© 25 Colin Melbourne
Should Christians avoid eating meat and animal products?
The Holy Ghost makes it plain that under the New Covenant in God’s Blood all animal flesh may be eaten by believers in Christ.
A few scripture examples;
Death and Bloodshed
The centrepiece of the Last Supper was the Passover Lamb, of which Christ ate saying, Luke 22:15-16 KJV;
And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
The actual Lamb of God ate of the symbolic Passover Lamb. Both had to die and shed blood to fulfil their purposes.
Bodily Resurrection
The risen Christ, The Living Word of God, ate broiled fish to prove His Flesh was resurrected, not just His Spirit.
If He’d been a ghost the fish meat would have fallen to the floor when He ate it. Luke 24:42-43 KJV;
And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
Beach Barbecue Reinstatement
The resurrected Christ again ate fish together with His disciples, when He lovingly re-instated Peter as His messenger, Jn. 21:13-15 KJV;
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Levitical Laws Fulfilled and Abolished in Christ
The freedom to eat any animal flesh, even that forbidden under Hebrew Law, was the subject of the vision God gave to Peter, saying Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. And then sent him to preach Jesus to a Gentile Pagan seeker, Acts 10:9-16 KJV;
On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
Peter assumed the vision was a command to eat; pigs, cockroaches and crows, etc., all the creatures forbidden under Levitical law, but it was actually confirmation that the Gospel is for everyone, and Peter was to start sharing the Bread of Heaven with “Gentile dogs”.
He finally underdstood the vision when he crossed Cornelius’ threshold the next day, a bold act in itself, also against Jewish Law and his natural thinking.
Note; this was ten years after the resurrection and Pentecost. The mighty Apostle Peter was slow to grasp the eternal Redemption we have inherited through Christ!
What about you?
Not Only Former Jews
The Holy Ghost commands all Christians to eat whatever they are served from the meat market (shambles), 1 Cor. 10:25-27 KJV;
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
As a missionary in Asia for over three decades, I’ve learned never to ask my host, “What’s this we’re eating?”
Whatever the reply, you really do not want to know!
So, to avoid causing offence, just get it down, and try to look like you’re enjoying it.
Vegetarians Need to Grow in Christ
The Holy Ghost also speaks of vegetarians as being weak in faith and understanding of the Gospel of Christ, Rom. 14:2,14 KJV;
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Yet the question sometimes arises, “…because there was no death before Adam and Eve’s rebellion brought sin, death, and disease into the world, surely God’s ideal state must be for mankind to be vegetarian, eating only fruits, vegetables, and herbs.”
Is that the case? Read on…
In the paradise of the Garden of Eden before sin entered, none of the animals or plants died, nor could have died until Adam surrendered his birthright to Satan, the Serpent, and ushered in death, by doubting what God had said to him.
Adam and Eve were perfect, they knew far better than to doubt our Creator’s word.
But, like foolish Esau, Adam sold his birthright for a mouthful of food. Genesis 3:6-7 KJV;
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Don’t do that Christian!
Don’t doubt God’s words, don’t disobey them, and never use religious aprons to cover your sin.
Your birthright in Christ is to follow Him by the power of the Holy Ghost, and ultimately to inherit the Earth.
Q: When does the beneficiary of a will receive their legal inheritance?
A: When the Testator dies and the Will is ratified.
Q: Has the Testator of the New Covenant died, and God’s Will legally approved?
A: Yes, Christ died for the ungodly, and was raised for our justification. Sealing the New Covenant with His precious divine Living Blood.
Question: When is Christ going to die again?
Answer: Never, He ever liveth to intercede for us. Hebrews 7:25 KJV;
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
So take hold, and do not barter your Blood-bought inheritance in Christ for anything, least of all for food!
It’d be foolish to surrender that honour to satisfy your stomach, and flesh!
Keep your flesh under the authority of the Holy Ghost in your heart by walking in the light of Christ, which is God’s will for you.
Summary:
The Holy Bible is clear that in this dispensation believers in The LORD Jesus Christ are free to consume any animal flesh that is sold in the meat-market.
No animal flesh is now unclean in God’s sight.
Eating only vegetables and herbs is a sign of weak faith in Christ.
Since there were no carnivores before The Fall should our pet dogs and cats eat meat?
You may be interested in these related topics;
What Dogs, Cats, and Bears Ate in The Beginning
What Will Dogs and Cats Eat in Heaven?
© 25 Colin Melbourne
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Eating of The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Why Did Jesus Really Curse The Fig Tree?
