Dietary laws, do you keep them?

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JohnDB

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Jan 16, 2021
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In Ephesians 4 we read clearly that Paul admonishes the worshipers in Ephesus to not get drunk on wine....
Paul was not licensing the worshipers to get drunk on beer or strong drink. (something akin to liquor but not quite because distilling wasn't a thing yet)

We can infer this today to include liquor or even intravenous drug use.
Fairly easy enough to extrapolate the intent Paul had to include these things today that Paul couldn't fathom then.

Paul does NOT come to the conclusion about righteous works of the Torah/Law all by himself.....oh no!
Look at Mark 7: 1-23 (where Jesus declares all foods clean v. 19) @SavedByBlood

Paul goes into great detail what and why in Colossians 2: 4 -3:4
Food and drink are earthly things...not heavenly. Law was just a shadow or foreshadowing of the Christ which is our reality.
 
Jul 31, 2013
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Can you reference the scripture where all foods were declared clean?
not only Mark 7:19 but also Acts 10:9-16 & 11:1-10, Romans 14:14 and Colossians 2:16

1 Corinthians 6:12​
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
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In Torah there is very specific laws concerning milk and meat together.
Meaning no cheeseburgers whatsoever....

Also no ham and cheese sandwiches either....obviously.

But what really gets confusing is no cream for your coffee while meat is still on the table....or butter for your bread or vegetables (even mashed or baked potatoes) no gratin potatoes either because this is a violation of the law.

Meaning no chili-cheese dogs or fries.
No bacon ranch dressing either.

No garlic butter breadsticks....all sorts of foods we do not recognize as sinful today. Maybe considered rich and not something to eat every day....but not to the level of sin.
So....not even kosher sausage and pancakes is allowed. (Crime against good eating in my book)
 

TMS

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2015
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Australia
Are God's councils given for our good?

God gave health principles because they are for our good. They are health principles.

If we obey them we are healthier and if we disobey them we are hurting our bodies.

Physical or spiritual we need to take care of this body. Use it to glorify God.

I know we will be given a new body but what we do now is a reflection of the heart.

When I surrender myself to God that includes my physical self.

Drugs, Alcohol, and foods that are bad for us are clearly outlined in the word.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
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Are God's councils given for our good?

God gave health principles because they are for our good. They are health principles.

If we obey them we are healthier and if we disobey them we are hurting our bodies.

Physical or spiritual we need to take care of this body. Use it to glorify God.

I know we will be given a new body but what we do now is a reflection of the heart.

When I surrender myself to God that includes my physical self.

Drugs, Alcohol, and foods that are bad for us are clearly outlined in the word.
What foods and drinks are bad for us is subject to genetics...not an arbitrary list by you or anyone.

Recreational drugs are bad for everyone. A lifetime of using emotional crutches makes someone unable to handle any serious life situation if they survive the physical deterioration from steady abuse.

Coffee for some people is horrible for them.
Milk for some people is bad.
Celiac disease is hard on people too.

But....for me, all these things are necessities for daily life. Even pork fat....

So one size does not fit all.
 
Jun 30, 2015
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Are God's councils given for our good?
The word is "counsels" (directions or advice); a council is a group of people gathered for a specific purpose, such as administering a community ("the town council"). The only "councils given for our good" are the nuclear family and the elders of the local church.

God gave health principles because they are for our good. They are health principles.
Nowhere in Scripture are the regulations concerning food presented as "health principles". You're free to believe that, but you have no biblical support for the idea.

If we obey them we are healthier and if we disobey them we are hurting our bodies.
That is unvarnished speculation with neither biblical nor scientific warrant. The relevant passages in the Law give no indication as to recommended ratios of macronutrients, nor which foods contain needed micronutrients, and it certainly doesn't do anything for people with food allergies. They don't suggest when it is optimal to ingest, nor provide direction on how much is needed at each meal.

Drugs, Alcohol, and foods that are bad for us are clearly outlined in the word.
Alcohol is mentioned, and not always negatively. Drugs? I'm not aware of any references in Scripture. The Law identifies some things that the ancient Israelites weren't permitted to consume, but I don't know of any verses where certain foods that are identified as "bad for us".
 
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When I speak of moral law vs ceremonial law.
The problem with speaking about the ceremonial law is that the authors of the Bible never listed which laws are part of the ceremonial law and never even referred to that as being a category of law. If a group of people were to create lists of which laws they thought were part of the ceremonial law, then they would end up with a wide variety of lists and none of those people should interpret the authors of the Bible as referring to a list that they just created, especially when there is no way to establish that the author of the Bible even considered that to be a category of law. Moreover, just because a law arguably has a ceremonial aspect does not mean that it is not also a moral issue, for example, marriage is a ceremonial, moral, and civil issue. The only reason why it matters whether or not a law is ceremonial is that some people have arbitrarily decided that they can be acting morally while disobeying the laws that they personally consider to be ceremonial.

The Pharisees had built walls around the law of God that no permission or instruction had been given to do so. The talmud is traditions of the rabbi's, these are over reaching add ons not authorized by God. Broadening the corners of tallit, lengthening the of the tzitizit (fringes) on the corners of tallit. In other words the outside of the cup was clean but the inside was as filthy rags.

In Deuteronomy 17:8-13, it gives authority to priests and judges to make ruling about how to correctly obey the Torah, which God passed down as case law. In Matthew 23:2-4, Jesus recognized that the scribes and Pharisees had this authority by saying that they sit in the seat of Moses and by instructing his followers to do and observe all that they said, but do not follow their example of hypocrisy of doing things for show.

I'm in no wise a legalist, But I'm not a believer unbound by
Scriptural commands of morality. I believe in Scriptural law because of Messiah not in spite of Him. Let each believer be led by what the Holy Spirit lays upon them. My past was not the best so remembering what to do and not to do is helpful to me.
I work out my salvation daily with fear and trembling.
(y)
 
Jul 31, 2013
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What are the scriptures if not an instruction manual from God himself?
they are a testimony of the person and work of Christ.

it is not by "doing" that we are saved, but by believing - believing in Him, Who He is and what He has done.

All of the scripture speaks of Him, even the Law: search the scripture, finding Him in it.
 
In Deuteronomy 17:8-13, it gives authority to priests and judges to make ruling about how to correctly obey the Torah, which God passed down as case law. In Matthew 23:2-4, Jesus recognized that the scribes and Pharisees had this authority by saying that they sit in the seat of Moses and by instructing his followers to do and observe all that they said, but do not follow their example of hypocrisy of doing things for show.
I understand about the authority of the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in the seat of authority as said by Jesus. He was disgusted by them putting the weightier matters of the law aside like, Matt:23:23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

In our time we have no Scribes, Pharisees or Temple. Messiah is our chief priest and our body is the temple.
 
Mar 13, 2014
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Tennessee
Its the Word you are denying.

You? Its a Twinkie?
For kids... not adults.

Adam's body was created from the elements of the earth.
We need to replenish those elements in ours with what we eat.

I saw it when attending a Bible college.
One of the medical staff stated how he saw so many sore throats and sickness in the well meaning student body.
He also taught a health class, where I heard him tell us about that factor.

Now, if you took the day and age of the one you chose for an avatar?
(who is that?)
And, eat what they ate in his day?
They just ate food. As God created it to be food.

Just the same.....

Keep eating Twinkies, if you wish.
For you are what you eat.

grace and peace ..........
Twinkies are good eating for sure. Reportedly, they contain enough preservatives to last 20 years without going stale. Of course, they must remain in the plastic package until consumed. The Twinkie that is - not the plastic. That lasts a billion years.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
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Probably taste better fried for sure.
Yes...
Locust "boiled" in ghee (clarified butter) and seasoned are rather good. They can't be put in a foil bag and sold in the snack food section....they are fragile and a little chewy in spots.

Not the sort of thing that is very common. But good enough to try if you are offered an opportunity. (Just don't look at them)
 
they are a testimony of the person and work of Christ.

it is not by "doing" that we are saved, but by believing - believing in Him, Who He is and what He has done.

All of the scripture speaks of Him, even the Law: search the scripture, finding Him in it.
2nd Timothy:
16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for [c]instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Pay close attention to the profitable, reproof, correction and instruction. Also the man of God may be completed equipped for every good work.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
5,901
2,322
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2nd Timothy:
16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for [c]instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Pay close attention to the profitable, reproof, correction and instruction. Also the man of God may be completed equipped for every good work.
And Paul, when writing this letter to his apprentice Timothy, was referring to the Old Testament....since the New Testament was in process of being written. The only New Testament book written at this point was the Book of James.

However....ALL of the writings and instructions by Paul were about how the legalisms from the Old Testament were not needed to be followed as they were only used to point to the purity and holiness of Jesus.
 
Oct 11, 2023
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I understand about the authority of the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in the seat of authority as said by Jesus. He was disgusted by them putting the weightier matters of the law aside like, Matt:23:23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

In our time we have no Scribes, Pharisees or Temple. Messiah is our chief priest and our body is the temple.
In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said that tithing was something that they ought to be doing while not neglecting weather matters of the law, so he was not opposing what they were doing, but was calling them to have a higher level of obedience to God's law in a manner that is in accordance with its weightier matters. Orthodox Jew have an unbroken chain from one rabbi to another back to the Pharisees of the 1st century, so they are the modern Pharisees.