Christians: How can you explain this contradiction?

Question

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. -- Romans 14:21

Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh. -- Proverbs 23:20

but...


Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you. -- Genesis 9:3

And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. -- Luke 10:8


Without more scripture quotes, please. I need an explanation.

Uncle Thesis says: "BTW Please don't rely solely on the KJV.
I invite you to consider purchasing a more modern translation, like the CEV."

So much for THE Good Book (which of the zillion versions and translations is THE ONE?)

Answer 1

study more
http://www.nobeliefs.com/DarkBible/darkbible2.htm

Answer 2

What Paul is saying is whether you want to eat meat or drink wine or not it's no big deal but if your brother (in Christ) doesn't then you should honor his wishes by not eating a big steak or drinking in his face. Just like if I listen to rap and you don't I'm not going to come to your house playing DMX or whoever. What you don't realize is that everything in the Old Testament is of the Hebrew law. Remember they sacrificed sheep and things.This was intact to insure the purity of Christ's bloodline. Once Jesus died on the cross the old law was fulfilled(complete) and a new law came into place. This is why once only Jews were God's people and now everyone who converts to Christianity is considered God's people. (Hebrews explains all of this.) Under the new law we live in spirit so it doesn't matter what we eat just as long as we love God with all our heart and love our neigbors as we love ourselves. If you love your brother as you love yourself then you won't want to do anything that offends him.
As far as the Luke 10:8 quote, that is directed SPECIFICALLY for the disciples in their own walk. The disciples are supposed to be teaching Christ's word so when the people receive Christ's word and offer them(disciples) food they should accept it. Under Christ's law there's no such thing as an unclean meat that we should not eat.

Answer 3

No problem; the phrase "to eat flesh" is an idiom (a saying) that means to tear down someone - insult them to embarrasment.
Romans 14 tells you not to do something in excess, like getting drunk, whereas it negatively affects someone else.

Genesis 9:3 - the word "meat" should be translated as "subjected under", or " under the control of" (you).

Luke 10:8 - If you are received with hospitality by someone, and they offer a meal (lets say you're Catholic and its Good Friday, a day when your religion doesn't allow you to eat meat) and its roast beef - don't insult the kind folks by preaching against it; eat the damn food and thank them for their kindnesses.

Answer 4

Look at the context. In Genesis, God widened man's diet after the flood from vegetarian to meat. In Luke He was talking about being gracious and grateful as a guest - missionaries follow this all the time. I have missionary friends from the U.S. that have had to eat all kinds of food that they considered "strange" but it was provided by their hosts and so they ate it. (things like fried caterpillars, roasted rat, sheep eyes etc). The scripture in Proverbs refers to "amounts" and "attitude" in eating. "Winebibbers" & "riotous" eaters - or getting drunk and can't get enough. The Scripture in Romans is about conscience. In those days many foods were offered to idols first and Paul dealt with this issue. Eat what is put before you and don't ask questions because it is sanctified by your prayer. But if a brother is near and says hey-that was offered to idols - then do not eat because it would offend your brother who is weaker in faith. Do what you do, with charity to others, not letting those things you allow to become a severe problem for those around you.

Answer 5

God has given us the animals for food. Many civilizations used to sacrifice animals to their gods. After the sacrifice, the priests would sell the left over meat in the marketplace. If an new Christian has a phychological problem about eating meat which had been offered to idols, God said for you not to eat it in front of them because it could cause them to stumble in their walk with Christ. Winebibbers and riotous eaters of flesh is talking about a "superbowl party", or basically an all out gorgefest. Eat what is set before you, means when you enter someone's house, do not inquire if the meat was sacrificial idol meat, just eat it with thanksgiving to God. It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but rather what comes out of it.

Answer 6

It's talking about excesses - gluttony, overindulgence, drunkenness, etc.
Also Paul said all unrestricted foods are permissible to eat, even if it had been offered to a pagan idol unbeknownst to the consumer, because such a person would be eating for nutrition, not for honoring the idol. However if you eat such in the presence of new believers then it's better not to eat it than risk offending them or causing confusion or controversy.

Answer 7

Malcom Knoxville III:
There is one muscle you have not exercised enough.
In Romans, Paul was admitting the Christian is indeed authorized to eat almost anything.
However, if it should cause a negative stir among fellow Christians, even for an invalid reason, the way of love is to abstain ....even though the 'right' is there.
The authority is there even to drink intoxicating drink. The only condition is to not OVER imbibe.
All things in moderation.
BTW Please don't rely solely on the KJV.
I invite you to consider purchasing a more modern translation, like the CEV.

Answer 8

First of all, you know that if you ask a question about what the Bible says you're going to get scripture quotes, but instead of bringing up a bunch of other scriptures I just want to expand on the first one you brought up. So many times people find one line of scripture and use it when they try to make a point, but don't use it in context that in was written.

Romans 14:14-23
14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things[e]is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.[f] 22 Do you have faith?[g] Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.[h]

Notice that Paul starts out by saying that NOTHING is unclean of itself, but if you think that it is bad, then for you it is. However if you do something that you think is ok, but know that it will cause problems for other believers it is better to abstain from it, for your brothers sake, out of love for them. One example of this is if I was at the bar all the time, getting drunk and hanging all over the girls up there, then I'm not living the kind of life that a christian is supposed to live, and can discredit any testimony I give about God. People would ask how I can act like I'm rightous in the eyes of God, when I'm partying all the time. Hope that makes sense.

Answer 9

The first part of that scripture says ( Welcome the [man] having weaknesses in [his] faith, but not to make decisions on inward questionings.  One [man] has faith to eat everything, but the [man] who is weak eats vegetables. Let the one eating not look down on the one not eating, and let the one not eating not judge the one eating. So the rest of this scripture refers to the strict rules on eating unclean meat. The Jews at that time were very strict on what they ate but now that God was going to allow Gentiles into his covenant this changed so the apostle had to allow for this change when it came to acceptance into the Christian organization at that time.

Answer 10

Gen 9:3 was given as an emergency food supply.

Later, when food became more plentiful God began to clarify those foods which were the most safe and healthy to eat. Science is only recently beginning to learn what is "Unhealthy" with the foods that God recommends we avoid.

Also, we are not to "Offend" people by acting as though we are superior or better than them.

Answer 11

I will not try to explain the whole bible, which you have taken a few verses out of.
The first 2 verses say practically the same thing, that self-denial is an admirable thing.
The Genesis verse is out of context. There are some BUTS in the next verses.
The Luke verse is that we are supposed to be gracious and undemanding guests.