Colossians 2:16 says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.” Let’s go back even further in the scriptures. Let’s go back to Genesis 9:1-3, “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. EVERY MOVING THING THAT LIVETH SHALL BE MEAT FOR YOU; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” As Noah and his family exited the ark, the Lord told them that animals were now to be used for food. Until this point, only vegetation was to be eaten, as we read in Genesis 1:29, “And God said, Behold, I have given you EVERY HERB BEARING SEED, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”

It is true that some foods are harmful to some people, and most foods can be harmful if not eaten in proper moderation. While red meat is enjoyed by people all over the world, if all we eat is red meat, or if we eat too much red meat, it can do serious damage to our bodies. We do need to eat portions of all the foods the Lord has given us to enjoy. Fruits and vegetables are not only good for you, they are delicious. In fact, if we don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, we could develop scurvy, which normally develops because of a Vitamin C deficiency.

Under the Law, certain foods were forbidden by the Lord.   If we look carefully at these forbidden foods, it becomes clear that the Lord forbid these because of health concerns. Animals such as camels, pigs, shrimp, lobsters, eagles, and vultures along with other animals were not to be eaten. They were declared to be ‘unclean’. Read Leviticus to learn what meats were permitted and what was forbidden. Of course, in those days, there was no way to prepare these meats so that any germs they might have would be killed. Today, some meats such as pork, shellfish, and others are enjoyed by many, without the fear of food poisoning.

Some people, because of health issues may not be able to eat certain foods at all. Some are allergic to shellfish, for example. They would have to completely abstain from those types of food. Not only should we be careful with what we eat, we should also be careful about HOW MUCH we eat. Proverbs 23:21 warns us, “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty.” Philippines 3:19 speaks of those “whose God is their belly”. These are people who live for self-indulgence. 1 Corinthians 6:13 speaks of those who say, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats.” Again, living in self-indulgence, of which food is a great part. May we all learn to respect our bodies, which is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). Eat the right foods in the proper amounts to take care of these bodies, which belong to the Lord. (283.6)