Why Can't I Drink Blood?

HARK! said:

Yahshua said:

(CLV) Mk 7:15
Nothing is there outside of a man, going into him, which can contaminate him, but those things going out of a man are what is contaminating the man.

(CLV) Mk 7:17
And when He entered into the house from the throng, His disciples inquired of Him concerning the parable.

(CLV) Mk 7:18
And He is saying to them, "Are you, also, thus unintelligent? Not yet are you apprehending that everything from the outside, that is going into a man, can not contaminate him,

(CLV) Mk 7:19
for it is not going into his heart, but into the bowels, and is going out into the latrine cleansing all foods?"


But then Ya'akov (James) says:

(CLV) Ac 15:20
but to write an epistle to them to be abstaining from ceremonial pollution with idols, and prostitution, and what is strangled, and blood.

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I'll be honest, I am very against blood consumption, but that is a personal choice and recognize it as such. Just the thought of consuming it doesn't go well with me.
That being said, the quotes from Mark 7 have nothing to do with blood. Before you disagree, please hear me out first.

Blood is a life source from a physical body that God has created by His Word in the beginning (Genesis). God said to His people after the flood that they shall not consume animal blood, but why? Why did God have such strict instructions concerning this in the Old Testament? If you read Leviticus 17:10-12, you have your answer and remember that this event that they did was foreshadowing the coming of the Saviour Jesus Christ.

But wait, why then does the New Testament give newer instructions?
Peter has a vision about animals, both clean and unclean, presented on a sheet: Acts 10:9-16
In summary the vision had 2 reflections:
1. To eat any four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky that God has made clean.
2. To minister even to the Gentiles and is shown that they are not unclean in Christ.

In Mark 7 Jesus Christ walked the earth and is important to keep context. This didn't have anything to do with blood (yet), but everything to do with what is spoken from the heart - not the stomach. It's important to note that Jesus was still alive at this time and not yet handed over to the cross. However, what Jesus Christ was saying was also prophetic: Mark 7:15. Now go back and revisit Peter's vision. See the connection here?

** I have noticed when reading the Bible that God speaks a lot in reflections; there's a dual meaning.**

So, the question is "Why Can't I Drink Blood?" The answer is you can, but is it permissible to you personally? What is permissible for one might not be for another. (Just to clarify, this is about animal blood, not human blood.)
1 Corinthians 8:7-13

It's really pleasing to God if we do not allow our brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble because of something that is right to some, but not for others. Love conquers legalism.
If one shows you scripture against something, it's better to pray about it than to say "legalism" because there are many people that are just saying things from a personal revelation and may not realize it. Those who have discernment should wait before answering, check the measure of faith someone has as they might be younger than you in faith.

HARK! said:

I thought that we both worship the same Elohim. I thought that were all Israel; that we were all one in Yahshua.

(CLV) Jer 31:33
For this is the covenant which I shall contract with the house of Israel after those days, averring is Yahweh: I will put My law within them, And I shall write it on their heart; I will become their Elohim, And they shall become My people.

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We seem to have very different Ideas of what that covenant entails. You seem to believe we must practice the Old law in it's entirety, right?

Though I would much rather get your read on my reasoning concerning not worrying about the particulars. Paul after all didn't consider it a sin to eat the meat dedicated to Idols if one didn't know. Our consciences are intact because we did not willingly violate God's law. He tells us to remain in Ignorance.

This is what I base my opinion concerning blood in food. You don't have to concern yourself with getting rid of all blood entirely (which I don't think is possible), nor do we have to use specific methods of slaughter.

HARK! said:

The point is, that if we work on the assumption that all foods are now clean; then what is prohibited.

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We don't work under the assumption all foods are "clean." Most of us understand some of the dietary restrictions had significance beyond the ceremonial. It is legalists who treat every letter of the law in absence of its principle(s) that screw things up. They are the modern-day equivalent of the Sadducees and Pharisees in Jesus' day. They are part of the problem to be solved.

HARK! said:

Doesn't all mean all?

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The word "all" always means all within its established context and rarely all outside of that context. Those who know, understand, and practice the long-established and well-established precepts of sound exegesis understand this. Those who neglect those precepts often fail and screw things up for others by teaching error.

HARK! said:

I think the answer is found in what defines food. YHWH defined it in Leviticus 11.

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I think you've used scripture selectively and eisegetically and will therefore never reach a sound understanding of God's whole word as long as those malpractices continue. I know you've ignored the posts of others here, much of that content being very sound, and so I think there is an ideology to which you have allegiance over the blessing God has brought you through the witness of the other brothers and sisters in Christ's body. I think God has shown you a lot of love in these posts, even where it is difficult to accept. I think you ought to create a little space in your thinking to include or accommodate at least some of what others have posted because the answer does not lie in the definition of food.

Maybe I'm wrong.

HARK! said:

Why boil it?

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To kill any bad stuff, that can kill you. Same reason eating raw meat isn't advisable.

HARK! said:

(CLV) Ex 12:49
One law shall there be for both the native and for the sojourner sojourning in your midst.

Yahshua rebuked Pharisaic law, Talmud.

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I don't disagree with that biblical injunction. Though I would ask you. How does your practice of the law differ from rabbinic Judaism's practice of it?

HARK! said:

(CLV) Lv 17:10
As for any man from the house of Israel and from the sojourner sojourning in 7your midst who should eat any blood, I will set My face against the soul eating blood, and I will cut him off from among his people,

Very nice. That verse is a bookend for this one:

(CLV) Ex 12:49
One law shall there be for both the native and for the sojourner sojourning in your midst.



Peter was hungry. He had a vision. The whole time Abba was telling Peter to kill and eat. The whole time peter was telling Abba, no, No, NO!

Peter comes out of the vision. What happens next? Does he run right out and buy a Mc'Pork burger w/cheese? No, No, NO, he meets some men that the Talmud, (Pharisaic Law, that Yahshua rebuked) rejected.

This is clearly allegory. It has nothing to do with food. Peter was obedient to YHWH's law.

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Yikes... if you ignore context all you are gonna get is what you want and not what God has sanctified. You didn't even read through the whole of the verses I gave, so that is telling. Obey/love God or don't, that is entirely up to each individual.

1 John 5:3-4 For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 because everyone who is fathered by God conquers the world.

I just think it important to read through someone's post before responding otherwise it's a mess of a response - not to mention how things get misconstrued.

Anyway, I will stand by my 1st post. You can receive it any way you'd like.

HARK! said:

No I didn't say that Noah was restricted to herbs. You misunderstood. There was a lot of chaos going on at that time with our posts jumping forums. Maybe that was the problem. What I did say, is what the original Hebrew says:

רֶמֶשׂ
insect, bug
Morfix Dictionary | רֶמֶשׂ באנגלית | פירוש רֶמֶשׂ בעברית
רֶמֶשׂ
insect
רֶמֶשׂ - Translation into English - examples Hebrew | Reverso Context

We can paraphrase and make the scripture say whatever we want; but that wouldn't necessarily be what it actually says. I like to try to go with what it actually says. I won't rule out that the text is corrupted; but I won't rule out that the lying pens of scribes have added to the scripture. This calls for discernment.



κτισμα G2938

1. thing founded
   
   
2. created thing
   G2938 - ktisma - Strong's Greek Lexicon (KJV)

Interesting that the first definition is thing founded.



STRONGS NT 2938: κτίσμα
κτίσμα, κτισματος, τό (κτίζω); thing founded; created thing; (Vulg.creatura) (A. V. creature): 1 Timothy 4:4; Revelation 5:13; Revelation 8:9 (Wis. 9:2 Wis. 13:5); contextually and metaphorically, κτίσμα Θεοῦ, transformed by divine power to a moral newness of soul, spoken of true Christians as created anew by regeneration (others take it here unrestrictedly), James 1:18 (see ἀπαρχή, metaphorically, a.; also κτίζω under the end, κτίσις, 2 a.); τά ἐν ἀρχή κτισματα Θεοῦ, of the Israelites, Sir. 36:20 (15). ((Strabo, Dionysius Halicarnassus))

G2938 - ktisma - Strong's Greek Lexicon (KJV)


This verse might not have anything to do with food. It might be about YHWH's people. That's difficult to say; but if it is about food, the preceding verse puts it into context.

(CLV) 1Ti 4:3
forbidding to marry, abstaining from foods, which God creates to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who believe and realize the truth,

It's not food unless YHWH calls it food.

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I can see how that sounds correct. So then all the animals just ate bugs? No wonder the dinosaurs starved to death. Just kidding.

Let me ask you, before Leviticus 11 was given why did Abraham have a herd of animals? And why does it say that Isaac loved Esau because he was a hunter and they ate his game?

When does God give man and animals the ability to eat meat and not just insects, if not to Noah?

HARK! said:

That's always been good enough for me; but some people are trying to lead me to believe that Yahshua replaced the Father's word, that the law is no longer in effect; that we can eat whatever we want, regardless of what Abba says. So you're saying I shouldn't go drink blood with them?

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I do not like the law about I am supposed to pay a Jewish Levite 10% of my income. I am not a Jew. That law favors Hebrews. I may eat oysters if I like, in spite of Hebrew superstition prohibiting it. I am pescatarian. I neither drink blood, nor eat red meat with blood in it. I will not eat hot dogs kosher or not. You may eat what you like. I have to deal with U.S. law, not a Torah law requiring people to stone me, if I work on the seventh day of the week.

You are wrong to accuse Christians of eating children. It is anti-Christian defamation.