Pork is a food that is forbidden for Jews and Muslims. But can Christians eat it? Today, Christians freely eat things like pork and shellfish, but are we still supposed to follow the old Jewish diet laws? This is a common question many believers think about.
In this post, we will look at what the Bible says about clean and unclean foods. We will see how Jesus and his disciples addressed the Old Testament food rules. And we’ll discuss what freedom in Christ means for what we eat as modern Christians.
Old Testament Food Rules
First, a brief history lesson. In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites specific instructions about what foods they were allowed to eat and not eat. Some of the main forbidden food categories were:
- No pig products like pork, bacon, ham
- No shellfish, including lobster, shrimp, oysters
- No reptiles or amphibians
- No birds of prey, such as eagles, vultures
- No insects (with a couple of locust exceptions)
The only land animals permitted were those with split hooves that chewed their cud, such as cows, sheep, and goats. All sea creatures had to have fins and scales to be “clean.”
The reasons for these laws are not clear, but they were likely about health, ritual purity, and setting Israel apart from neighboring tribes. God took adherence very seriously – eating forbidden foods could result in being cut off from the people. Yikes!
So until Jesus arrived, faithful Jews avoided non-kosher foods to obey the Bible‘s commands. But did these laws change with the new covenant Jesus introduced? Let’s look further…
Jesus’ Approach to Food Rules
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus gets in an argument with the Pharisees about eating with dirty hands. This was unacceptable to the religious leaders. But Jesus flips the script with an important new lesson:
“It’s not what goes into a person from the outside that can make them bad. It’s what comes out of the person from their heart that makes them bad.” – Mark 7:15
In other words, Jesus declared all foods spiritually “clean.”
Even so, Mark 7 only talked about hand washing, not directly allowing pork. Soon, though, visions and voices told Jesus’ followers like Peter that all the Old Testament’s food restrictions no longer applied to believers…
Peter’s Revelation: “Get up, Peter, Kill and Eat!”
In Acts 10, Peter has a supernatural vision where a sheet of unclean animals like pigs, reptiles, and birds comes down from heaven. A voice tells him to “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
Understandably freaked out, Peter says No way! But the voice persists – do not call impure what God has made clean.
This happens three times, and then Peter is told to go preach the gospel to non-Jews, confirming the meaning of the vision. God was erasing the old food divisions, inviting all people into the new faith.
So, between Jesus’ teaching and Peter’s vision, it became clear that the biblical food laws no longer applied in this new era. Jesus’ followers then officially declared that non-Jews did not need to follow Jewish ritual laws. All meat and food were now fine to eat with Thanksgiving!
Freedom in Christ
As Christians in the present, we enjoy an enormous freedom to eat any meat that the old laws were unable to prohibit. We praise God for allowing us to enjoy such a wide range of options! Here are some of the reasons to praise God:
- Christ was the one who fulfilled the old laws, and we’re no longer bound by them any longer.
- The rules were designed to be in place for a specific time period, and the people
- The Gospel is available to all people, not just Jews
- It’s not the contents of your body that make a person bad, but rather what flows from the heart
- The Holy Spirit of God guides us today. External rituals are not as important.
- God’s Kingdom is based on faith in Christ, not on food rules
The New Testament does indeed tell us to be tolerant and grateful and avoid offending other people by our food choices. But the principle behind it is that believers aren’t subject to any strict diet rules. Hallelujah!
Making Wise Food Choices Today
So, enjoy the lobster, bacon, and pulled pork with no stress! But, make sure to use Christian freedom to choose the foods you eat in the present. Here are some suggestions:
- You can eat whatever you like, but in moderation for your good health
- Do not do anything that is personally harmful or addictive
- Be aware of people with different opinions
- It is important to remember that ethics are more important than the old rules for eating
- Support ethical food sources if possible
- Make sure you are self-controlled and grateful. Use self-control and gratitude, not gluttony
In the final analysis, our relationship with Jesus is much greater than what’s on the brunch menu. We can still respect God by observing moderate, healthy eating and enjoying the variety of food we’ve been given.
The Main Idea
The answer is Yes, Christians can eat pork. It’s such a relief to know that we’re no longer bound to the limiting Old Testament food laws! Jesus liberates us from ritualistic diets and religious purity. Instead, God’s Spirit leads us to faith and living in grace.
It allows us to indulge in delicious foods that were once forbidden, such as juicy bacon. However, we need to be discerning about the amount and type of food we consume.
The most important thing is to rejoice in the freedom to enjoy every food item in moderation and with gratitude. Be sure to enjoy the delicious pulled pork sandwich in the praises of our loving God!
