THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD COMMANDED CHRISTIANS TO ABSTAIN FROM MEAT WITH BLOOD IN IT

Many professed Christians today partake of something that the Holy Spirit of God clearly commanded us in the New Testament not to partake of. Sadly, the lust of flesh food has taken the place of a thus saith the LORD in many lives today, just like it did with ancient Israel in the wilderness (Numbers 11:4). Many a Christian today say that under the new covenant we are free to eat what we want. Sadly, they miss a clear instruction given by the Holy Spirit through the apostles at the "Jerusalem council." Let us look at this instruction:

Acts 15:19-20;28-29 ...'Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood ... For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.'

The reason for this council between the apostles was because the Jews were saying that Gentile converts had to be circumcised. But as the apostle Paul said ... "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." Circumcision was merely a token or pledge of keeping the covenant made with Abraham. A 'sign' of faith and allegiance to God. Today we are under the new covenant in which our hearts are to be circumcised to God, which is why circumcision of the flesh is no longer required. But what is still required as confirmed by the apostles?

"to abstain from blood and from things strangled."

Now many will say that the requirement to abstain from blood was put on the Gentile converts because many a Gentile had a custom of drinking blood. And while it is true that many Gentiles were addicted to the things mentioned - fornication, food offered to idols, blood [and the drinking of it], the apostles didn't give a specific command against DRINKING blood. They simply confirmed that we are to abstain from blood, period! That means all blood in any form. If it was merely talking about drinking blood, then that would have been the specific command. But the command is to abstain from blood altogether. And we can confirm this even more.

What was the other command? To abstain from 'anything strangled.' That is pointing to strangled animals, or animals that have died from suffocation. Why? Because when an animal is strangled or dies from suffocation, the blood REMAINS in that animal and in it's flesh. Do you see? The command to abstain from blood is also pointing to blood in animal flesh.

Many Christians think that this command to abstain from blood in animal flesh was only for the Jews, and yet they miss the truth that God confirmed this very command first to Noah. Were there any Jews around in Noah's day? No. And yet Noah, even though God allowed him and his family to now eat flesh, an 'emergency diet', due to the fact that all the vegetation had been destroyed in the flood, God confirmed to them that they must not eat the blood of the animal with the flesh:

"Genesis 9:3-4 ...'Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.'

This command was further confirmed to the Jewish nation. But take note of something interesting that God told the Jews with regards to not partaking of the blood in the flesh of an animal:

Leviticus 17:10-13 ...'And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.'

Do you see? Any 'stranger' [Gentile] who wanted to be with Israel and serve God had to also observe this command of not eating any blood with the flesh of an animal.

Now there are two good reasons why we are not to eat the blood of an animal in its flesh. The first one is confirmed above in Leviticus. The blood is the life of the animal and that life, given upon the altar of sacrifice points to Christ and His shed blood for our sins, which makes an atonement for our sins. So we are not to eat 'any manner of blood.' This command in Acts is NOT just about drinking blood. The apostles knew full well what God already commanded, and they, through the Holy Spirit were simply confirming the same command of not partaking of the blood in the flesh of an animal. The second reason for this command is down to health. The blood cleans the tissues of the flesh and any disease or poison goes into the blood. So if you are eating flesh with the blood in it, you are taking in any poison or disease of that animal.

"It is thus evident that Christians and all who profess to believe the Bible as the word of God, must abstain from blood, and this means not only to abstain from drinking blood, but to abstain from 'juicy' beefsteaks, which are commonly supposed to be the most wholesome and strengthening of foods. The fact is that the juices of flesh, as remarked by an eminent French physician, are simply a solution of poisons." (The Bible Echo, January 28, 1901, p.77)

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor.10:31) - Can you eat the lifeblood of an animal to the glory of God, against His will?

Now as you know, any meat that is purchased in the mainstream shops today still has the blood of the animal in it. Therefore, if we are to follow God's ways, rather than our own lusts and wants, we must stop eating meat from shops or any meat with the blood still in it. Now I know that some will still say ... "Oh I can't live without my meat!" But do you not see the problem there? You will be ignoring the express command and will of God and surrendering to your own lusts. And what does God's Word warn us about walking in our own lusts?

1 John 2:16 ...'For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.'

1 Peter 2:11 ...'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.'

James 1:14-15 ...'But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.'

Romans 13:14 ...'But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.'

Galatians 5:16 ...'This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.'

1 Peter 4:1-2 ...'Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.'

"That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

Friends, it is time to put away the lusts of the flesh and live by the will of God. Our heavenly Father is preparing a people for that heavenly abode. He is seeking, just as He did with ancient Israel to lead us back to the lifestyle and diet of Eden before the fall - plant food. Why? Because that is the best for us and that is what heaven and the new earth will be like. Where are you going to get your meat from in heaven? Have you ever thought of that? If you think God is going to let you into heaven while lusting after flesh meat, then you'd better have a re-think. By lusting after anything, especially something that God commanded us NOT to do is sin and do you think God is going to allow any of us into heaven while living in willfull sin and the lust of the flesh? No my friend. Revelation 22:11 says that 'he which is filthy and unjust, let him be [REMAIN] filthy and unjust still.' And the apostle Paul confirmed that no one who continues to live in the lusts of the flesh has any inheritance in the kingdom of God (Ephesians 5:5).

So let us be DOERS of the Word of God (James 1:22). Let us surrender and allow Jesus to live out His truth in us.

Revelation 22:14-15 ...'Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.'

Revelation 14:12 ...'Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

Our heavenly Father has a better way for us friends. For much more about the health message of God, please see our page - HEALTH REFORM MESSAGE - At the bottom of the page you will see answers to the common Bible verses used against this message of truth.