens of Heaven.

Right discipleship to the newly saved should be patiently administered by people of the church.

Thanks for the reminder.

A juicy rib-eye and a salad sprinkled with fresh chilled shrimp is just what I want.

I will thank the Lord for this delight He made as I dig in on this feast this weekend.

Romans 7:4

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

Know you are trusting in the grace of Christ to save you.

Then – live in liberty – the liberty because Christ set you free from The Law.