Posted by Dena on March 12, 2003, at 10:11:26
In reply to I've been eating pig lately. And shrimp too., posted by Dinah on March 11, 2003, at 7:57:37
Hi Dinah -
I admire your desire to please God in how you eat. It's my desire too, but I've been led to do things a bit differently. I'll share mine, but I urge you to follow your own conscience in obeying Him as He's led you.
In the book of Acts, Chapter 10, verses 9 - 16, it reads: "The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."
14But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean."
15And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." 16This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. "The Church has traditionally understood two meanings here. The literal interpretation is that God has done a new thing through Jesus Christ. He has fulfilled the Levitical law by cleansing us internally, by the Spirit, so that we no longer have to maintain our own cleanliness through outward means (i.e., dietary restrictions). Through Jesus & the New Covenant, all food has been cleansed & is permitted for use by Christians.
The symbolic interpretation is that the Gentiles (who were converting to Christianity during this time) were no longer to be considered "unclean", or outside of God's favor; they were to be included into the Body of Christ - the Church, along with the Jews who had accepted Jesus as the Messiah. In other words, the gospel was not intended for the Jews only, but for the whole world.
But as I said, if you feel convicted to adhere to the Levitical dietary restrictions, then you should listen to your conscience, unless God leads you otherwise.
Shalom, Dena
poster:Dena
thread:207994
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20021227/msgs/208406.html