Thus He declared all foods clean.) (Mark 7:18-19, NASB, emphasis mine).
Well, that seems pretty clear. The Lord Jesus says all food is clean to eat, for it isn't food that defiles (and later in the passage He indicates its the heart that defiles), but in Acts James says...
19 Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. (Acts 15:19-20, NASB, emphasis mine).
Hmm, not really sure how to come to a judgement on this. The Lord was pretty clear that food doesn't defile (but rather the heart does), but James seems to indicate that Gentile Christians (and presumably all Christians) shouldn't eat food (doesn't actually mention food, but that seems to be the implication of the passage) that has come from an animal strangled or that has blood in it. So...
Is it a sin to eat food with blood in it or is it not a sin to eat food with blood in it? And in either case, how do we explain these passages?
Well, that seems pretty clear. The Lord Jesus says all food is clean to eat, for it isn't food that defiles (and later in the passage He indicates its the heart that defiles), but in Acts James says...
19 Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. (Acts 15:19-20, NASB, emphasis mine).
Hmm, not really sure how to come to a judgement on this. The Lord was pretty clear that food doesn't defile (but rather the heart does), but James seems to indicate that Gentile Christians (and presumably all Christians) shouldn't eat food (doesn't actually mention food, but that seems to be the implication of the passage) that has come from an animal strangled or that has blood in it. So...
Is it a sin to eat food with blood in it or is it not a sin to eat food with blood in it? And in either case, how do we explain these passages?
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