1 Timothy 4:4-5 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
‘For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.’ Not a new revelation, God created some animals for work (unclean) and others (clean) as food (Lev. 11:1-47; Deut. 14:1-29). God wanted us to eat only the clean and sacrificial type. All other animal meat is poisonous for human consumption and most people live in sickness today because they serve their bellies (fleshly lusts – Rom. 13:14; 16:18). Even though humans were not allowed to consume animal meat in the early days just after the restoration of the earth, it was clearly understood what meat was sacrificable. As early as Genesis 4:3-7 we see Kain’s fruit offer was rejected because for them to reconcile with God there had to be a blood sacrifice, for only through blood (typology of Christ’s crucifixion) atonement could be established. In Noah’s days before the flood, it was already clear that animals were in categories of clean and unclean (Gen. 7:2) and in Leviticus 11 these animals are specified. Saying that the laws concerning clean and unclean meat have changed because of the annulment of the Mosaic Law, is not Scriptural because more than a thousand years before the Old Testament Laws came by Moses, it was already known which animals were for food (clean) and which for labour and it had nothing to do with the Laws of Moses. It was only stated to the nation Israel for their own health purposes, just as anyone today can make that choice for themselves.
‘Sanctified by the word of God and prayer.’ Food is sanctified – set apart – by God’s command (Gen. 1:29; 9:3) and prayer. That means the food that was created by God as food; we cannot eat sugars and colourants that are toxic and then say a prayer and think it will be sanctified to God’s standards of healthy food. We need to make sure we know what we eat and drink and that it all is for God’s glory as commanded in 1Corinthians 10:31, and not for our own fleshly lusts.
Living the Word 