What the Bible says on eating meat

The Bible says eating meat is okay “for every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5). According to this scripture, a prayer of thanksgiving for the meat sanctifies it, making it suitable for consumption.

In this article, we are going to look at what the Bible says about eating meat while quoting scriptures from both the Old and the New Testaments.

Structure of the article

• Introduction
• What does the Old Testament say about eating meat?
• What the New Testament says about eating meat

Introduction

In these last days we are living in, many arguments for and against eating meat have been advanced by those who teach the word of God. This has caused a great deal of confusion among believers with regards to a subject that touches on the very core of their lifestyles. Why is it that some believers have no issue at all when it comes to eating meat while others feel condemned when they do so? The answer lies in the scriptures. Jesus said that we shall know the truth, and the truth that we know shall set us free (John 8:32).

Every time the word of God is rightly divided, everything becomes plain to understand (2 Timothy 2:15). On the contrary, when the word is wrongly divided, misunderstandings are the order of the day.

There have been lots of debates in Christian circles revolving around the subject of foods in terms of what to eat and what not to eat. Contrary to what the Bible teaches, many individuals have gone into the world instructing believers to abstain from this or that kind of food. This is not surprising at all because the Bible prophesied about these folks in the book of 1 Timothy 4:1–4, which says:

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

This scripture is on-spot, as it is currently being fulfilled in front of our eyes.

Notice that the last part of the quoted scripture mentions “those who believe and know the truth” as the ones qualified to eat any food.” This means that faith is all that is needed in order for one to have a clear conscience when he partakes of meat.

In Romans 14:1-4, the scriptures say,

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to dispute over doubtful things. One believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”

This means that if you are double-minded, then it becomes wrong for you to eat meat or any other food you are doubtful about. This is emphasized in Romans 14:14, which says

“I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”

What does the Old Testament say about eating meat?

In the very beginning, God created man and gave him express instructions on what to eat. We find this in Genesis 1:29, which says:

“And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.””

From this passage, we infer that God gave man seed-bearing herbs and seed-bearing fruits as his food, suggesting a vegetarian kind of diet.

In Genesis 2:15–16, we learn that after creating man, God placed him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. He then made trees grow out of the ground for aesthetics and food. We then see God issuing the same instruction on what is to be eaten as follows:

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.””

Again, this instruction is repeated after the fall of man in Genesis 3:18, which says

“Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field.” Again, from this passage, God categorically tells man that his food shall be herbs. In other words, man’s food would still come from plants.

Noah and sons given permission to eat meat (Genesis 9:1-3)

After the flood, we see God giving Noah and his sons permission to eat meat. Notice that God gave them the go-ahead to ‘eat every moving thing that lives’. Very interesting indeed! Let‘s look at what exactly transpired in Genesis 9:1-3:

“So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given to you. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.””

From this point forward, man began to eat meat derived from every moving thing that was alive.

It is also important to point out that God told man NOT to eat flesh with BLOOD in it. We read this in Genesis 9:4:

“But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.”

This is a topic we may consider in another article altogether. But for now, let us carry on with our discussion.

God’s instruction to Israel concerning eating meat

There are many instructions that God gave to His people, the children of Israel, with regards to eating meat. We shall only restrict ourselves to those we believe apply to our topic of discussion. Let’s get going.

In Leviticus 11:8, God issues instructions regarding the kinds of animals that the children of Israel were allowed to eat. These included animals that had all three of the following three features: a divided hoof, cloven hooves, and chewing cud.

Regarding water creatures, God instructed the children of Israel to only eat whatever had fins and scales. Anything moving in the waters that didn’t have fins and scales at the same time was excluded from the list (Leviticus 11:9–12).

Furthermore, God directed that among the flying insects, only the following could be eaten: the locust, the destroying locust, the cricket, and the grasshopper. Any other insect that falls outside this bracket is considered an abomination (Leviticus 11:20–23).

The following birds were excluded from the list of those that could be eaten: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, the kite, the falcon, the raven, the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, the hawk, the little owl, the fisher owl, the screech owl, the white owl, the jackdaw, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron, the hoopoe, and the bat (Leviticus 11:13–19).

In the book of Leviticus 22:8, we find God issuing an instruction to Moses regarding meat not to be eaten by priests and Levites. Specifically, God instructs Aaron and his sons never to eat meat that comes from an animal that has died naturally or one that has been torn by beasts. This is because eating such meat would defile them, and if they were to enter the holy place of God’s tabernacle, they would get struck. This is because they had been consecrated as priests and hence set apart as holy from the rest of the tribes of Israel. This account is recorded in Leviticus 22:8–9, which says

“Whatever dies naturally or is torn by beasts, he shall not eat, to defile himself with it; I am the LORD. They shall therefore keep My ordinance, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby if they profane it; I the LORD sanctify them.”

However, this law did not apply to the rest of the children of Israel, who were thus at liberty to eat such meat.

In Deuteronomy 12:15, God gives the children of Israel permission to eat meat once they get to the Promised Land. Initially, they were not allowed to slaughter animals in their compounds, but God told them this would be okay once they reached Canaan. Let’s look at what the scripture records in Deuteronomy 12:15

“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.”

The same instruction is repeated in Deuteronomy 12:20, where we read:

”When the LORD your God enlarges your border as He has promised you, and you say, ‘Let me eat meat,’ because you long to eat meat, you may eat as much meat as your heart desires. If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter from your herd and from your flock, which the LORD has given you, just as I have commanded you, and you may eat within your gates as much as your heart desires.”

In Deuteronomy 14:4, God gives the children of Israel instructions on the kinds of animals to eat. The animals included in the list were: the antelope, the deer, the roe deer, the gazelle, the goat, the mountain goat, the wild goat, the ox, the sheep, and the mountain sheep. Also included in this list were animals with cloven hooves, those with hooves split into two parts, and those that chew the cud.

What the New Testament says about eating meat

In the New Testament, eating meat is allowed, as we see from the following scriptures:

In the book of Matthew 15:11, Jesus explains that foods cannot defile a person, but instead, whatever comes from a man’s heart is what causes defilement. This scripture reads as follows:

“Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

He goes ahead to enumerate these things in Matthew 15:18–19. It says:

“But those things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts: murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, and blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

In the book of 1 Corinthians 10:23–28, the Apostle Paul instructs the saints on the subject of food by telling them to eat whatever is sold in the meat market or whatever is set before them by non-believers, without asking questions for the sake of their conscience. This is what that scripture says:

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one seek the other’s wellbeing. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’s sake, for “the earth is the LORD’s, and its fullness.”

If any of those who do not believe invite you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for your conscience’s sake. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols, do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience’s sake; “for the earth is the LORD’s and all its fullness.”

There are two important things we can learn from this passage. Firstly, because the earth and all its fullness belong to God, we are at liberty to partake of any food as long as our conscience is clear. But, peradventure, if we become double-minded, it is better to abstain.

Secondly, if your conscience is clear but that of your brother’s is not, for the sake of him, don’t eat either the meat or whatever food is set before you in the presence of that brother. Why? We find the answer to this question in Romans 14:1-4, which says,

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to dispute over doubtful things. One believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”

In addition, Romans 14:14 exhorts us to put the welfare of our fellow brethren before our own by stating:

“I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieving because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ has died.”

The Apostle Paul emphasizes this point in Colossians 2:16 by saying:

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival, a new moon, or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

Conclusion

This article discussed the issue of eating meat from a Christian’s perspective. In the Old Testament, we find God placing restrictions on the kinds of animals the children of Israel were to eat. This was to prevent them from getting defiled by eating abominable meat. Remember, Israel had been consecrated and set apart for God and was thus expected to follow His statutes and ordinances. Enter the New Testament, where we are introduced to the dispensation of grace. In this era, your faith determines whether or not you can partake of meat or certain foods. So, is the God of the Old Testament different from the one in the New Testament, Certainly not! The same Spirit who inspired the writing of the Old Testament is the same One who has inspired the writing of the New Testament. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we read: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” So, to eat or not to eat meat? I leave that decision to you. After all is said and done, just remember what the Apostle Paul penned in Romans 14:17, namely:

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

I hope the information was helpful. Thank you.

Related Post: What does the new testament say about eating pork

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Source: https://www.biblegateway.com/