In the New Testament, specifically in the book of Acts, there is a passage where God tells the apostle Peter in a vision that he should not call anything impure or unclean that God has made clean, indicating that all food is permissible to eat.
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In the Bible, the question of what is permissible to eat is addressed in the New Testament, specifically in the book of Acts. This passage showcases a vision given to the apostle Peter by God, in which he is instructed not to regard anything as impure or unclean that God has made clean. This vision effectively highlights the shift from the dietary restrictions in the Old Testament to a more inclusive perspective on food in the New Testament.
One of the notable instances where this vision occurs is found in Acts 10:13-15, where Peter sees a vision of a sheet descending from heaven containing various animals, both clean and unclean according to the Mosaic Law. In the vision, he is commanded to “kill and eat,” to which Peter initially objects, stating that he has never eaten anything impure or unclean. However, the voice from heaven responds, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This passage is significant as it signifies a change in the understanding of dietary laws among early Christians. It marks a shift towards a more inclusive view on food and highlights the unifying aspect of the Gospel message reaching both Jews and Gentiles.
Here are a few interesting facts related to the question:
- Prior to this vision, the Mosaic Law outlined specific dietary restrictions for the Israelites. These restrictions were meant to distinguish the Israelites as a chosen people and promote holiness.
- The vision given to Peter not only addressed the issue of dietary restrictions but also symbolized the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian faith, regardless of their background or previous adherence to the Mosaic Law.
- This event in Peter’s life played a crucial role in the early spread of Christianity, as it helped him overcome cultural and religious barriers when he later visited the home of Cornelius, a Gentile Roman centurion.
- The vision and Peter’s subsequent actions were met with initial controversy and debate among early Christians. However, it ultimately led to the acceptance of Gentile believers into the Christian community, without the requirement of adhering to the Mosaic Law, including dietary restrictions.
In reflecting upon the broader implications of this passage, Douglas Moo, a renowned New Testament scholar, emphasizes the transformative nature of this vision and its significance for early Christianity: “The vision gave Peter a new understanding of the law and a new conviction that God’s acceptance is not dependent upon adherence to the law but upon faith in Jesus… Peter’s vision is paradigmatic for the entire movement.”
To delve further into the topic, the following table provides an overview of dietary laws in the Bible:
| Dietary Law | Description |
|---|---|
| Mosaic Law | The Old Testament contains specific dietary restrictions for the Israelites, delineating clean and unclean animals. These laws were observed to promote holiness and distinguish the Israelites as God’s chosen people. |
| Peter’s Vision | In the book of Acts, Peter receives a vision from God where he is told that all food is permissible to eat and not to consider anything God has made clean as impure. This vision signifies a shift in understanding and paves the way for the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian faith. |
| Christian Perspective | In the New Testament, various passages affirm that believers are no longer bound by dietary restrictions. Paul, in his letters, teaches that believers should not judge one another based on what they eat, emphasizing the freedom and grace found in Christ. |
Remember, while this information is based on biblical passages and historical interpretations, it is always essential to study and interpret the Scripture in the context of a personal faith tradition.
Answer in video
In this video, the speaker addresses the question of whether the Bible allows believers to eat whatever they want. They argue that while certain foods may be permissible, believers should abstain from those that compromise their faith or lead others to question their testimony. The speaker emphasizes the importance of not dismissing the laws of kosher and states that Jesus and Paul’s teachings do not support disregarding dietary restrictions. They suggest that conflicts over these matters may be part of the enemy’s tactics to undermine one’s faith. The speaker encourages believers to hold fast to the commandments and not compromise, even in the face of pressure from others.
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In the New Testament, Jesus swept away these rules when He “declared all foods clean” (Mark 7:18-19): “There is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.”
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions. 2 For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.…
Every moving thing that lives shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Bible Verses about Food
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Also, people ask
Also to know is, Where in the Bible it says we can eat anything?
Bible Gateway Romans 14 :: NIV. Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.
Likewise, Can Christians eat whatever they want? The only dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals" (Acts 15:29), teachings that the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen, preached for believers to follow.
Simply so, What does the Bible say we Cannot eat?
Response will be: for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession. Do not eat any detestable thing. the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep.
Besides, Where in the Bible does it say we can eat pork? Answer to this: Christians may eat pork because God has declared it once more to be clean. “What God has declared clean you must not call common” (Acts 10:15). Pork is one of those “foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1Timothy 4:3).
Correspondingly, What does the Bible say about eating from a tree?
The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
Consequently, What does the Bible say about healthy eating?
The Bible encourages healthy eating and having a healthy relationship with food. Many times it can be easy to separate food from our relationship with the Lord. However, inviting God into our health decisions enables us to think from a spiritual perspective. Whitney Hopler from Crosswalk shares some basic tips for living a healthier lifestyle.
Similarly, What does “food” mean in the Bible?
Food = Strong’s #1033, broma, bro’-mah; food (lit. or fig.), espec. certain allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law. This passage is NOT saying that “unclean” has now been okayed by God to be considered “food.” In fact, quite the opposite is true.
Also asked, What does the Bible say about buying meat? Response: Verse 25. – Whatsoever is sold. By this practical rule of common sense he protects the weak Christian from being daily worried by over scrupulosity. If a Christian merely bought his meat in the open market, no one could suspect him of meaning thereby to connive at or show favour to idolatry.
What does the Bible say about eating from a tree?
The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
Also asked, What does the Bible say about food?
The passage says that all foods pass through a man. However, it does not say unclean items are considered “food”—Christ was not telling us to eat arsenic, nor to eat the animals Scripture plainly labels as “unclean” in Leviticus 11. The Apostle Peter confirmed this understanding in Acts 10.
Beside this, What did God tell the Israelites not to eat?
The answer is: The law that God gave the Israelites goes into great detail regarding what foods they were and were not allowed to eat. Leviticus 11 bans eating the following animals: In addition, God told Noah not to drink the blood of any animal ( Genesis 9:4 ), and Exodus 34:26 bans boiling a kid goat in its mother’s milk.
Why do we eat foods the Bible calls “unclean”? As an answer to this: Answer: People sometimes use Mark 7:18–19 to justify their desire to eat foods the Bible calls “unclean.” It is important, however, to understand this verse in context in order to truly appreciate what Christ was teaching. Notice the verses immediately following: “And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.