Are all foods really clean?

Valetic · Jul 14, 2018

Matthew 5 (NIV) 17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Verse 17 here has been ringing in my head for a while and I have finally decided to do my research on the food laws being made obsolete, and to my surprise, I can't find any truth to it! Were the Old Testament food laws really done away with?

I always clung to Mark 7 to reassure me that it was.

(NIV) 17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

20He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

But when I did my parallel study on this I found this at verse 19: (KJV) Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

Doing an interlinear study here, it seems like Jesus is just saying that food going through the digestive system is being cleansed, which would fit with the context He is using with His disciples.

And then there is Acts 10 and Peter's vision, I always used this one to back my preconceived notions that all foods were clean too. But if you pay attention to the whole chapter, God was simply using the vision to teach Peter something.

(NIV) 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.

And look at what Peter said to the Lord!

(NIV) 14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

Even after Jesus came and lived with Peter for 3 years and died and rose again and ascended to Heaven, Peter has this vision yet he was still holding on to the OT food laws!

I am not convinced the OT food laws are obsolete like some people like to insist.

This is the final verse I will use for this OP.

Hebrews 8:13 (NIV) By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Does the "New Covenant" necessarily mean that old laws are now made obsolete? If so which ones? All or none? Just a few?

This brings me back to the beginning of my OP where Jesus said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

drjean · Jul 14, 2018

All foods are clean now. That doesn't mean we have to eat them

It is frequently argued that if Jesus did not “abolish” the law, then it must still be binding. Accordingly, such components as the Sabbath-day requirement must be operative still, along with perhaps numerous other elements of the Mosaic Law. This assumption is grounded in a misunderstanding of the words and intent of this passage. Christ did not suggest here that the binding nature of the law of Moses would remain forever in effect. Such a view would contradict everything we learn from the balance of the New Testament (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15).

Of special significance in this study is the word rendered “abolish.” It translates the Greek term kataluo, literally meaning “to loosen down.” The word is found seventeen times in the New Testament. It is used, for example, of the destruction of the Jewish temple by the Romans (Matthew 26:61; 27:40; Acts 6:14), and of the dissolving of the human body at death (2 Corinthians 5:1). The term can carry the extended meaning of “to overthrow,” i.e., “to render vain, deprive of success.” In classical Greek, it was used in connection with institutions, laws, etc., to convey the idea of “to invalidate.”

Read complete comment here: https://www.gotquestions.org/abolish-fulfill-law.html

Serving Zion · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

Where did these words come from? They aren't in the originals: http://biblehub.com/interlinear/mark/7-19.htm

Valetic · Jul 14, 2018

drjean said:
All foods are clean now. That doesn't mean we have to eat them

Read complete comment here: https://www.gotquestions.org/abolish-fulfill-law.html

So basically when He said "It is finished" on the cross, the OT was fulfilled?

Does that mean we should just use the NT as far as obeying God is concerned?

Valetic · Jul 14, 2018

Serving Zion said:
Where did these words come from? They aren't in the originals: http://biblehub.com/interlinear/mark/7-19.htm

That's what I'm saying! I can't find anything in the NT that genuinely gets rid of OT commandments other than things directed towards certain tribes like the Levites not being able to have tattoos.

joshua 1 9 · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
Were the Old Testament food laws really done away with?

Science is more strict and more limited then the Bible when it comes to the food laws. Science is beginning to expose the lies of the enemy and food is becoming safer and people are beginning to live longer. Still we need to be careful to eat right and to eat healthy. We can use both the Bible and Science as a guide to know what is good and healthy for us to eat.

There are about 9 men today that control what we eat. CEO of conglomerate companies that manufacture food for us. They claim their job is to make money. If people want healthy food they will give them healthy food. If people want junk food they will give them junk food. So it is up to us to demand healthy food and to eliminate the incentive for them to produce junk food that is not good for us.

The good news is more people are eating today and less people die form starvation. Still the quality of food can be better. Rich people can afford better food and they live 10 years longer then poor people that eat a lot of junk because they can not afford to eat better quality food. Still they live longer then what they would if they were starving and could not afford to eat anything at all.

Valetic · Jul 14, 2018

joshua 1 9 said:
Science is more strict and more limited then the Bible when it comes to the food laws. Science is beginning to expose the lies of the enemy and food is becoming safer and people are beginning to live longer. Still we need to be careful to eat right and to eat healthy. We can use both the Bible and Science as a guide to know what is good and healthy for us to eat.

You are right. Rats are considered a delicacy to some countries. Pigs were declared unclean in the OT. These animals both live in filth and will literally eat anything, even their own kind and feces. But I can agree, we can scientifically prove what is in the foods. We can cook them, and make them "clean" so to say for us to eat.

Edit: meant to write this in.
1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT) "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

joshua 1 9 · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
You are right. Rats are considered a delicacy to some countries. Pigs were declared unclean in the OT. These animals both live in filth and will literally eat anything, even their own kind and feces. But I can agree, we can scientifically prove what is in the foods. We can cook them, and make them "clean" so to say for us to eat.

Edit: meant to write this in.
1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT) "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

Yes we are to avoid eating scavenger foods of animal that will feed on anything. I have two nephews that were eating excessive amounts of pigs meat and I warned them and neither one of them would listen. Then they ran into health issues and the doctor told them to eat right if they wanted to be healthy. Now they are making much better food choices.

joshua 1 9 · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
even their own kind and feces.

Actually animals use the fur and the feces in the intestines to make their nest. At least that is what cats do, but maybe they are more intelligent than rats are.

ewq1938 · Jul 14, 2018

I look at it like this:

Before the law there were no edible animals that were considered unclean.

Then the law came and forbade the eating of certain animals. Some claim this is health related but there are peoples and cultures that eat these same "unclean" animals as a considerable part of their diet and they have the longest life expectancies on the planet.....so it's clearly not health related.

And lastly, a new covenant with new laws replaced the former, and again, those former unclean animals were no longer considered unclean. We have simply come full circle.

Some scriptures:

Before the law, there was no such thing as 'unclean' meat

Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Genesis 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

At this time, God did not require man to eat certain "clean" animals. Any animal that "moved" was ok for eating. If some were unhealthy why did God say any moving animal can be eaten? Clearly it isn't a health issue.

1 Timothy 4:1 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;
1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1 Timothy 4:3 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.
1 Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
1 Timothy 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Every creature, clean or unclean is good for food and should not be refused IF, and this is the key, IF it is received with Thanksgiving and prayer because this is how unclean foods are sanctified. Sanctified means to be made clean. Unclean foods are still unclean if they aren't sanctified by God and that is done by our receiving the foods in thanksgiving and praying for their sanctification or cleansing!

Mark 7:15 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.
Mark 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 7:17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
Mark 7:18 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;
Mark 7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
Mark 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mark 7:23 Al l these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Matthew 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Matthew 15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
Matthew 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
Matthew 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Matthew 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

No longer then can any "unclean" food defile a man because a Christian receives his food with thanksgiving and with prayer that God will sanctify the foods being eaten.

1Co 10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
1Co 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
1Co 10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

BBE

1Co 10:25 Whatever meat may be had at the public market, take as food without question of right or wrong;
1Co 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's and all things in it.
1Co 10:27 If a Gentile makes a feast for you, and you are pleased to go as a guest, take whatever is put before you, without question of right or wrong.

If you are at a market you should eat any of the meat that is sold there.

Rom 14:1 Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours.
Rom 14:2 Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables.
Rom 14:3 But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone.
Rom 14:4 What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.
Rom 14:5 Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind.
Rom 14:6 Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.
Rom 14:7 Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves.
Rom 14:8 Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord.
Rom 14:9 This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living.
Rom 14:10 Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us.
Rom 14:11 In the Scriptures God says, "I swear by my very life that everyone will kneel down and praise my name!"
Rom 14:12 And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do.
Rom 14:13 We must stop judging others. We must also make up our minds not to upset anyone's faith.
Rom 14:14 The Lord Jesus has made it clear to me that God considers all foods fit to eat. But if you think some foods are unfit to eat, then for you they are not fit.
Rom 14:15 If you are hurting others by the foods you eat, you are not guided by love. Don't let your appetite destroy someone Christ died for.
Rom 14:16 Don't let your right to eat bring shame to Christ.
Rom 14:17 God's kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit.
Rom 14:18 If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people.
Rom 14:19 We should try to live at peace and help each other have a strong faith.
Rom 14:20 Don't let your appetite destroy what God has done. All foods are fit to eat, but it is wrong to cause problems for others by what you eat.
Rom 14:21 It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes problems for other followers of the Lord.
Rom 14:22 What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God. You are fortunate, if your actions don't make you have doubts.
Rom 14:23 But if you do have doubts about what you eat, you are going against your beliefs. And you know that is wrong, because anything you do against your beliefs is sin.

***********************************

However, it is about being able to eat unclean foods:

Acts 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
Acts 10:11 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:
Acts 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Acts 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

Kill and eat even the unclean animals.

Acts 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

Peter rejects this idea because all his life he obeyed the food laws that said some foods were "common" or "unclean" and that they should not be eaten as food.

Acts 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

But God says the animals are cleansed so that they are not "common" or "unclean" any longer. God commanded him to kill and eat even the unclean animals. The deeper lesson was about people being made clean but it begins with God's ability to also cleanse unclean foods. This is why we pray before eating that God will cleanse our food should be be unclean!

drjean · Jul 14, 2018

The law in the OT was given to SHOW/EXPOSE sin because no one could keep all of it. They proved their faith in God (that He would send a Savior) by their offering sacrifices at the temple.

If you click on the link I gave you can find more indepth explanation from this:

It is frequently argued that if Jesus did not “abolish” the law, then it must still be binding. Accordingly, such components as the Sabbath-day requirement must be operative still, along with perhaps numerous other elements of the Mosaic Law. This assumption is grounded in a misunderstanding of the words and intent of this passage. Christ did not suggest here that the binding nature of the law of Moses would remain forever in effect. Such a view would contradict everything we learn from the balance of the New Testament (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15).
https://www.gotquestions.org/abolish-fulfill-law.html

Age of Grace believers, which we are, are not under the law. Christ fulfilled the law for us so we do not have to try and keep it.... keeping in mind that God gave the law to show the people they were sinful. How does that apply to us who have acknowledged our sin and the promised Savior who took our sin and redeemed us?

Now, can we keep good examples and values found in the OT? Of course! There really isn't anything that in modern day verbiage 'wrong' with the 10 Commandments...and entwine them with what Jesus said were the 2 that we should keep... not for salvation but because we have obtained salvation.

But the focus upon foods.... I don't eat everything even if modern day technology and science says they are clean. I don't eat shell fish nor mussels... they are ocean scavengers grabbing up the rotting garbage from the floor of the waterways. I don't eat pork because even well-cooked, it offers a parasite that maybe my body can't handle? But someone who does eat all things, it is not sinful.... because that was one of the 613 laws God gave to try and show the (OT) people they were sinful. (Don't ask me where they would find shellfish in that desert though

)

We are not under the law. Jesus did not do away with the law, but HE FULFILLED the law so we don't have to even try to do so. By faith in God we look back to the cross for salvation, just as by faith in God OT believers looked forward to the cross (God's promised Messiah/Savior/salvation).

expos4ever · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
Does the "New Covenant" necessarily mean that old laws are now made obsolete? If so which ones? All or none? Just a few?

Yes, all the food laws are obsolete - Jesus is quite clear on this: no food makes a man unclean.

Valetic said:
This brings me back to the beginning of my OP where Jesus said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

I apologize for the length, but the details do matter:

Jesus was a product of his times and culture and we in the modern west have been careless in understanding the implications. On a surface reading, Matthew 5:18 is indeed a challenge to those of us who think the Law of Moses has been retired. Those who hold the opposing view have their own challenges to face, such as Ephesians 2:15 (and Romans 7) which declare the abolition of the Law of Moses.

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven

How can one read this text and think that the Law of Moses has been set aside, given that heaven and earth are still here?

There is a way to faithfully read this text and still claim that Law of Moses was retired 2000 years ago as Paul so forcefully argues (e.g. Eph 2:15): In Hebrew culture, “end of the world” language was commonly used metaphorically to invest commonplace events with theological significance.

This is not mere speculation – we have concrete evidence. Isaiah writes:

10For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not flash forth their light;
The sun will be dark when it rises
And the moon will not shed its light

What was going on? Babylon was being destroyed, never to be rebuilt. There are other examples of use of “end of the world” imagery to describe much more “mundane” events within the present space-time manifold.

So it is possible that Jesus is not referring to the destruction of matter, space, and time as the criteria for the retirement of the Law. But what might He mean here? What is the real event for which “heaven and earth passing away” is an apocalyptic metaphor?

It is Jesus’ death on the Cross where He proclaims “It is accomplished”. Note how this dovetails perfectly with the 5:18 declaration that the Law would remain until all is accomplished. Seeing things this way allows us to honour the established tradition of metaphorical end-of-the-world imagery and to take Paul at his word in his many statements which clearly denote the work of Jesus as the point in time at which Law of Moses was retired.

Shempster · Jul 14, 2018

This subject seems to make Christians really angry. OK, I do not eat meat. I used to for many years but I was compelled to stop. I do NOT go around telling people I don't eat it and why (unless it is on topic like here) and I don't think stopping eating meat will earn us any brownie points, but this is the way I see it:

All meat is "unclean" in some ways but some are much worse than others from a scientific standpoint. Shellfish and pig meat contains many toxins. When we consume them, our bodies must work much harder to expel the nasties. Those animals, along with birds of prey, eat garbage, feces, diseased animals, ect. and we absorb those toxins which stress our immune system and can cause heart disease.

But you are correct that Peter was shown the meaning of the dream. Notice that God commanded him 3 times to eat and he refused 3 times. Interesting. It was a few days later that he was shown the meaning of the dream. He was not to view any person as "unclean" meaning dirty or unacceptable.
Yet the common view of the church is that it is okeedokee to eat as much bacon and shrimp and all other meats as much as we can. I think that is in error.
It is not that God is trying to trick us. Think about it... bacon tastes amazing. Why would it taste so good and yet we are expected not to eat it? I think that the law said not to eat such meat to protect our bodies from disease and toxins. It fits the law of Jesus. He loves us and wants us to enjoy life being healthy.
When we avoid those things we are loving ourselves by not filling up with toxins.
It is not a matter of taunting us with something tasty and then saying NO, like the fruit from the tree of good and evil.

Serving Zion · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
That's what I'm saying! I can't find anything in the NT that genuinely gets rid of OT commandments other than things directed towards certain tribes like the Levites not being able to have tattoos.

Do be careful! .. a lot of false prophets have gone out into the world (2 Peter 2:1-2). The uncleanness was more to do with the conscience and righteousness than the science of disease (eg: can you eat an animal that has paws?).

ewq1938 · Jul 14, 2018

Shempster said:
It is not that God is trying to trick us. Think about it... bacon tastes amazing. Why would it taste so good and yet we are expected not to eat it? I think that the law said not to eat such meat to protect our bodies from disease and toxins.

God never commanded not to eat Pork anywhere in the NT. There is nothing harmful in eating it or shellfish if cooked properly. This is why before the OT law all animals were clean to eat. It was only a dietary restriction for the OT Jews, not for anyone else.

Valetic · Jul 14, 2018

ewq1938 said:
I look at it like this:

Before the law there were no edible animals that were considered unclean.

Then the law came and forbade the eating of certain animals. Some claim this is health related but there are peoples and cultures that eat these same "unclean" animals as a considerable part of their diet and they have the longest life expectancies on the planet.....so it's clearly not health related.

And lastly, a new covenant with new laws replaced the former, and again, those former unclean animals were no longer considered unclean. We have simply come full circle.

Some scriptures:

Before the law, there was no such thing as 'unclean' meat

Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Genesis 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

At this time, God did not require man to eat certain "clean" animals. Any animal that "moved" was ok for eating. If some were unhealthy why did God say any moving animal can be eaten? Clearly it isn't a health issue.

1 Timothy 4:1 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;
1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1 Timothy 4:3 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.
1 Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
1 Timothy 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Every creature, clean or unclean is good for food and should not be refused IF, and this is the key, IF it is received with Thanksgiving and prayer because this is how unclean foods are sanctified. Sanctified means to be made clean. Unclean foods are still unclean if they aren't sanctified by God and that is done by our receiving the foods in thanksgiving and praying for their sanctification or cleansing!

Mark 7:15 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.
Mark 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 7:17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
Mark 7:18 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;
Mark 7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
Mark 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mark 7:23 Al l these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Matthew 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Matthew 15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
Matthew 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
Matthew 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Matthew 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

No longer then can any "unclean" food defile a man because a Christian receives his food with thanksgiving and with prayer that God will sanctify the foods being eaten.

1Co 10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
1Co 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
1Co 10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

BBE

1Co 10:25 Whatever meat may be had at the public market, take as food without question of right or wrong;
1Co 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's and all things in it.
1Co 10:27 If a Gentile makes a feast for you, and you are pleased to go as a guest, take whatever is put before you, without question of right or wrong.

If you are at a market you should eat any of the meat that is sold there.

Rom 14:1 Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours.
Rom 14:2 Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables.
Rom 14:3 But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone.
Rom 14:4 What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.
Rom 14:5 Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind.
Rom 14:6 Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.
Rom 14:7 Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves.
Rom 14:8 Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord.
Rom 14:9 This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living.
Rom 14:10 Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us.
Rom 14:11 In the Scriptures God says, "I swear by my very life that everyone will kneel down and praise my name!"
Rom 14:12 And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do.
Rom 14:13 We must stop judging others. We must also make up our minds not to upset anyone's faith.
Rom 14:14 The Lord Jesus has made it clear to me that God considers all foods fit to eat. But if you think some foods are unfit to eat, then for you they are not fit.
Rom 14:15 If you are hurting others by the foods you eat, you are not guided by love. Don't let your appetite destroy someone Christ died for.
Rom 14:16 Don't let your right to eat bring shame to Christ.
Rom 14:17 God's kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit.
Rom 14:18 If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people.
Rom 14:19 We should try to live at peace and help each other have a strong faith.
Rom 14:20 Don't let your appetite destroy what God has done. All foods are fit to eat, but it is wrong to cause problems for others by what you eat.
Rom 14:21 It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes problems for other followers of the Lord.
Rom 14:22 What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God. You are fortunate, if your actions don't make you have doubts.
Rom 14:23 But if you do have doubts about what you eat, you are going against your beliefs. And you know that is wrong, because anything you do against your beliefs is sin.

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However, it is about being able to eat unclean foods:

Acts 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
Acts 10:11 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:
Acts 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Acts 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

Kill and eat even the unclean animals.

Acts 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

Peter rejects this idea because all his life he obeyed the food laws that said some foods were "common" or "unclean" and that they should not be eaten as food.

Acts 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

But God says the animals are cleansed so that they are not "common" or "unclean" any longer. God commanded him to kill and eat even the unclean animals. The deeper lesson was about people being made clean but it begins with God's ability to also cleanse unclean foods. This is why we pray before eating that God will cleanse our food should be be unclean!

If God already declared all foods clean then why should we pray that they be clean? What benefit is it to us to ask God to bless our food when we are already blessed with his presence? And then some! We get to eat! Bless GOD! You quoted it yourself, it's not what goes in the man which defiles him...

ewq1938 · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
If God already declared all foods clean then why should we pray that they be clean?

Because clean foods can get unclean from parasites etc...we always pray over our food.

What benefit is it to us to ask God to bless our food when we are already blessed with his presence? And then some! We get to eat! Bless GOD! You quoted it yourself, it's not what goes in the man which defiles him...

Which proves meats like Pork or Shellfish aren't what can make us unclean. They are perfectly clean meats to those who are Christians.

Valetic · Jul 14, 2018

ewq1938 said:
Because clean foods can get unclean from parasites etc...we always pray over our food.

I mean I get we ought to pray constantly with all kinds of prayers and petitions, but He doesn't answer every prayer..

And also if you cook or prepare your food right you kill all those nasty buggers regardless.

So I guess when you are out pray God be with the cooks and people handling our food?

But I wonder if God did the clean and unclean foods JUST because of germs and parasites?

ewq1938 · Jul 14, 2018

Valetic said:
I mean I get we ought to pray constantly with all kinds of prayers and petitions, but He doesn't answer every prayer..

And also if you cook or prepare your food right you kill all those nasty buggers regardless.

So I guess when you are out pray God be with the cooks and people handling our food?

But I wonder if God did the clean and unclean foods JUST because of germs and parasites?

Before the law, there was no such thing as 'unclean' meat

Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Genesis 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

At this time, God did not require man to eat certain "clean" animals. Any animal that "moved" was ok for eating. If some were unhealthy why did God say any moving animal can be eaten? Clearly it isn't a health issue.

Serving Zion · Jul 15, 2018

ewq1938 said:
Clearly it isn't a health issue.

This is true. There is always some limit that a person draws, that a type of meat is spiritually unacceptable for them. Some will eat snails while others will be defiled by the thought of it, others dogs, others camels, and even some vegetarians will be defiled by thinking that they have eaten the flesh of any sentient being.

For the Jewish people, Moses established the knowledge as a pattern: if it chews the cud but doesn't have a split hoof (eg: rabbit), or if it has a cloven hoof but doesn't chew it's cud (eg: pig), then he recognised there is something about those animals that spiritually defiles a Jewish person to eat it (somehow they have to enter deceit in order to suppress the conviction, because it is not of a holy person to do so). It's important to note the exact wording that Moses used in Leviticus 11:7 - "These are unclean for you", and likewise to notice the exact wording used when the apostles (who were Jewish) gave their instructions to the new converts in Acts 15:19 (who were formerly Gentiles, and were not so sympathetic to the Jewish observations of spiritual purification) - "Therefore I judge not to trouble those from the Gentiles turning to God, " and Acts 15:28-29 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no further burden, except these necessary things: to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. Keeping yourselves from these, you will do well." - noticing the words I have underlined in bold are something naturally impure to a person who has developed the Jewish faith, but for the Gentiles turning to God it was said to be enough of a burden for starters - so that we can see there should come a time in our pursuit of Christ (if we remain on the narrow path - Romans 12:2), that we do have to concede that there is a spiritual struggle against the flesh when we are tempted to do these things - but it isn't as though anyone really has to enforce this, rather it is a person's own devotion to Christ that will compel them to repentance when they become aware of their having become subject to their flesh at that point (eg: Romans 14:4, 1 Timothy 4:3-4, John 14:15).

Are all foods really clean?

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