FOODS AND DRINKS CAN’T MAKE A MAN UNHOLY

By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi

 Mark 7:19 “Food doesn't go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer." (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God's eyes.)”

             Dietary laws were instituted under the Old Testament as a demonstration of the commitment of the Jews to live as God’s chosen people. Going by the Old Testament the scriptures in Lev 11:12 NIV says “Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you.”  This means foods like squids; octopus, (all forms of shell fishes e.g periwinkles and oysters), shrimps or lobsters, catfish, etc most of which are delicacies among Christians are an abomination according to the old testament.  

           The Old Testament was a shadow of what was to come, that is Christ and perfection could not be attained through the observance of these laws. The scriptures say in Heb 10:1-2 “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.” These dietary laws could not take a person to heaven because only the perfect and Holy can enter heaven. Therefore, until Jesus came and paid for our sins ( past, present, future) ,nobody had access to heaven. If these rules and regulations could make a person perfect once and for all, there wouldn’t have been any need to practice them repeatedly. 

            The human heart is the center of consciousness and cannot be corrupted by the sins we observe on television, radio, internet neither can it be corrupted by food items.If observing sin could make a person a sinner then God who sees all things including the sins of man would be a sinner. Sin is the product of a rebellious heart; it takes a corrupt heart with the nature of Satan in it to produce sin. The scriptures says 1 John 3:8 NKJV “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” Jesus destroyed the work of Satan when He paid for all sins (present, past , future) with His sinless blood . From that moment sin’s dominion over us was destroyed once and for all. When we receive Jesus Christ as lord and saviour, His blood washes away sin from our hearts thus making us holy . Our capacity to sin is destroyed once and for all haven been declared free from all charges that were against us(Heb10:10,Col2:13-14).

            The born again child of God cannot sin against God anymore; they are protected by an “immunity clause” that exempts them from all charges before God. The scriptures says  1 John 3:9 NKJV  “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God (emphasis mine).” As hard as this may be seem to some religious folks, it is the hard truth. What the italicized clause means is that God has chosen never to accuse or condemn us because of Jesus Christ (Rom.8:1-3,John5:24)

          In Acts 11:7-10 NKJV Jesus instructed Peter… 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'  But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.. Paul concludes by saying in  Rom NIV 14:14-15 “As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.” Under the New Testament all foods are clean though it is no license for food and substance abuse. Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and should be treated with the utmost care. You are free from guilt in Jesus name.

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