Blood

[Babylove]

Oh yes, I know I have to follow God and Jesus with all of my heart and have faith in them, etc, but there are also some rules that apply and I am trying to follow them. For example, just having faith and love isn't enough, we do have to follow rules, such as the ten commandments. From what I understand from what was said in the scritpure quoted in my previous post, a rule of God is that we do not eat blood, and that rule still applied in the new testiment after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I know Jesus said that it isn't what goes in our mouth that is unclean but what comes out of it so therefore we can eat anything that used to be considered to be unclean, but, I also read somewhere that the reason we are not to eat blood isn't because it is unclean, but because it contains that animal's lifeforce. From what I understand, that doesn't mean Jesus is saying it is ok to eat blood, because he is stating that when he says what goes in our mouths doesn't matter he is referring to eating unclean animals or in an unclean manner, and somewhere in the bible (sorry, I can't remember where) it states that the reason we shouldn't eat blood is because it contains the lifeforce of the animal, not because it is unclean.

It is very possible that I am interpreting this wrong, but if I am to change my life and not only have love and faith in God and Jesus but also follow his example, then I think it is important for me to follow all of the rules Jesus confirmed from the old testiment, all of the rules Jesus laid down for us, and all of the rules his disiples laid down for us on top of having love, faith, etc. I know I am a long way off of following all of the correct rules that Jesus and his disiples state we are to follow, so I am taking things one step at a time and learning about things one step at a time in the hopes that I can live a better life overall, and live as closly as possible to the life that I believe God and Jesus wants me to live.

Edited to add: I don't mind that I am getting conflicting replies at all. I am trying to study the bible, and figure out how to interperate what is in the bible and what different scriptures mean, so one of the reasons I came here is so I can have help to find out how what I am interpreting may be wrong. I don't want to believe something just because that is what I think the bible means when it says *this* and *that* but rather, I want to hear the different views on what other people think certain scriptures of the bible mean, so I can study these different views and and make a better educated decision about what I believe to be true (ie I havn't actually started to not eat animal blood. I am going to continue to study the bible and what things I find through study of the bible on other sources - such as websites and this forum - and after I feel I have gathered as much information as I can possibly get, only then will I make a final decision which I hope will be one that is an educated decision)

Edited May 17, 2007 by Babylove

[Smalcald]

We don't need the food police gaining a foothold in our churches, they already tried that in Galatia some 1900 years ago and Paul set them to flight.

Shalom,

Uh huh.

So someone asks a questions about something SHE is led to do, and you get defensive about YOUR food?

Something is amiss here.

It is time to evaluate your defensive response to someone else's choice since she (nor I), in no way said anything about what YOU or anyone else is doing.

My experience has been that when I am defensive about something without cause, it is because I am fighting the L-rd on something. Please think and pray about it.

And BTW, Peter's vision has nothing to do with food. Please read it and you will see that it refers to Gentiles, not food.

Oh, well if she is led to personally do this than fine, like I said eating Kosher is healthy and certainly NOT wrong. I think that is what I said earlier and you said that it was about following God's Word and not our personal convictions. Okay, well if we are following God's Word than we should stick to scripture which declares we are not to be under the yoke of bondage again. Like I said if she feels this is something she is being led to do great, I certianly don't have a problem with it, it is however not something from scripture.

20Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

[Leonard]

The fact is, you will NEVER, EVER get rid of all the blood in any meat. If you strain at the molecules, you'll just have to go vegan!

The Book of Acts even tells us why the Gentiles were commanded to not eat blood: It was so that the Jews around them would not be offended by the Christians' "perfect liberty."

Right now, such scrupulosity is simply not necessary.

Oh, really. Do you have any idea how I can find the scripture that says that?

Yeah. It's called the New Testament. Pauline Epistles especially.

Shalom Leonard,

That's really not helpful.

She's asking in all sincerity.

The New Testament does not say to eat blood.

You are quite right. Sometimes I have a tendency to the laconic, but that was downright brusque! Sorry. What I mean is that the entire tenor of the Pauline Epistles is toward liberty in all things. The Jerusalem Council ca. A.D. 45 said specifically that the only reason they even asked the Gentiles not to eat blood (going Kosher was very different then than now!), was so as not to offend the Jewish sensibilities. Clearly that would have led to greater tension between Christian Jews, and their "Jewish Jew" neighbors, and made it more difficult to win them to Christ.

I think today, by and large this would not be an issue for most of us.

Remember that the Jerusalem Council also said the Gentiles should not eat meats sacrificed to idols, for the same reason, yet Paul tells the Gentile Christians that they have perfect liberty to do so, but they should abstain if they are in an area which would cause offense to others. Since the Jerusalem Council gave BOTH directives, and the same REASON FOR BOTH directives, it seems reasonable that Paul's admonition is adaptable to both lines of thought.

Further, the Mosaic prohibition against 'eating blood' or 'meat with the blood' probably refers to the barbaric act of opening a vein in a herd cow, and drinking the blood from the living animal, or having a living beast bound, and hunks cut off of it to be eaten raw by heathen revelers, as was not uncommon among the pagan peoples around Israel.

Again, sorry to be brusque, or mean!

[Guest]

I am trying to study the bible, and figure out how to interperate what is in the bible and what different scriptures mean, so one of the reasons I came here is so I can have help to find out how what I am interpreting may be wrong.

I don't want to believe something just because that is what I think the bible means when it says *this* and *that* but rather, I want to hear the different views on what other people think certain scriptures of the bible mean, so I can study these different views and and make a better educated decision about what I believe to be true (ie I havn't actually started to not eat animal blood.

I am going to continue to study the bible and what things I find through study of the bible on other sources - such as websites and this forum - and after I feel I have gathered as much information as I can possible get, only then will I make a final decision which I hope will be one that is an educated decision)

What a Dear Sister you are.

You Go Sis!

Be Blessed!

Love, Your Brother Joe

[Vickilynn]

Oh, well if she is led to personally do this than fine, like I said eating Kosher is healthy and certainly NOT wrong.

Shalom Smalcald,

I say this with all due respect,

BUT, she does not need your approval or permission and she isn't asking for a debate.

And neither am I. The sister asked for information, not whether she was right or wrong.

It's not for you to say.

Please, just go and read the OP.

[Vickilynn]

The fact is, you will NEVER, EVER get rid of all the blood in any meat. If you strain at the molecules, you'll just have to go vegan!

The Book of Acts even tells us why the Gentiles were commanded to not eat blood: It was so that the Jews around them would not be offended by the Christians' "perfect liberty."

Right now, such scrupulosity is simply not necessary.

Oh, really. Do you have any idea how I can find the scripture that says that?

Yeah. It's called the New Testament. Pauline Epistles especially.

Shalom Leonard,

That's really not helpful.

She's asking in all sincerity.

The New Testament does not say to eat blood.

You are quite right. Sometimes I have a tendency to the laconic, but that was downright brusque! Sorry. What I mean is that the entire tenor of the Pauline Epistles is toward liberty in all things.

Again, sorry to be brusque, or mean!

Shalom Leonard!

Thank you!! I'm sure that helps a great deal!!

[shepherdsgrace]

I just want to agree completely with Leonard's reply. Was going to post along the same lines but he got here first and did a full reply. All I want to add is that there is a great difference between the blood of an animal and what we would term juices. All of the beef here in America is hung and drained before butchering and selling. That drainage removes the life blood. What is left is termed juices. As Leonard said, you would never get rid of all the blood. Many unchristian tribes actually drink blood in a container. If there is disease in that blood then it will be absorbed into the body of the person drinking. The life indeed is in the blood.

[Guest]

Vickilynn, thanks for posting the Kosher info. I realize I knew some of it, but not all. That site is good reading.

Scary. I learned something!

[Smalcald]

Oh, well if she is led to personally do this than fine, like I said eating Kosher is healthy and certainly NOT wrong.

Shalom Smalcald,

I say this with all due respect,

BUT, she does not need your approval or permission and she isn't asking for a debate.

And neither am I. The sister asked for information, not whether she was right or wrong.

It's not for you to say.

Please, just go and read the OP.

Of course, which is why I originally stated that she would be wise if she is personally worried about blood to simply eat Kosher its a great choice for many people and a healthy diet.

Vegetarianism also has some great benefits and then you would totally avoid any of these worries which is kind of the direction I am going personally.

[Babylove]

Oh wow, thank you for those informative replies! I especially found these good:

The Jerusalem Council ca. A.D. 45 said specifically that the only reason they even asked the Gentiles not to eat blood (going Kosher was very different then than now!), was so as not to offend the Jewish sensibilities. Clearly that would have led to greater tension between Christian Jews, and their "Jewish Jew" neighbors, and made it more difficult to win them to Christ.

Remember that the Jerusalem Council also said the Gentiles should not eat meats sacrificed to idols, for the same reason, yet Paul tells the Gentile Christians that they have perfect liberty to do so, but they should abstain if they are in an area which would cause offense to others. Since the Jerusalem Council gave BOTH directives, and the same REASON FOR BOTH directives, it seems reasonable that Paul's admonition is adaptable to both lines of thought.

All I want to add is that there is a great difference between the blood of an animal and what we would term juices. All of the beef here in America is hung and drained before butchering and selling. That drainage removes the life blood. What is left is termed juices. As Leonard said, you would never get rid of all the blood. Many unchristian tribes actually drink blood in a container. If there is disease in that blood then it will be absorbed into the body of the person drinking. The life indeed is in the blood.

All of those things make perfect sense! I hope you don't mind if I ask, can someone please tell me where Paul discusses eating meat sacrificed to idols to Gentile Christians? I'm sure I can find it myself, but I think it may take a while. I'm pretty sure that Jesus also mentioned about eating meat sacrificed to idols as well? Or is the scripture you are talking about above the one I am thinking about? Well, as you can see, I do know SOME things about the bible, but not a whole lot, so it is very possible that I will continue to interperate things incorrectly as I continue my study...but it is places like this that will help to set me on the right path and to better understand what I am reading. Thank you to everyone who replied