What Does Eating of Meat Have to Do With Religion?

The issue of having to eat or not to eat meat by certain religions has been a major source of disagreement by their followers. It has also made some religions to see themselves as the ones approved of God; while others are looked down upon as inferior.

Forbidding of certain foods/meats was practiced in the Mosaic era, and it went on until it was abolished by God in the apostolic day, by divine order to Apostle Peter (Acts 10: 9-16). Just as the order to abstain from certain foods was divinely given through Moses, the abolition of the law of abstinence was also passed to Apostle Peter by divine instruction/revelation.

God had earlier instructed Moses that the people of Israel should abstain from the consumption of animals like Coney, hare, swine, weasel, mouse, tortoise, ferret, chameleon, lizard, snail, eagle, ossifrage, osprey, vulture, kite, raven, owl, cormorant, cuckoo, etc. He told them that anyone who ate them would be made unclean by them.

The people were also instructed not to eat the blood of animals as the life of the animal is in the blood (Deut.12:16, 23-25). Anyone who ate blood would be guilty and would be stoned to death (Lev.17:14). The people religiously obeyed these instructions.

But with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, certain portions of the Mosaic laws were modified (including abstinence from eating certain meats). God’s revelation to Apostle Peter made it clear that whatever God created and had made clean should no longer be called ‘unclean’.

However, today, some religions (even some Christian sects) still forbid their members from eating certain foods or meats which they term ‘unclean. Some religions are doing this by calling themselves Vegetarians. Others abstain from some foods during a particular period as part of their spiritual exercises.

However, Apostle Paul made it clear that the only reason a Christian should forbid any food is if it weakens the faith of his brother who is not yet strong in the faith. Otherwise no Christian is justified by abstaining from food or meat. Justification comes only by our faith in the redemption works of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus himself declared that it is not what goes into a man that condemns him; but that which comes out of him. It is not the food and meat that destroys the man but the evil thoughts emanating from his heart.

Nevertheless, the general consensus among the Apostles is that all should abstain from eating the blood of animals, strangled meat, fornication and idolatry. To ask a man to forbid certain foods would amount to laying a burden on such person.

Everything God has created should be received by faith when offered to you. We are to eat any food without questioning the source, or whether it has been offered to an idol. Abstaining from certain meats is to try to please to law or live by it. We understand that no one can please the law.

The law brings death, and living by the law makes one a slave to the requirements of the law. But putting our faith in the works of Christ brings life. We cannot earn salvation by strictly observing the law; salvation can only be found in Christ Jesus.