Expert: Sal - 11/27/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi!
I recently had a discussion with an SDA Pastor about a couple of things, but most especially about "clean" and "unclean" foods like pork, shellfish, squid, etc. I cited most of the Biblical passages that point out that all foods are clean now that we are under the New Covenant, such as Col 2:13 - 17, 1 Cor 10:25 - 27, Rom 14:13 - Rom 14:14, and a few more but then he insisted that it is not so. He said that these were actually referring to the foods that were in the "allowed" list, hence nothing is "unclean", adding that it was the "food" that was being pertained to and not the animals. He emphasized that early Christians were taught not to eat the unclean foods and that in writing those passages, Paul was writing to converts from paganism who were already taught not to eat such foods. He said that the Christians of today got "lost" somewhere along in time and strayed from the teaching. Also, when I cited the passage in the Gospel of Mark 7:14-19, he said that Jesus was not declaring all meats clean but rather pointing out how the stomach "purges all meat". I would like to know your opinion about this. Thanks in advance!


ANSWER: Dear Niles:

You did well in pointing out the Scriptures that clearly declare all foods clean for New Covenant Christians. The problem is that he will not accept this Bible teaching. He has an Ellen G. White (EGW)/ SDA supported belief and he will try to fit that belief into the Bible. I have seen SDAs do this quite often. It may be frustrating to you since the Bible is so clear on this issue. “Thus he (Jesus) declared all foods clean” (Mk. 7:19). “All food is clean” (Rom. 14:20). There is no room for doubt in these and other New Testament statements concerning food. But remember that the pastor is starting with an already held belief and is searching for passages to support it. He is not concerned with finding out what the Bible says. Therefore, he will ignore the plain meaning of the passages that you brought to his attention. He will rationalize that “all food” does not mean “all food”. He will do all manner of verbal gymnastics just to avoid the obvious meaning just to keep his EGW/SDA belief. No amount of Scripture or logic will cause him to abandon his false belief. You must pray for the Holy Spirit to open his heart and mind to the Bible truth. You can plant seeds of truth, as you already have, and perhaps they will grow.

The early Christians were not taught to eat only "clean" foods. One early Christian wrote, "Furthermore, I do not suppose that you need to learn from me how ridiculous and unworthy of any argument are their scruples about food, their superstition about the Sabbath, their pride in circumcision, and their shame in fasting" (Letter to Diognetus, 125 AD).

God Be With You,
Sal


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Wow, thanks for the speedy response! I'd like to ask once more, is that classification of "clean" and "unclean" foods just a ceremonial thing? He said that what Paul was pertaining to in saying "was nailed to the cross" was just the ceremonial law, and i wanted to point out that if that's the case, then the issue about food should be done away already, although I did not do so because I'm not so sure if the food issue is really just ceremonial. Also, am I right in telling him that the whole law cannot be separated and should be taken as one whole unit and that  in the passage he reffered to, it means ALL the old law in the old covenant? Thanks again in advance! God bless!!

Answer
Dear Niles:

The food laws were not moral laws. Moral laws are eternal laws that were always in effect. Adam & Eve were not given the clean and unclean designations for foods. The food laws were an important part of the Old Covenant. The entire Old Covenant is obsolete (Heb. 8:13).

Yes, you are correct that the “law” mean all 613 commands. The Bible does not give us permission to separate the laws of the Old Covenant into moral and ceremonial. Then say that some are obsolete and some are not. The Old Covenant laws stand or fall together and they have fallen (Gal. 3:23-25). The separation of the laws is an invention of the SDA so that they can claim that some of the Old Covenant laws, such as Sabbath keeping and food laws, are still valid even though the Old Covenant is obsolete.  

God Bless You,
Sal