Dear Kris,


Your Question: Why aren't we supposed to eat pigs and shellfish?

My Answer(s): Thank you for your question. If your question is asked because you believe it’s a sin to eat "pigs and shellfish", then we must examined the Scriptures making eating "pigs and shellfish" against the law, the Law of Moses. And if you are asking this question because your religion says it’s a sin to eat "pigs and shellfish", then we must examine the faith of that religion concerning eating foods, that are unclean in its flesh, physically.

Yes, the Scriptures do speak of not eating "unclean" animals. In Genesis 6, God tells Noah to take "two of all living creatures". But then in Genesis 7, the first mention of "clean" and "unclean" animals, God tells Noah to take with him "seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female"; and "two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female", and "also seven each of birds of the air" (Genesis 7:2-3 NKJV). These were taken into the ark to save them alive and for food for Noah and his sons and their wives. For after the flood it is said to Noah and his sons, "every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood" (Genesis 9:3-4 NKJV). Prior to these passages man and animals were allowed to eat of "every seed-bearing plant" and "every tree that has fruit with seed in it", "the green plant (herbs) for food" (Genesis 1:29-30 NIV). Now, after the flood God gave Noah and his family "every moving thing" to eat as food. The only exception was not to "eat flesh with" blood still in it.

Remember that this did not do away with "clean" and "unclean" animals, the animals that were unclean before these passages remained unclean after these passages. In Genesis 3, after the sin the Man, Adam and the deception of the Woman, Eve, God provided "garments of skin" to cover their shame of sin. This was the first sacrifice of an animal for man’s sins. Later, in Genesis 4, we see Cain bringing "fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock" to sacrifice to God as an offering. From this passage, we can see that man was still raising and killing animals for sacrifice. Just as Noah had sacrificed "clean animals and clean birds" to God after they came out of the ark, and we can say that Noah and his family ate of the sacrifice after the flood according to Genesis 9:3, for man could now eat meat without its blood.

So, we can see from the time after the flood that man was given "every moving thing that lives" to eat. Yet, only clean animals could be sacrificed to God. This instruction was given to man after the sin in Genesis 3, but it is not written anywhere in the book of Genesis saying God told man what were "clean" and "unclean" animals. Yet, the very fact that Noah is instructed to take "clean" and "unclean" animals and birds into the ark, and Noah is said to have sacrificed "clean" birds and animals to God after the flood proves man knew the difference between clean and unclean animals and birds. And since, God did not make a distinction as to which animals or birds Noah and his family could eat after flood, only that they should not eat meat with blood in it. We must conclude that man could eat "all things" that he found to be eatable on earth.

God had instructed the family of Noah that they could eat "every moving thing that lives" after the flood. Now, we can say that since Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean animals and birds that he knew God meant to eat only clean meat without blood. But, this is not what God said to Noah, and God even added, "just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything" (Genesis 9:3 NIV). However, in Genesis 6:21, God says for Noah to take also into the ark "every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them" (NIV). From this we see, there are some plants and fruits that are not good to eat, just as there are some animals and birds that are not good to eat, as it is said "all food that is eaten" (Genesis 6:21 NKJV).

With this in mind, we move to the law of the "clean" and "unclean" animals and birds. In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, God tells the children of Israel which animals and birds they are allowed to eat, and which animals and birds are unclean, not allowed to eat. The first thing about these laws is this: they only applied to the children of Israel. For in Deuteronomy 14:21, God says to the children of Israel, ""You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you may give it to the alien who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to the LORD your God…" If the law of clean and unclean animals and birds was spiritual, meaning sinful to eat, then would not this make God a respecter of persons and tempting the alien to sin? And the Scripture clearly says, "there is no respect of persons with God" (Romans 2:11 KJV, see also Acts 10:33-35 and 1 Peter 1:17). And again the Holy Spirit says to us concerning temptation, "no one should say, ‘God is tempting me’. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone" (James 1:13 NIV). Therefore, it is proven that God does not have one spiritual law for one nation and another for other nations. For if God tells the children of Israel not to "eat anything that dies of itself", then He tells them to give or sell it to the "foreigner" or "alien" that "he may eat it". We must conclude that eating something that is unclean cannot defile a person spiritually, but the law of clean and unclean animals and birds was put in place to make a distinction between the children of Israel and the other nations on earth. The ceremonial laws under the Old Covenant applied to those who God made the Covenant with, the children of Israel only. As it is written concerning the physical nation of Israel:

Just as God instructed Noah and his family not to eat animals or birds with blood in them. He also gave the children of Israel these same instructions, only God added the law of clean and unclean animals and birds and fishes because this would be the distinction between the children of Israel and the other nations on the earth (a physically distinction). Today, we as Christians are set apart from others on earth by the Spirit of Christ which lives in us (a spiritually distinction).

Below, the law of clean and unclean animals, birds, and fishes given to the children of Israel that are to eaten and not eaten:

Again, Christ Jesus our Savior and Master says to us, His spiritual nation of Israel, a royal nation chosen by God as His very own people under the New Covenant (1 Peter 2:9-10). What goes into your mouth cannot make you "unclean" or "defile" spiritually, for what goes into the mouth will be eliminated. "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean'" spiritually, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' " This same principle apply to a person eating unclean animals, birds, and shellfish; these things goes into the mouth and is eliminated. Yet, they may cause your body physical harm or discomfort because they are still unclean physically, and our bodies have problems in digesting these things.

 

For, I ask you would you willingly eat a mouse or lion because it’s permissible to eat these unclean animals? Yes, there are some unclean animals, shellfish or fish that are more pleasing to the eyes, such as pigs, crabs, lobsters, clams, and catfish. But, the appearance of these animals and shellfish do not change the fact that they are unclean physically for our bodies. As it is written, "everything is permissible", "but not everything is beneficial" for our health.

 

Again, the instructions God gave to Noah and his family concerning eating "every moving thing that lives", and only do not eat meat with blood, is just what the apostles instructed the Gentiles believers in Acts 15:

In Galatians 2, the Apostle Paul also indicates that he was "entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. Just as Peter had been to the Jews" (NIV), and that he and Barnabas were given the right hand of fellowship by James, Peter, and John, for it is said:

Therefore, we must conclude that what we eat cannot make us sinful nor can unclean meat make us defiled spiritually. If we eat such unclean animals, fish or shellfish, and birds then it is a matter of personally choice. And if we believe the eating of such unclean animals and shellfish is a sin then we should not eat them. For I am persuaded that as Christians this is what God ask of us: to act justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with God, to abstain from eating foods with blood, and to keep ourselves from the being polluted by the world, and that we should remember the poor and the distressed on this planet (Micah 6:8, Acts 15:29, Galatians 2:10, and James 1:27). For as it is written in Romans 14:1, we should "accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters", such as eating or not eating unclean animals and shellfish.

Now, the Scripture clearly says in the latter days the religious establishment will give in to the "deceiving spirits" causing many to fall away. Forbidding Christians from marrying and ordering "them to abstain from certain foods". For it is written:

For such preferences as eating foods or meats are judged by our faith. For one believes all things are edible and another believes he should only eat plants and fruits, let each person do all things in the faith of our Lord Jesus the Christ. It is said in Romans 14, we are all servants of God, and we are not to judge our brothers and sisters in such disputable matters. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ Jesus, we shall all give an account of what we have done whether good or evil. If anyone judge any thing to be unclean then to him it is unclean. And we as Christians with faith, believing we can eat anything are judged by another conscience, for it is said, "If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:15-17).

Let us serve God and His Christ Jesus our Master and Savior by not destroying the faith of our weaker brother in the faith because of what we eat. For we as Christians are condemned if we eat anything with doubts because our eating is not of faith. And everything that is not of faith is sin. Amen. Praise God.

 

In Christ love,

Ron Davis, minister of Christ