| Author | Message | ||
| Alison1 Registered user Username: Alison1 Post Number: 69 Registered: 10-2010 |
I've been on this forum for quite some time and many different topics have been addressed but nothing so far on the clean/unclean foods. So I wanted to throw out the topic and get your thoughts on this. Especially those of you who have been in the SDA church the longest, like me for 26 years. I know that when I had originally joined there were foods that I stopped eating like pork, ham, shrimp, lobster. I guess you get the picture. But since I stopped attending the SDA church, I still find myself not wanting to eat those things anymore. I guess I had lost all taste for those foods. I even tried to eat some of those foods but just don't care that much to eat them. So what are your thoughts and experiences in dealing with this issue. | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 2419 Registered: 5-2007  |
Well Allison1, if you don't want to do or eat something, you have the freedom to not do it. It is your choice. This topic has been 'addressed' here many times but I guess not lately. To get it going let me quote this passage that makes it clear that ‘clean and unclean animals’ was a concept understood by Noah:
Now, compare this to what God said to Noah when Noah was out of the ark after the flood was over:
Apparently, this is when God first approved animals as a food source for the human race. However, it was all animals, not just the clean. This should do for starters on this topic. Fearless Phil | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 9097 Registered: 3-2004  |
I was born and raised sda. I was a senior citizen when God took me out of adventism. I was raised vegetarian and also ate meat occasionally (what does one call that?). I never ate the "unclean" things until after I left. I can now eat almost anything but I first ask God's blessing on it and thank Him for it. I first ate lobster with my sister(she is a long story)on a cruise. Somethings I do not like. Like the pork where I work. It is always tough. Like bacon, lobster, shrimp is not as well liked. Our awesome God made it all. Diana L | ||
| Heretic Registered user Username: Heretic Post Number: 309 Registered: 2-2005 |
The Lord "set apart" those things for the Children of Israel to hold unclean. No where else will you find the Lord giving this command to anyone outside of the Old Covenant. This is a big part of what the whole Law was about...separating his chosen nation from the pagans and their evil influences around them which included not only diet but the clothes they wore, holy days, etc., and was so serious that they were even to (such as when conquering Canaan) wipe them out. It was more spiritual than just a matter of healthy eating. | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 1788 Registered: 7-2007 |
As soon as I read your post Alison, the verses Heretic quoted jumped into my mind, in particular the part where God said: "I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean, and the unclean bird from the clean." (Lev. 20:24-25) Before that as Phil pointed out, God had told Noah: "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you." (Genesis 9:3) Then in the New Testament, God told Peter to eat all those unclean animals being lowered in the sheet (Acts 10:11-14). Peter didn't know what God meant by that until God had him go with some Gentiles to their house where he told them: "God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean." (Acts 10:28) The wall between Jewish people and Gentiles was torn down by Jesus. (Eph. 2:14-15) No longer are Gentiles "unclean." When people avoid eating "unclean" meats for supposed "Biblical" reasons, they are, in effect, saying that Gentiles are "unclean" and that the wall is still up. | ||
| Gregkleinig Registered user Username: Gregkleinig Post Number: 16 Registered: 12-2010 |
In Matk 7:19 Mark records that Jesus pronounced all food clean. In the Greek it is very clear. At the Jerusalem Council Peter never listed unclean anals as something to be avoided. (Acts 15). Paul in Rom 14 repeatedly states no food is to be considered unclean. 1Tim4:1+4 states very plainly that it is a doctrine of demons to teach that it is wrong to eat meat. The NT is unequivocal on the subject. As an SAD sorry SDA for 34 years (now 55) I am ashamed to admit that even though I read my Bible almost every day it took that long to see what God's word had to say on the subject compared to what "the servant of the Lord" (egwhite) had to say. If you want to get my email address from Coleen I am happy to send a longer article on the subject. Cheers Greg from Aussie | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12416 Registered: 12-2003  |
Alison, in 1 Timothy 4:1-4 Paul identifies certain doctrines of demons that would be taught by false teachers who would arise and have consciences that have been seared as with a hot iron. They would forbid marriage and the eating of foods God intended to be enjoyed by those who believe, for they would be received with thanksgiving and sanctified by the word of God and prayer. I believe that, while it is perfectly OK NOT to eat certain meats if one doesn't want to eat them, for someone for whom certain meats have had a "salvation component" (as in one could lose salvation if they rebel and eat those meats), the aversion we have to those things has a huge spiritual component. Richard has told his story of eating meat, and how he finally realized it was a faith issue. His head was convinced it was OK, but he couldn't do it until he surrendered the aversion (which is the flip side of an addiction) to the Lord Jesus and ate meat by faith. There is a spiritual component to that aversion...and we have to be willing to surrender the "what if it's wrong?" feeling/thought to Jesus. If He is all we need, food plays absolutely no role whatsoever in our spiritual health if we are receiving it with thanksgiving and surrendered hearts. Colleen | ||
| Gregkleinig Registered user Username: Gregkleinig Post Number: 17 Registered: 12-2010 |
G'day again Alison. It is interesting to notice that at the major covenant changes (leaving Eden, Noahaic, NT) God also instructs a change in diet. While I think it is useful to recognize I am not sure of the implication. Does anybody have some thoughts on this? Maybe God is simply removing every possible impediment to salvation. | ||
| Paulcross Registered user Username: Paulcross Post Number: 172 Registered: 4-2005 |
Gregkleinig, Here is a "thought" on the inclusion of "eating behaviors" at the time of important Covenant events. Under the new covenant there were also "eating behaviors" that were addressed, Peter and the net of deli-meats underscored that the heart and not the stomach contaminate us, Jesus said when commenting on the "hand washing" practices - it is not what we take in throught the mouth that defiles us but our hearts and what proceeds out to the heart, the "mount of transfigration" passage takes pains to state that Mosaic and prophetic authority we now totally eclipsed by the good news delivered in and through Jesus the Messiah. [Dietary laws follow a new track in the New Testament (Covenant) "eat what is offered in prayer to God and be thankful".] A thought... Paul Cross | ||
| Alison1 Registered user Username: Alison1 Post Number: 75 Registered: 10-2010 |
thank you everybody for your input. It definitely sheds some new light for me. I will definitely be taking this matter into prayer with God. | ||
| Cloudwatcher Registered user Username: Cloudwatcher Post Number: 432 Registered: 5-2009  |
Alison, there is good discussion on this in the Members section. Even though you have the freedom to eat or not to eat whatever you want, many of us have discovered that the SDA food restrictions were an additional source of bondage for us (pride, etc.). So because of this, many of us have felt that being intentional about renewing our minds re: food is important. Great discussion about this in the members section. I encourage you to check it the posts: An unexpected area of pride and The meat thread returns |
