Church of God (Seventh Day) South Africa | home
Food Laws
The notion that the food laws have been done away in Christ stems from a misunderstanding of the vision that the apostle Peter had. We will examine this in detail, and prove the truth.
The verse that is used is in Acts 10:15. This verse in isolation can be misused to draw the wrong conclusion. Let's look at this verse, and then we will investigate the background, and prove the correct interpretation.
"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 unto 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 any thing 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."
(Acts 10:10-15, KJV)
The notion then is that in Christ all meat is cleansed. But is this right?
Let's investigate this from the beginning of this event, so that we can understand what has led to this statement. Let's start at the beginning of the chapter.
"1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,"
(Acts 10:1, KJV)
Cornelius was not a Jew, and most probably not circumcised. The apostle Peter's understanding at that point would have ruled him out from the inner circles of the Jewish Christians. But it was God's plan that Christianity would spread much further than the Jewish nation, in fact worldwide. Let's continue.
"2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway."
(Acts 10:2, KJV)
He probably attended the Jewish synagogue, and learnt about worshipping the true God.
"3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. "
(Acts 10:3-8, KJV)
Cornelius was called to make contact with one of the original apostles, to become a Christian in all respects, but the apostle Peter had to be convinced that it was God's Will that Christianity would now spread to the gentile world at large. Therefore God prepared a vision for Peter as well, to help him to accept Cornelius, an uncircumcised gentile.
"9 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:
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 unto 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 any thing 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 10:9-16, KJV)
Notice that Peter did not decide to start eating unclean animals. In fact, even after being with Christ for about three years, having been taught by Christ day and night, and having been in the ministry for many years, there was still nothing in what he understood that made him think he can eat unclean animals. Notice now the event as it unfolds, and Peter's conclusion on what the vision really meant.
As Peter met Cornelius, we can see the problem that Christ had to deal with here. Please read the whole chapter. To save space we will go on to verse 25.
"25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. "
(Acts 10:25-28, KJV)
Peter now understood the vision. It was not about unclean meat, but about considering gentiles unclean because they were uncircumcised.
We know that the food laws were part of the Law of Moses, and that the Law of Moses is not binding on uncircumcised Christians. However, the Will of God that mankind should make a distinction between clean and unclean animals were established long before Moses even existed. It was established with Noah, and is therefore applicable to all mankind who continued from Noah.
"1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female."
(Genesis 7:1-2, KJV)
Therefore the Church of God believes that the food laws are universal in nature for all Christians, and we refrain from eating unclean animals such as pork. We are grateful to a wonderful God who cares about our health, and wants us to be safe from the viruses and bacteria that is found in such animals. Many people have died from eating unclean animals from the sea during the "red tide". Many people's lives have been adversely affected by heart trouble stemming from years of eating fatty pork products. God loves us, and wants us to be healthy.
Not only to Gaius, but also to all Christians, the desire of the apostle goes out:
"2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
(3 John:2, KJV)
What a great and loving God we have. Let's follow His wish for us, which is to be healthy and have a long and productive life. The Church of God (Seventh Day) teaches the health laws of God to all Christians, for we desire that you will prosper, and be in good health.
Back to document list