Why don't Christians keep Kosher? God gave precise instructions on what Men cannot eat.?

Question

And it is in the Bible, but there is no place in the Bible or in the new testiment saying that we are allowed to eat pork.

Are we going by the word of God?

Answer 1

I asked a similar question asking why the ban on homosexuality is observed, but not the ban on "dirty" foods:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnzQizhWEhjxJyVSdfXzX8nsy6IX?qid=20060625092600AA4tiHJ


One answer that came up a couple of times was that the point of the laws was to protect people from eating foods that at the time were unable to be eaten properly.

Personally, I think it's just that such laws would prevent Christianity from spreading to people who liked unkosher foods and/or had jobs relating to providing meat. I also think that people are simply happier without this law, so they rationalize reasons for ignoring. It's strange because the Bible refers to eating shellfish and non-hoofed animals as an abomination, a term only used otherwise to describe homosexuality, yet homosexuality is not accepted by the church.

Answer 2

The Christian Bible was put together by Catholics (between the second and fourth centuries AD). Catholics do not take all parts of the Bible literally. They probably realized (correctly) that the prohibition against pork and shellfish were for health reasons -- and if they made it healthy to eat them -- then God would not mind.

Most Jews feel the same way. Orthodox Jews are in the minority -- and most of the rest don't keep Kosher.

There are Christian sects, Jewish sects and Muslim sects who take the Bible more literally and do follow the rules on what can be eaten.

Pity, that -- because who doesn't love a good bacon cheeseburger.

Answer 3

Many Christians claim to follow Mat 15:11 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." So all injunctions about food are considered erased.

I wonder how Judaism got to Kosher laws, since Genesis 1:29 says "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." Shouldn't everyone following Abrahams' God be vegetarian? Were the ancient Jews just to weak for this simple rule so God showed his mercy annd offered the more complicated ones?

Answer 4

Yes, but then there is the New Testament. What we eat doesn't matter, though I would still lay off the bacon for the cholesterol and the shellfish for the bacteria.
In the book of Acts Peter is shown by the sheet let down out of Heaven to go with Cornelius' men, that it doesn't really matter what we eat for Salvation. No one can earn their way into Heaven. All it takes is faith to accept the free gift offered to all. Paul tells us circumcision is nothing.
You cannot make God love you any more than he already does by following dietary rules, fasting, beating yourself or any of the other nonsense people have tried over the years. Trust in Christ's righteousness to save you, and treat your fellow man with love. This fulfills the two greatest commandments and therefore — through Christ — the whole law.

Answer 5

Ever since Jesus filfilled the Old Testament by his death and resurrection, all the laws and statutes of the Old Testament have been null and void.

Only that which was readopted by the new covenant church, under the authority granted to it by God, are of any binding effect.

There's no requirement there to keep Kosher. If anything, the opposite is true.

If in doubt, give precedence to the words of Christ in the Gospels, then, the rest of the new testament, then the old. That tends to keep everything in pretty good perspective.

Answer 6

Peter had a vision in the new testament about a sheet coming out of the sky and it had animals on it and this sheet had a fork and a knife and a voice said all things are good to eat as long as you give thanks and ask God to bless it and this, I think was supposed to represent that things of that nature would be changed according to God but it really doesnt matter what I tell you anyway, God will reveal this to you if you really are concerned about it, if not dont worry !

Answer 7

Honest answer? It is not a health problem like it use to be. Unprocessed pork had high risks of cysts and other parasites in it, with the risk increased by poor cooking methods. In todays world the health risk is not there as it was. The real reason these rules were handed down, were as a health guide. That god can't really care what you eat, he was warning people about things that would damage or kill them at the time.

Answer 8

A good question! Perhaps we now have better ways to preserve meats, to cook them sufficiently in order to kill parasites.
But there are still many things which I will not eat, or eat at the same meal.
There is an excellent book, "None of these Diseases", which examines the OT laws and explains the medical significance of them.....like taking baths and washing your hands, circumcision, and more. Those laws were not given arbitrarily.

Answer 9

Not so fast, my friend.

I the NT, Paul had a vision from God and the Bible states all animals are acceptable (lowering of the "sheet") and it is actually not our place to call things "unclean".

Answer 10

1 Timothy 4;1-5 Now the Spirit says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and COMMANDING TO ABSTAIN FROM FOODS which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and NOTHING IS TO BE REFUSED IF IT IS RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING; for it is sanctified by the word of God with prayer.