You are welcome to another edition of Insights from Gods Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing Gods Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself. Beloved, i greet you in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Today, we continue with our series on what the Bible says concerning our diet, specifically relating to flesh food. The question i want us to consider from the light of Scripture is this: What is the meaning of the text in 1Timothy 4:1-5? The text we are considering today reads: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 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. (1Timothy 4:1-5) Many Christians have used this text as a proof text to support the eating of any flesh food of their choice. Some even go on to view Christians who uphold the distinctions God has placed in His Word regarding flesh food (Deuteronomy 14:1-21) as hypocrites who have departed from the faith. The focus of this study is not to search out for a group of people to whom Paul is referring to in this passage. However, if anyone will want to start such a search, then the two identifying characteristics mentioned in the text are as follows: 1. Such a group should forbid marriage among its members. 2. Such a group should command her members to abstain from meats (foods) that God has given to His children of His own freewill. Even though such a group may exist within christendom, the focus of our study today is not to fish out that group, but rather to ascertain the deeper meaning of the message Paul wanted to convey to the young Timothy, as expressed in 1Timothy 4:1-5. I believe that a critical examination of some key words and phrases in the text will help us to have a complete understanding of what Paul really meant in this controversial text. We begin our analysis of the text from this point: 1Timothy 4:4, tells us that every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. Friend, it is a true fact that every creature of God is good. In the first chapter of Genesis, we realize that after the end of certain creation days, God saw that what He has created was good (Genesis 1:4, 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:25) In fact, in Genesis 1:31, God saw that everything that He has made was very good. In fact, this expression of goodness that God Himself made in regard to the things He has created, also went for the fishes, birds, fowls, insects, creeping things, animals and other moving organisms. Now, a critical point here is that, even though God had pronounced these animals and other moving organisms as good, He did not add them to the food items of our first parents in the garden of Eden (Genesis 1:29) I believe God views the creatures He made as all good in the sense that, each of them serves a specific purpose as far as the perfection and harmony of our world is concerned. Friends, as far as the Bible is concerned, the depiction of something as good do not necessary mean that it has to be eaten. We gain a huge insight on this point when we realize that just before the flood in Genesis 7, even though God knew that all the animals and fowls He has created were good, He still gave a command to Noah; to categorize them into clean and unclean animals. (Genesis 7:1-3) In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:1-21, we learn that God wanted His children to use only the clean animals, birds, fowls etc. as food even though all the other creatures were proclaimed to be good in the very begining of creation. Now, what am i trying to say here? Dear friend, I am only trying to make the biblical point, that the phrase every creature of God is good , does not necessarily mean that all the creatures of God are good for consumption, period. Moreover, we are given additional information in the same verse 4 that reads: and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving. Beloved, in Genesis 7:1-3, Leviticus 11 and Deueronomy 14:1-21, we learn that God has given His people a particular kind of flesh food that they can use as food. For these foods or meats, the child of God can receive them, as from the Lord, showing appreciation for this gift in the form of thanksgiving in prayer. Now, what about the unclean foods or meats which God has instructed His children not to use as food? Can Gods children receive them , so to speak, and thank God for them? I thought one could only receive of something which has been given out of the owners freewill. The fact that we must receive this food or meat, spoken of in 1Timothy 4:1-5, only mean that God, the rightful owner, has given such food to us out of His own freewill. We therefore receive such foods and thank Him for His generous provision. Nevertheless, With respect to the foods God has not given us, we cannot receive them of His hand, because He has not given them to us in the first place. To use such food which has been expressly forbidden by God, will be similar to taking such food by force or wrenching it out of His hand. It will not be a process of receiving but rather of robbery. Lets consider this scenario: I snatch your smart phone from your hand and then look you in the face, warmly thanking you for the phone. If i do this, Im likely to receive a negative reaction from you because you have not given me the phone from your own freewill in the first place. My action will actually be robbery not receiving. In fact, I dont think such a practice will be acceptable anywhere in the world. However, when it comes to Gods Word in 1Timothy 4:1-5, some christians think this practice acceptable. The verse 5 of 1Timothy 4, presents some powerful words and phrases that bring out the clear meaning of the entire text. This verse actually reinforces the point i have been trying hard to make. The verse 5 reads: For it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. Beloved, this is the thrust of Pauls message. The food that the people of God must receive with thanksgiving, must first be sanctified by the Word of God. In other words, the Word of God must approve of such foods. And sure, there are some foods that Gods Word approve of. (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14:1-21) Secondly, after Gods Word has given the green light concerning the eating of a particular food, such food must also be sanctified by prayer. The need for prayer is quite evident. A food God has approved for our consumption may as well contain poisonous contaminations from our sinful environment. For such a prayer upon a clean food, that actually follows obedience to what God has allowed, i believe God will honour. However, i dont think God will honour our prayers, if we knowingly partake of a food that He has clearly forbidden in His Word. In our subsequent study, we are going to examine from Scripture, the meaning of the text in Colossians 2:16. Exhortation: For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (Psalms 84:11-12) Have a blessed day and keep shining for King Jesus. Maranatha!!! To join our growing Bible Study Class, you can send a hello to our WhatsApp number +233243105287. You will then be receiving our Bible studies right on your mobile phone. Dont hesitate to send us your Bible questions, prayer requests and issues requiring direct counselling. From: Samuel Nyarko Speaker/Director, White Throne Media.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 19:50:25 +0000
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