Why is Eating Biblical A Sin?

KosherforChrist.com

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Introduction We searched the internet and found a lot of error being taught about eating biblically. Some have even outright called it a sin and a fall from grace if you dare commit to eating biblical foods, which God instructed us to eat. This book will address all those accusations and errors and will refute them all with scripture. Accusation: God told Noah he can eat every animal, so it’s a sin to go against God and tell people they can’t eat whatever they want Scripture: “3 Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you. 4 But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat.” Genesis 9:3-4 WEB Answer: An honest analysis of context and the original Hebrew text will exclude anyone from making an absolute statement that “God told Noah he can eat everything.” Evidence is on the side of those who believe Noah only ate “clean” animals. “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” Genesis 9:3 KJV People like to focus on the words “Every moving thing that liveth” will be meat (food) for you, but to say that the word “every” meant Noah could eat unclean animals is a liberal assumption that the context of scripture will not support. To understand scripture we must have an understanding of context and use our common sense to properly interpret the message of scripture. Most of the time when God said “all” or “every” that is exactly what he meant. However, if context shows modifications to the words “every” or “all” then we need to use our common sense to properly interpret what God is saying. For example: “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:9-11 KJV God said “ALL FLESH” had corrupted his ways upon the earth, but we know that “all flesh” could not have been corrupt, because two sentences before this passage God just said that “Noah was a just man and perfect.” Therefore, a reader with common sense would understand that in context, God excluded Noah from the “all flesh” description. Context makes the passage understandable. With this in mind let’s re-look at what happened after the ark landed and examine the instructions God gave Noah about eating meat. “15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed

abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. 18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. 20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done.” Genesis 8:15-21 KJV All the animals departed the ark, but Noah knew which animals were clean and Noah knew clean animals were acceptable to God. Noah also knew that God only accepted clean animals as a sacrifice so Noah did not sacrifice an unclean animal to God. Later when God said he has made “every moving thing that lives as food”, wouldn’t it be logical that Noah understood that God meant food to only include every “clean” animal that moved? “1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 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. 3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.” Genesis 9:15 KJV Here is further proof that Noah would most likely understand that God only gave him clean animals as food. If God gave Noah every animal for food as he gave every green herb then this statement about the herbs should give Noah a clue. Noah knew not every herb was food, but there were stipulations to the type of vegetation Noah could eat. Noah knew God defined what type of vegetation was food. Look at context and see God did not give “EVERY” green herb for food. The context clarifies what God meant. Genesis 1:30 says: “To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;" and it was so.” However, did God tell men to eat harmful herbs, thorn bushes, and poison ivy? No. Common sense would tell us God didn’t mean we should eat everything. In fact, the scripture just before Genesis 1:30, God gave clarification. In Genesis 1:29 we can also see that God narrowed down what he considers edible plants: “God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.” This is proof that we can’t see the words “every” and “all” and stop there without understanding the context of scripture. God did give men “every herb,” but context shows that God gave “every herb” that bears seeds. It’s the seed bearing plants that God considers food. Context is needed to clarify. Yet, even with these clarifications, we also have to accept the fact that there may be many things prior to the flood that are not fully explained. It’s not unreasonable to believe that God may have given

further instructions to men prior to the flood that are not written in the scriptures. For example, how did men avoid poisonous seed bearing plants? Why did Able raise sheep, which are clean animals (Genesis 4:4)? Abel sacrificed the “firstborn” of his flock, but what did he do with the rest? Did he use them for wool? Did he use them for milk? We don’t know, scriptures don’t tell us and we can’t add absolutes to the scriptures based off our assumptions and make them equal to hard facts. The scriptures say that Cain knew how to make an offering acceptable to God (Genesis 4:7), but Cain did what he wanted to do instead of what God required, so God rejected Cain’s offering. How did Cain and Abel know how to offer a sacrifice? There is nothing in the scriptures showing God taught Cain, or Abel, but yet they knew how to sacrifice clean animals. We can only assume God must have given men and women, who lived prior to the flood, wisdom and instructions beyond what we read in scriptures. We can’t make an irrefutable teaching based off our assumptions, but we can use common sense and scriptural context to make an educated assumption when the scriptures are silent on a particular topic. For example, how did Noah know the difference between clean and unclean animals? We can only assume that God taught men prior to Noah the difference between clean and unclean for sacrificial purposes. We don’t know 100% how or why they knew the difference because the scriptures are silent on how men discovered what is clean and unclean. However, we can teach that we believe Noah knew what animals were clean because God must have instructed men based off what we read in scripture and the context of the whole word of God. Even Paul mentions that God “created” certain animals to be “set-apart” or sanctified as food: “…meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:3 This means according to Paul, God ordained certain animals as food for human consumption when he created them. We also know that God created a class of animals known as livestock or cattle: “God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:25 WEB Did God know that man would one day sin? Did God create a whole class of clean animals for future human consumption? It could be a strong possibility that God taught men to sacrifice clean animals prior to the flood, and ordain that one day these same sacrificial animals would also be food for men. People can claim that Noah ate pigs, snakes, bugs and all types of unclean animals, but there is no evidence of that in scripture. However, what we do see is that Noah knew certain animals were clean and Noah only sacrificed clean animals, which he knew was accepted to God. So, considering all this, why would Noah eat unacceptable, “unclean,” meat? Why would Noah assume God wanted him to eat unclean things, which god himself did not accept? Furthermore, after the flood, we don’t see Noah raising pigs, or hunting for unclean meat, but instead we see Noah become a “man of the soil”, a farmer, so that he can grow plants for food and drink (Genesis 9:20).

Summary: 1. Before the flood righteous men raised clean animals and sacrificed the firstborn of their flock. 2. Noah was a just and righteous man. 3. Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean animals and that God favored clean animals over unclean. 4. Noah knew that God gave men green herbs to eat, but had specific instructions about the type of green herbs (seed-bearing) that must be eaten. 5. After Noah sacrificed from among the clean animals he was left with six pairs (male and female) of clean animals and only one pair from the unclean. Numerically it would make sense that Noah and his family would select meat from among the clean animals than the numerically lower unclean animals. 6. Even after Noah received instructions about meat, we see him returning back to the soil to grow his own seed-bearing plants as God originally instructed. Therefore, it is more logical that Noah only ate vegetables, fruit and clean animals. It would be illogical to say he ate unclean meat. Even if people want to use this passage of scripture as proof that they can eat unclean meats, their proof still fails, because between Noah and the church age we have Moses and the law. Progressive revelation of the truth would nullify the actions of Noah if he ate unclean meats. God gave us the law to reveal his true character and righteous requirements. He grafted the Gentiles into the nation of Israel (Romans 11 and Ephesians 2:12-13). We are spiritually part of Israel with all the covenants, promises and expectations to live as holy people, separate from the ways of the world that eat unclean meat. However, a look at the context of scripture would lead to the conclusion that Noah ate clean meat and used the proper procedures to kill and sacrifice them. Accusation: Paul said all creatures are food, so who are you to tell people different?? Scripture: “commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:3-5 KJV Answer: No. Paul said that God created meats to be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth. What truth? That certain meat was created by God and sanctified (set apart) from the others which are revealed in the word of God. Paul never said you can eat every creature, but only “every creature” God sanctified in his word which a person who knows the truth will understand.

Accusation: Paul said in the last days heretics would tell people to abstain from meats Scripture: “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; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats” 1 Timothy 4:1-3 KJV Answer: Yes you’re right. Paul said there would be heretics who would tell people to abstain from the meats that God created to be eaten, which God set-apart and sanctified by his word (the scriptures). Paul said these sanctified meats that God created should be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth. Therefore, the ones who are heretics are not those who instruct people to eat the foods God sanctified in his word, but the real heretics are those who are telling people to abstain from eating clean, sanctified, meats and are telling people to eat unclean. Heretics are always trying to get people to violate what God declared holy. These heretics are telling people to abstain from marriage and to abstain from God’s dietary laws. Accusation: Only weak believers tell people they can’t eat certain meats Scripture: “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.” Romans 14:1-2 KJV Answer: This is not an argument about eating clean meats over unclean meats. This is an argument about those who want to eat meat and those who feel it’s safer to only eat fruits and vegetables (herbs). The chapter also discusses the issue of those who regard a certain day of fasting over other days, but some falsely say this refers to the Sabbath. In Romans 14:14, the word “unclean” is from the Greek word “koinos” for common, polluted, profane, dirty. Under Paul’s instructions, these people knew what meats were foods as far as clean and unclean. Paul himself kept the law (Acts 18:21, 24:14, 25:8, and Romans 7:25), so why would he teach others to disobey the law? This passage is about the weaker believer in the church who viewed clean meats as profane and dirty, perhaps because they were uncertain if meats in the market place were polluted by being a sacrifice to idols. Therefore, many opted to abstain from eating meats altogether instead of taking the chance of sinning. Paul says: “14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” What does Paul mean by this? The clean meat has been declared by God as good to eat and idols have no power to make it unclean, so clean meat does not make itself “common” or “polluted”, but men can. Therefore, if a weaker brother considers clean meat to be unclean because he fears it may have been sacrificed to an idol and polluted, then to that brother the meat is unclean and should be avoided by him. This passage has nothing to do with giving people permission to eat unclean.

Accusation: You’re following the Old Testament law that has been abolished Scripture: “7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” Hebrews 8:7-9 KJV Answer: God did make a new covenant with people. However, God had to do this because men did not keep his laws. God’s solution was to make it easier for us to follow his laws by putting his laws in our hearts and minds and giving us the power (grace) to follow his laws. "This is the covenant that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'…” Hebrews 10:16 WEB Therefore, it appears the laws you claim were abolished are instead very important to God and he still wants us to follow them. If you believe he abolished these laws then you need to answer why God would bother putting abolished laws in your heart and mind. Accusation: If you attempt to go back and follow Jewish law then you fell from grace Scripture: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4 KJV Answer: The law is not designed to “justify” you. “But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully” 1 Timothy 1:8. The law is used to define righteousness. The law shows when you are in sin and living wrong: “as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine” 1 Timothy 1:9-10 WEB “wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin” Romans 3:20 YLT “Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets: 'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.'" Acts 13:38-41 WEB We can see that salvation does not come from the law, but those who are saved should desire to follow the righteous standards found in the law. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn't have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn't have known coveting, unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." Romans 7:7 WEB

“Yahweh's law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh's testimony is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalms 19:7 WEB “Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Deuteronomy 4:6 WEB “17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20 KJV Jesus said those who are going to be called great in the kingdom of heaven are those who follow God’s laws and teach others to follow the laws. Jesus gave no warning of falling from grace if the saved and justified believer followed God’s righteous laws. In fact, Jesus did give a warning for those who failed to follow the laws of God: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, lord, have we not in thy name prophesied? and in thy name cast out demons? And in thy name done many mighty things? And then I will acknowledge to them, that -- I never knew you, depart from me ye who are working lawlessness.” Matthew 7: 22-23 YLT The word lawlessness is the Greek word: anomia, which means without the law, meaning God’s laws. “Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4 WEB Grace is the power from God to live righteous, and holy by following his laws. Therefore, those who fall from grace are not those who live righteous according to the law, but the ones who fall from grace are those who don’t live holy as defined by God’s laws. “11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14 WEB Accusation: You’re a Judaizer if you promote Jewish Kosher Laws!!! Scripture: “14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Galatians 2:14 KJV Answer: Paul did not confront Peter and others because they were “Judaizers” teaching the Gentiles about the law of God or about the Hebraic lifestyle. Paul confronted Peter and the others because they were being hypocritical and biased.

“11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before some people came from James(Jews), he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision (Jews). 13 And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all:” Galatians 2:11-14 WEB Peter and other Jews were all fine eating and sharing truth with the Gentile believers until the Jews came to the city. Once the Jews came, Peter and others feared that the Jews would criticize them and report back a negative opinion about them to other Jews. Because of this fear, Peter and others ignored the Gentiles, because of the old Jewish bias that looked down on Gentiles. Paul rebuked this bias, which we can see in Galatians 2:15-21 WEB: “15 “We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners, 16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.” Paul was saying here that Jews and Gentiles are all saved by grace and not by the works taught by Pharisees. 17 But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build up again those things which I destroyed (sin), I prove myself a law-breaker. 19 For I, through the law, died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. 21 I don’t make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!” Paul states that we all died to sin, and seek to be justified through Jesus, but if we go back into sin we, by being hypocritical or biased, then we will become law-breakers. Paul says we are only able to live righteous and fulfill the law of God through Christ who lives in us and by his grace (power). Righteousness to justify us (save us) is not through following the law, but only through the power of Christ living in us. Therefore, Paul was telling the Jews that they are falling back into sin, becoming hypocrites by teaching Gentiles about the law, but then turning their backs on the Gentiles and then hanging out with people who looked down on the Gentiles. These Jews may have been the same crowd that taught Gentiles that they could only be saved only through the law and not by Christ. Paul even said many of these people who came from Judea did not even follow the laws of God themselves although they taught others they had to: “12 As many as desire to look good in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.” Galatians 6:12-13 WEB The book of Galatians is all about people attempting to use the law to justify themselves by their good works. As stated previously, the law is not designed to justify (save) us, but the just must live holy, and holiness is defined by God’s laws. “Because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16 WEB

Accusation: Jesus did away with the dietary laws in Mark chapter 7 you can’t reverse what he did. Scripture: “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 7:15 KJV Answer: Mark 7 has nothing to do with eating clean or unclean foods. This was a dispute between Jesus and the Pharisees with the latter arguing over their man-made rules of handwashing. The Pharisees believed if you ate without first conducting their handwashing ceremony then your food would be defiled, “unclean.” Even if the food was “clean” food according to the scriptures, the Pharisees believed disregarding their handwashing ceremony made the food unclean. However, the problem with this passage is not with the context, but with translators who inserted their editorial comments in Mark 7:19 with the phrase: (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean). This comment is not part of the original scriptures and is only a man-made opinion, which should be disregarded. Accusation: Jesus nailed the laws to the cross, so you can’t go against his work on the cross Scripture: “14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” Colossians 2:14 KJV Answer: Look at the context of scriptures and you will see the truth. Jesus did not nail the law of God to the cross. This passage of scripture has nothing to do with the law of God. “21 You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him” Colossians 1:21-22 WEB [Is the law of God an “evil work”?] “4 Now this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. 8 Be careful that you don't let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power; 11 in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” Colossians 2;4, 8-13 WEB Paul is showing that the people in the church needed to be careful of all the people attempting to rob them of their salvation through philosophies, after the ways of the world and man-made traditions. He reminded them that although they were once sinners, they are raised up to life, and their sins were forgiven. Then he further explains that Jesus wiped the “handwriting in ordinances” which was against them and he stripped the power from principalities and triumphed over them through the cross. “14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; 15 having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14-15 WEB

What did Jesus nail to the cross? The “cheirographon” (Greek) is a written legal document that is the written charges or debt. However, the “ordinance” listed, that they supposedly violated or debt they owed as described in the verse is not God’s laws but “dogmas” which are man-made decrees and teachings. What Paul was saying is that men have put charges and accusation against us based on their manmade teachings, and traditions. It was all this nonsense from men that Christ abolished stripping these wicked people of their power to curse, accuse and imprison their fellow man by making people submit to their religious systems, and false righteousness. Jesus through his cross and power abolished their hold over people and the guilt men have put on other men through false dogmas. Proof of this is seen in Ephesians chapter 2: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances(dogmas), that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace; and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.” Ephesians 2:14-16 WEB Here we see proof that Jesus abolished the dogmas of men that put up a wall between the Jew and Gentile. This is similar to what we find in Colossians. The dogma of men is what was against us, the accusations of religious leaders who judge us by their own and not God’s standards, the accuser of men “Satan” came against us, but Jesus has set us free by ending these accusers and man-made institutions that made us in debt to their systems. Jesus set us free from religion, but never from the laws of God. If Jesus nailed the law to the cross and abolished it, as some people wrongly teach, then that means that murder, adultery, theft, or idolatry would no longer be a sin. The fact is, God did not nail his law to the cross and he surely did not abolish it, but instead he put his laws in our hearts and mind so we can do them. Accusation: Paul said don’t let anyone judge you on what you eat or drink, so stop judging people if they eat pig and shrimp!! Scripture: “16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” Colossians 2:16-17 KJV Answer: Right after Paul said that Jesus nailed the dogmas of man-made traditions and religious systems on the cross, he then told us to not let these same “religious leaders” judge us because we follow God’s dietary laws, or because we observe God’s feast days, or because we observe the new moon, or honor God’s Sabbath. Paul then explains that these things we observe are a shadow of things to come. Notice he does not say that these things are a shadow of the things that have happened, but are shadows of things that will come in the future. The most important thing Paul points out is to look and see what is casting the shadow. Paul identifies the what or who is casting the shadow, which is Jesus. All the dietary laws, all the feast days, the new moon and Sabbath all point to Jesus. We honor these days and laws because in them is a greater lesson about Jesus.

Now, the modern church wants you to believe that these things are not necessary and teach that these things have all been abolished, but nothing can be further from the truth. We know that those who are judging believers in Colossians are not encouraging believers to follow God’s laws, but instead these people are trying to judge and discourage believer’s from following God’s Torah. How do we know? Look at Colossians 2:18-23 YLT: “18 let no one beguile you of your prize, delighting in humble-mindedness and [in] worship of the messengers, intruding into the things he hath not seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh, 19and not holding the head, from which all the body — through the joints and bands gathering supply, and being knit together — may increase with the increase of God. 20If, then, ye did die with the Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances? 21— thou mayest not touch, nor taste, nor handle — 22which are all for destruction with the using, after the commands and teachings of men, 23which are, indeed, having a matter of wisdom in will-worship, and humble-mindedness, and neglecting of body — not in any honour, unto a satisfying of the flesh.” The law of God is not rudiments/elements of the world. The law of God is not the ordinances and teachings of men. The law of God is not about worshipping angels. Paul is not talking about God’s laws which he himself followed, but he is speaking against man-made dogmas, which we must avoid. Accusation: You’re wrong promoting believers can only eat certain meats. God gave Peter a vision that shows we can eat everything. Scripture: “10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.” Acts 10:10-16 KJV Answer: Peter explained that his vision was not about food. His vision was about the new Gentile believer’s coming into the faith, which the Jews looked down on. Peter was shown that the Jewish bias was wrong and that no one should call people “unclean” who God called clean. " 27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together. 28 He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean.” Acts 10:27-28 WEB

Final Conclusion: The reason people fear following God’s dietary laws or think following God’s laws are sinful and falling from grace, is because they have been taught man-made dogmas and not the truth of scriptures. How could anyone ever think following God’s righteousness would be sinful or falling from grace? You don’t avoid shrimp, crabs and pigs because you’re hoping it will get you in heaven, but should eat the foods God says are real foods. We should live the way God instructs us to live. We should be holy because he is holy. We can’t let religious men and man-made dogma judge us, curse us, or call us sinners, because we make a stand to follow God’s righteousness.