Are the Biblical instructions about food and eating for today?
Five reasons believers should keep the Bible's dietary commandments:
1. Scripture tells us to. The Bible devotes a fair amount of time to the food instructions, and I don't think that's for nothing. The Living God's word is not wasted. Like any loving parent he expects his children to listen to him when he is talking and to do what he says. The fact that Scripture mentions this and mentions it repeatedly tells us that we need to take note of it.
2. The Messiah expressly told us he did not come to change the commandments. While many believers would make a case that the Messiah did away with the dietary commandments or "made all foods clean," Yahusha went out of his way to say that he was not changing or doing away with Scripture's instructions (Matthew 5:17). That is a significant statement and something we need to seriously contemplate before we set aside any of the commandments, including those about what we eat.
3. New Testament believers kept them. Even in the New Testament, and even after the Messiah ascended into heaven we see that believers stuck to the Bible's parameters for clean eating. The Messiah served only clean foods such as bread, fish, and wine; Peter mentioned that he had never eaten anything unclean; the disciples were reprimanded by the Pharisees not for what they were eating, but for eating without washing their hands; Paul said that our eating should be done in a way that glorifies the Creator. There is simply no Biblical precedent for disregarding the dietary instructions of Scripture.
4. It is a tangible step of faith for others to see. Personally my faith changed a lot when I finally got tired of telling people that I was a believer and then explaining away why my life didn't reflect the teachings of the Bible. Maybe it doesn't seem like what we eat should be a big deal, but let me tell you for those outside of the faith it is confusing why most believers follow so little of Scripture. Live out of Scripture so that people can see you're not just cherry-picking the Bible to suit your own purposes. Showing that you are convicted enough to inconvenience yourself is powerful, and a testimony about the work of YHWH in your life.
5. We are blessed by doing so. Who couldn't use a little more of the Living God's blessings on their life? Scripture says that choosing to be obedient to the word brings good things to us and is a source of life. I know many people who would share with you that Biblically clean eating has caused their faith and their relationship with YHWH to grow. Many would also tell you that it has improved their health. What a gift from our Creator that he bestows so many good things on us when we follow his instructions.
More about the Bible's instructions for what we eat:
What is Biblically Clean Eating?
How to Eat Biblically Clean
Understanding Peter's Vision
Understanding Mark 7:19 and the Messiah Declaring All Foods Clean
