http://ichthys.com/ 
Legalism, Past and Present VII
Question #1:   
Hi Bob,

I know this is on the eve of posting day so don't interrupt for this. In Genesis 1:30, God gives every green herb for food. In Genesis 9:1-5, God says ALL animal life is food for man. (I assume including green plants.) Given that a "plant based" diet is promoted and reviled, can I assume that a plant based diet was originally intended? Do you understand that health benefits are to be had from the original intended diet?

I have drifted to a "plant based" diet mostly because it doesn't stick in my teeth and it's easier cleanup. While I love a well seared rib-eye or NY Strip, I hate the cleanup and endless tooth picking. The question here is: should I concern myself with the original dietary intentions or relax and enjoy the leniency of the Jerusalem elder's requirements for Gentiles as expressed to Paul in Acts?

Thanks.

In our Lord,
Response #1:
Even the letter to the gentiles didn't address meat per se because of course meat had to be eaten under the Law (at the Passover, for example). It just was requested of the gentiles to stay away from strangulation as a means of butchering. 

So I supposed it depends on the idea of "intended". What is God's "intention"? Since nothing surprises Him, since everything thing is decreed, since the end of the entire plan of God based on the cross is a wonderful eternal state, New Jerusalem, where there is no longer any death or want or pain or toil, then dietary restrictions or considerations in the meantime seem to me to be of little account. It's like Paul says in castigating false teachers who are . . .
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.
1st Timothy 4:3-5 KJV
And as our Lord said:
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
Mark 7:18-19 NIV
And as the Lord commanded Noah:
"Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."
Genesis 9:3 NIV
So I don't see a problem with anyone adopting any diet they want, as long as they don't attach any spiritual significance to it. As to health benefits, I'm sure an argument can be made, even from common sense, that, e.g., raw carrots are probably better for you than some deep-fried hydrogenated gluten-filled bagged snack. But none of us is going to live forever in these temporary bodies no matter how careful we may choose to be, and even the strictest dietary regime is no substitute for even a smidgen of spiritual growth.
Here some appropriate links:
Hebrews chapter one: Legalism
The Trinity and Messianic Legalism II
Apologetics, Legalism, Cults and Philosophy
The Law, Legalism, and Rome
Judaism and Legalism in the church-visible
The Trinity and Messianic Legalism
Believers in the World III: Prosperity Gospel, Tithing, Cults and Legalism
Legalism, Past and Present VI
Legalism, Past and Present V
Legalism, Past and Present IV
Legalism, Past and Present III
Legalism, Past and Present II
Legalism, Past and Present
The Dangers of Messianic Legalism IV: Unclean and Impure?
The Apostles, the Jerusalem Council, and Legalism then and now.
The Dangers of Messianic Legalism III
The Dangers of Messianic Legalism II
The Dangers of Messianic Legalism.
Combating Legalism VI
Combating Legalism V
Combating Legalism IV
Combating Legalism III
Combating Legalism II
Combating Legalism I
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend! Stay warm!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #2:
Hello Robert, I’m unsure if you have seen my message so I’ll send it here again:

Thanks Bob for the answer. I’m still a bit unsure about these topics but I appreciate that you take your time to answer and help me. I know that it’s quite unsocial from me only to answer now because I got the next question. Please forgive me for that. This is really bad and I want to change it and do it differently next time. 

To the next topic:

1) Main Problem one: FLESH

My heart is stepping on worldly paths right now, or at least it seems this way. I normally could avoid the lust of eating more than needed and the Lust of buying more than needed by eating less and not buying new things. Now the problem is that now when I go to the gym I should not only eat enough but probably even more than the body needs for the day so I can gain weight and muscle. Second problem is that now somehow a list of new items I want to buy appeared. I don’t have a fitting bicycle for my Self and I want to potentially drive one to school on two school days so a bicycle would be one item. Then, my backpack wasn’t in the „best shape“ anymore (it ripped open on the bottom, but only the outside layer, so it was still ok in its function) so I got a new backpack (and I actually made another mistake here, I bought a backpack to fit in while Paul said do not conform to this world, so I messed up AGAIN. I also wanted to switch from notebooks to college blogs and but the papers in folders, which would mean I‘d have to buy those things again, and I also wanted to buy good quality college blogs, which feels like the lust of having more and better things again. In addition, my headphones are getting more silent on their own and I want them for training so I don’t hear the sometimes quite „special“ music in the gym. I use them on full volume and they are NOT loud. So, new headphones would also be on the list… Furthermore, I really have problems with __ in the last days. It feels like my heart gets more like the flesh than the spirit and this is not only frustrating but so draining. Man, I can’t even be in a wonderful joyful relationship with the LORD right now. Also pride is getting big because I somehow believe what the world says probably more than what God says. It’s about my physical height and I know it’s pretty embarrassing but there is still pride in me for that, which also leads to not the demanded respect for the Lord. Man, this is so… NOT GOOD. 

2) Main Problem two: Mind-fights

I know the scripture in 1 Timothy 4 where Paul says that every food is fine to eat. I know the verse were Jesus says that not the things that go in the body make one unclean and also the scripture about that God gave us the Food to enjoy it as well as the one where Paul says we shouldn’t search where meat comes from, to not violate our consciousness. But what if meat and dairy consumption was bad because of how bad animals are treated in these days? They live on small places etc.. Is it evil/a sin to eat meat or dairy products because of the pain the animals experience that is probably greater than before 2000 years? 

Jesus has risen from the dead.
Response #2:
I seldom answer emails on Saturday as that is posting day; also this weekend was intensively busy so I'm a little behind on emails.

1) While it is true that we can all overdo things when it comes to walking through this world, it is a great trap to go "off the road" on the other side as well. Either way, one lands in a ditch. Just as overindulgence is a mistake, asceticism is also very dangerous (it leads to arrogance and legalism) and is certainly not enjoined by scripture. Best advice: don't obsess about these things. Keep moving forward spiritually by reading into a good Bible teaching ministry. If Ichthys is not your "cup of tea", I also recommend Bible Academy (at the link).

2) What you eat has no spiritual implications, and any system of teaching that says otherwise is something from which you ought to steer clear.
"Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."
Genesis 9:3 NIV

“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
Mark 7:18-19 NIV

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.
1st Timothy 4:3-5 KJV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #3:
Thank you Bob, for the answer! 

To question number one:

Thank you Bob for the answer. I should probably follow this advice and maybe read your work on 1 and 2 Peter.

To question number two:

I don’t say that specific foods are unclean but rather that the problem lays in how the animals are treated and that we maybe shouldn’t eat specific foods to not indirectly treat animals bad. What do you think about this?

Be blessed in Jesus name.
Response #3:
Re: treating animals. No one is in favor of abusing animals. On the other hand, when I buy a gallon of milk at the store, I really cannot have any idea of how the cow has been treated. So my own application is not to worry about such things. You should do what your conscience dictates being guided by the Spirit, keeping in mind that guilt feelings which are not reasonably based usually are the result of being manipulated by the evil one, not from the Spirit's guidance.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #4:
Hm.. The thing with that you don’t know how the cow has been treated is one of the arguments in my head to not buy animal products. But probably, animals don’t have to be perfectly treated in a biblical view. But the question is, where do I set the line? 

I wish you Gods blessings,
Response #4:
I would advise you to consider letting this one go since it is a huge trap. Analogously, how can you in good conscience use a pencil? Producing pencils requires many different processes at many different plants and the garnering of natural resources from all over the world (see the link). How can you assure yourself that the people who produced it or produced the natural resources for its manufacture, or who produced the equipment necessary for collecting the natural resources or production facilities were treated humanely and justly? I mean, if we are worried about cows, shouldn't we be more concerned about people?
For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
1st Corinthians 9:9-10 NIV
If pencils are complicated, anything you use or wear or eat – which is vegetable and not animal – will be subject to an equally or vastly more complicated chain of production at any point along the line of which there may have been abuse . . . of human beings.

Nothing in scripture suggests to me that we are to be concerned about this sort of thing. Scripture is absolutely hostile to hypocrisy and so there is no "virtue signaling" therein whatsoever. When this sort of issue does come up in the actual Bible, it always has to do with protecting weak Christians who might be tripped up because they have yet to grow to the point of having figured these issues out correctly (e.g., Rom.14).
But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.” “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1st Corinthians 10:28-33 NKJV
So as someone who also loves animals and abhors their maltreatment I appreciate your concern, but I assure you that worrying about things in this way is a trap that can paralyze you . . . and negatively affect your spiritual growth.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #5:
Hello Bob and thanks for your answer. 

This example with the pencil was quite helpful, but if I know that my mother isn’t buying organic meat, than I already know that the animals there might not have experienced the best treatment, although my mother doesn’t buy the cheapest meat normally. This whole question is draining and confronts me probably around 3 times a day minimum. I can’t get it over with because scripture is nearly never talking about this……

Be blessed
Response #5:
Re: "This whole question is draining and confronts me probably around 3 times a day minimum." I think this proves my point. This is the sort of OCD-inducing trap the devil loves to spring on believers. Because if we are neurosing over something like this which has no biblical solution, guess what? We are then NOT doing what we are supposed to be doing, namely, growing spiritually, passing the tests that come our way, and ministering to others in the Church. 

Trying to "solve" problems like this always leads to legalism. I would encourage you to read the new Hebrews series which has a lot to say about this particular problem (at the link).
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 14:27 NKJV
We believers in Jesus Christ have been called to peace (Col.3:15). If we are not experiencing that peace, we are not entering into "faith rest" the way we should be (link). Anything that disturbs our rest in the Lord, our peace in Him, is a problem, not a solution . . . to anything.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #6:
Hello Bob,

I still didn’t escape this pit and I ask myself what am I doing wrong. I have those thoughts that I’m not allowed to eat pork, then I answer with Colossians 2:16 and Acts 15 and somehow I still seem to sin when I eat because of consciousness. I just want to stop this cycle of willful sin finally and confess it to someone too. And I also know the other verses like 1 Tim 4 and Mark 7 but there are arguments against them. I really tried today. I made myself a meal with pork and sat down and I had the scripture in mind, and I had in my mind that it was God saying that it’s clean and still it seems like I failed in the end and again sinned willfully. One year ago, sinning willfully would be absolutely terrible and something that shouldn’t ever happen in my life again and now I’m here sinning willfully maybe even daily. It’s not that I don’t want to stop, but that it’s so confusing that it’s hard to get out of it. I even have doubts about using Google maps even though it doesn’t make sense, but what can I do? 
Response #6:
There is a difference between sinning and feeling guilty. One can feel guilty without actually being so (just as plenty of unbelievers are plenty guilty but do not care).

It is NOT a sin to eat anything that God has created for us as the passages you cite (and others) very clearly demonstrate. As to "arguments against them", there are no good arguments against the clear meaning of the Word of God, and if someone is making arguments against the obvious truth it is very dangerous to listen. That is what satanic propaganda is all about . . . from the very start.
And he said to the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:1b
Analogously: "Did God really say you could eat anything?" Answer: Yes. And there's no specifically prohibited "tree" now.

At some point, we have to believe the truth regardless of what others say or even how we personally may feel. We need to make a habit of listening to the Spirit and the Word, not to the evil one and his minions.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
John 20:27 NIV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #7:
I still didn’t get over the problem about eating. I’m unsure if I can even eat or drink anymore without sinning against my conscience right now. So right now I’m not eating or drinking and it’s not great, especially if you work. The only scripture that didn’t really got „twisted" is Colossians 2:16-17 but apparently it’s not clear enough for me to eat without sinning. This harms me mentally, physically and also my relationship with God. It often feels hopeless and I’m quite unsure what to do, other than seek help, have faith and wait. 
Response #7:
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.”
Mark 7:18-20 NIV
What is it about our Lord's words above you don't understand?
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me."
John 14:1 NIV
Re: "I’m quite unsure what to do". Believe the Lord's words.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #8:
People say that this scripture only talks about bacteria (Mark 7:18-20). Idk if this makes sense or rather not. Probably not
Response #8:
Never heard that one before!

The writers of the Bible never heard of bacteria as they were only discovered during the 17/18 century.
Question #9:
But they probably did know of dirt that can get them sick on their hands, right? The argument is probably bad but still makes me feel insecure about the scripture.
Response #9:
The Bible, and Jesus Himself, says that food is not a problem. Obviously, we take reasonable precautions to prepare it properly, but as 1st Timothy 4:5 assures us, what we eat is "it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" – which is one reason why we pray before we eat. 

You will never be able to microscopically analyze every ort of food you wish to consume. At some point, you need to listen to scripture and trust the Lord.
Question #10:
Hello Bob,

Additionally to my previous message I want to ask one questions. Only this questions is important for my problem probably. I hope I’m not stressing you with all those questions…

1) How can I see or read or clearly know from the NEW TESTAMENT that the dietary laws are only in the old covenant and not outside of it. Basically, that the unclean animals are only unclean in the law and not before the law or after it, and that the law only showed which animals are unclean.

2) how can I see that the dietary laws are ONLY active in the old covenant in the Old Testament?

Also: Questions“ or Problems for you are upcoming and I’d be thankful if you would answer those:

1) The thing is that 1 Tim 4 can also be interpreted as Paul talking about food offered to idols, and that the people should pray over it and that every creature that has been prayed for/thanked for (but „clean“ animals) are made holy. 

2) The thing with Mark 7 is that one could argue that Jesus is talking about Dirt and not about Food because he also says before the main part that the Pharisees make their own commands to „abolish“ or ignore Gods law, and also mentions this with the fact that Pharisees wash different tools for cooking (something like that) which would again point to dirt and not to all foods. 

3) The thing about Acts 15 is that James also mentions sexual immorality in the 4 rules he set on the gentiles, which is actually also to be avoided in Christ's law, so one might say:„If James let the gentiles hold a command again from Moses Law which is also active in Christ's law, then maybe the dietary laws are also active in Christs' law as well, because why would James otherwise command them to avoid sexual immorality because of Moses law, if it’s in Christ's law anyways?“

4) The thing about Colossians 2:16-17 is that Paul says „therefore let nobody judge you IN FOOD or IN DRINK, or in respect of a festival or new moon or sabbaths, which are a foreshadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ.“ (ca). Logically, OT festivals and newmoons and sabbaths can be foreshadows. So I could say „I don’t need to keep festivals, newmoons or sabbaths, because they are a foreshadow (which is the law as we know for example from romans) which I’m not under“. BUT how can food and drink be a foreshadow? The commandment about food and drink can be a foreshadow, but that’s not what Paul wrote, he wrote „let nobody judge you in food or drink“ not „let therefore nobody judge you because of food commandments and drinking commandments“. So I might be insecure about using this argument to say that food commandments are a foreshadow too. Because maybe Paul only meant that the Festivals and newmoons and sabbaths are foreshadows (because how can be food or drink be a foreshadow?).

I really hope to hear from you soon about all of these questions!!! Be blessed and thank you for answering questions Bob. Be blessed!
Response #10:
This latest set of questions is a good example of how it is impossible to grow spiritually or gain any purchase on the truth by focusing on only one small aspect of the vast truths of the Word of God.

Simple answer: the Law is obsolete in its ritualistic parts and has been annulled therein (Rom.10:4; Heb.7:12; 8:13). Here is a good link for getting your grounding on this: in Hebrews chapter seven, "The Mosaic Law". The dietary regime of the Law was part of giving Israel outward signs of ritualistic holiness to distinguish her from the profane gentiles; now that the mystery of Christ has been revealed, gentiles too have been grafted into the true olive tree (Rom.11:1ff.). In other words, things are absolutely different after the cross. The sacrifice of our Lord changes everything. Reading the entire Hebrews series wouldn't be a bad idea.

Regarding your other questions:

1) 1st Timothy 4:3 specifically says that false teachers will preach abstinence from certain foods – as those deceiving you are doing. Nothing here suggests that Paul's clear comment that all food is acceptable and that prayer sanctifies it can be limited to food offered to idols. 

Re: "Can be interpreted . . . ": there are people who falsely interpret every verse in the Bible. Some verses require expertise in Greek or Hebrew and/or theology/systematic theology and/or knowledge of history/culture and experience in interpretation to get right or to completely understand. But many verses are clear enough in an English translation. The only people who will get this issue wrong are a) those being deceived, and b) those who want the Bible to mean something other than it actually means. 

2) In Mark 7:18 our Lord says "everything" NOT "dirt", and "everything" is first and foremost food and drink. There is no legitimate canon of interpretation that would ever allow this verse to be reduced to only be talking about "dirt". Otherwise, a/b in #1.

3) Regarding the pronouncements of the Jerusalem council, it is very clear what is listed therein (cf. Acts 15:20), and what is listed is listed precisely to be inclusive of what is not to be done and entirely so. Saying that this opens up other things is turning the whole letter on its head – as if the council said, "No, they have to keep the whole Law" (which is exactly the opposite of what they did do in affirming that gentiles don't have to keep it at all, merely refrain from pagan practices where were particularly upsetting to Jewish Christians)..

4) Again, Colossians 2:16-17 is very clear as to its meaning. Since food and drink are specifically mentioned, even if they did not foreshadow the coming of Messiah, this command would not for that reason be allowed to be ignored because food and drink are indeed specifically mentioned. However, as stated above, treating food and drink specially is part of the regime which represents Israel as holy and thus part and parcel of the typology representing future events as contained in the Law. But now that Christ has come and has fulfilled the Law (e.g., Rom.10:4), it is not only unnecessary but wrong to retain rituals which proclaimed His future arrival (that is one of the main themes of the book of Hebrews; link).

In short, what the Bible says is clear. Very clear. If you wish to ignore scripture, that is your choice, but it would be a poor choice.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #11:
You're right Bob. Thank you for helping me and showing me the solid rock foundation to stand on. 
Be blessed in Jesus name.

Although I said you're right, I want to mention one last insecurity, that would fix the problem if it was gone. 

The points you wrote to me make sense. But one question:

Is there a Bible verse in the New Testament that shows that the dietary laws belong to the law? If there are multiple, than please show me ALL of them Because then of course they wouldn’t count for me because I am not under the law. I just need this one thing, and I’m pretty sure it has to be somewhere.

Thank you Bob for your help and be blessed! Prayer would be nice. I’ll pray for you too if I don’t die in some seconds. 
Response #11:
All the dietary regulations only occur in the Pentateuch, that is in the Law. To put it another way, none of the dietary regulations occur anywhere in the New Testament, only verses which I have shared with you over the course of this correspondence which make it clear that we do NOT have to follow the Law or its dietary regime.

Since you can't find a single verse in the New Covenant saying we have to follow the Old or specifically its dietary regulation – rather many passages and even books that proclaim that the New has replaced the Old – you are asking me to prove a negative in essence. That's not the way Bible interpretation works. 

So please find me a verse that says Christians need to follow the Law and specifically its dietary regime. If you can't (and you can't), then there is no basis for anxiety about diet – not from the Bible, at least.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #12:
1) When the „law“ is mentioned in the NT, what did the people understand by it? Did they understand all the 5 Books of Moses, or only the laws since the covenant on the mount sinai, or only some of the laws given? 

2) what did the people understand under „law“ or „book of the law“ in the Old Testament? For example in Joshua (the book after 5. Moses, I’m unsure if it’s called Joshua in English) 8;34. 

So basically, how is „the law“ defined in OT and NT? 

Be blessed and please pray for me. I feel exhausted from my confusion and sin. 
Response #12:
The "Book of the Law" in Joshua 8:34 refers to the entire first five books of the Bible (although note that on this occasion Joshua only read "from it", not all of it).
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
Joshua 8:34 NKJV
The word "Law" in English translates – in the Old Testament – the Hebrew word "Torah", which means "teaching". This term is generally also referring to the first five books, the "book(s) of Moses", also often called the Pentateuch (or "five fold folded [scroll]), and "the Law".

When the word "torah" is used conceptually, it refers to the teaching within those books (as in Psalm 1:2).

As mentioned, you can find out more at the link: in Hebrews chapter 7, "The Mosaic Law".

I'm praying for you daily.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #13:
Hello Bob,

Thanks for the answer Bob, and what’s about the 4 laws from acts 15? Didn’t they get „abolished“ somewhere else afterward? If not and we still have to keep it then we have a problem because we can’t really know if the animals from the store lost all their blood and we pretty much know that there is still blood in there on a super small scale. 

1) Additionally to my other question, I want to ask from which source do we know that the 5 Books of Moses are the law?

2) which law is Paul talking about when he says I don’t have to keep it (in many verses)? The things Moses said? One thing of what Moses said? The things even before the covenant (not eating blood)?

3) am I allowed to eat blood? Because it prob will be in flesh on small levels..

Be blessed Bob!
Response #13:
On the first question, please read the link, in BB 6B: "The Time of Transition versus the Present Status Quo". 

The whole reason for the "Jerusalem council" in the first place was that even the apostles did not at that early time in the history of the new Age of the Spirit, the Age of the Church, understand in full the ramifications of the cross and the resurrection being realities and the calling out of the gentiles being the prime work of the Spirit in this mystery age. The things James and company sent to the gentiles were merely common sense prohibitions that were designed to remove the most offensive gentile practices so as not to offend Jewish believers: 1) food sacrificed to idols; 2) fornication; 3) meat prepared via strangulation; 4) blood. All of these were practices associated with pagan idolatry and pagan temple rites. 

As far as I know, there is no meat available in this country that was sacrificed to an idol. Fornication is forbidden in both testaments. Unless a person prepares his/her own meat by strangling the animal that is also impossible to partake of in this country. In terms of blood, this refers to the fact that blood, since the covenant God made with Noah, has been reserved by God for blood sacrifice to represent the cross. We now no longer have such rites, the Law having been replaced (the book of Hebrews is largely about this important teaching). Also, I've never seen blood for sale in the market. 

When you say in your question #3 "it prob will be in flesh on small levels", that is a common concern but it misses the point that it's not the blood per se but the symbol of it which was not to be abused. Did the ancient Israelites eat meat? Yes of course they did! They drained the blood first as is the case with all meat you will find in the market today. So if we eat meat we are not eating blood in the biblical sense since it's a prohibition based on the symbol not requiring a microscopic removal of every blood cell which was impossible then and also now. Bottom line, nothing whatsoever to worry about here.

1) Wherever the Law is quoted in the NT it refers to the first five books. The OT is traditionally broken down into, "Torah (the Law), Nevi'im (major and minor Prophets) and Ketuvim (writings = all of the other books). We can tell from every biblical discussion where this comes up in the New Testament that such was the case (happy to discuss individual verses).

2) The entire Bible is God's truth and it is all valuable and important. The ten commandments, for example, were never rescinded – except for the fourth being transformed into a daily, moment by moment "rest" instead of a once a week symbolic rest (link). In essence, it is the symbolic and ritualistic parts of the Law that we are not commanded to keep – as even the Jerusalem council affirmed. 

It would be good to commit yourself to a program of spiritual growth, perhaps starting with the Peter series (link). In the end, most if not all of your questions will be answered if you are growing daily, but until you have a broader frame of reference for some of these matters, it will be hard to fit them into place – like trying to figure out a 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle while limiting yourself to only the first ten pieces you pick out of the box.

Keeping you in my prayers,

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #14:
Thanks Bob for the detailed answer! 

One problem in my country is, that apparently the animals sometimes (maybe even more than they do not) die from the anesthesia that they receive before loosing their blood.

Therefore they might not be strangled, but they would loose their life before loosing their blood, which is what this one commandment is against (from the four commandments in acts 15, about strangled animals) right? 

I btw have read into the link about Hebrews 7. it was quite interesting and awesome to find out what the purpose of the law always was.

Be blessed Bob!
Hello Bob,

I think I need to read out of the Bible that the law is the five Books of Moses (or that it somehow contains also the food laws, but mainly the first point) to stop my problem…

Can you help here?

Be blessed 
Now I’ve come to the conclusion that I may probably only have to abstain from blood. But don’t I have to buy only kosher then again? Because there is a risk that somehow blood got into the food or things I buy in normal grocery stores because of non Jewish people who don’t care about that. The people who brought the foods to the kosher store probably where really cautious about blood NOT getting into the food, which would mean I have to eat only kosher things again, right? Because otherwise (if I go into normal stores) I’d take a higher risk in accidentally breaking gods command and therefore it’s maybe like I did already breaks the command because I did not nullify the risk. What do you think?

Be blessed
Hello. This is the 4th Email….

So I have know send you the emails (ca.) „Additional Question“, „Additional to Additional Question“, „2 Additional Question“ and this is „3 Additional Question“…. I’m sorry for the many emails. Please answer ALL 4 of them, I’m just really confused. 

I just wanted to make clear here that I would be very happy if you answered all of the emails, so you don’t forget one…

Would this work out? 

Be blessed 
Response #14:
Re: "anesthesia": that would not affect things one way or another. It's important to remember first principles. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The "blood of Christ" is His saving work for us on the cross, standing judgment in the darkness for all of our sins. Animal blood, the violent death of the animal, merely REPRESENTED that ultimate act of spiritual death symbolically. 

So all this has nothing to do with some magical or evil property in blood. It's all about the truth that was represented by the blood shed on the altar: animal blood merely symbolizing our Lord's taking on and being judged for the sins of the world (link: "The Blood of Christ"). The "life is in the blood" so that blood letting represents lost life. Jesus gave up His life for us, that is what this is about. 

In terms of the letter to the gentiles, Jewish Christians of the first century could not be expected to adjust overnight to the New Covenant, so the Jerusalem council gave gentile believers a verification that they were free from the Law, but asked them to refrain from certain pagan practices which were particularly offensive to Jewish believers. None of this has to do with our eating and drinking today.

Re: "I need to read out of the Bible that the law is the five Books of Moses". If you won't take my word for it, look at any biblical encyclopedia and you will see the same thing. Or get yourself a concordance and look up all the uses of the word "Law" in the Bible. This can be done online. According to Blue Letter Bible, the word occurs 523 times in the KJV version. 

However, it's good to remember that in order to grow spiritually, every believer has to put him/herself under the authority of a pastor-teacher (e.g., Heb.13:7; 13:17); even those with the gift of pastor-teacher are not capable of "feeding themselves" until they have reached spiritual maturity and prepared themselves to study and teach the Word. So we are all in the same boat here (or were at one time). My advice to you is the same as to all: put aside the bones that upset you and focus on growing. In time, most of your questions will be answered, but it is impossible to have complete resolution to specific issues if one ignores the overall (remember the puzzle pieces analogy?). 

Re: "kosher": I don't know of any western country where these food taboos of the Jerusalem council letter are violated (not that I think it matters). Also, you are missing the point. Blood is not "magic". The whole point is what is in a person's heart. By reserving animal blood for sacrifice, the Old Testament believers were looking forward to the REAL sacrifice this blood represented: the spiritual death of the Messiah. As long as you are remembering Jesus Christ when you eat and drink, you have fulfilled the purpose and the meaning of these commandments.

Re: "accidentally": You seem to think that if someone slipped blood into your meal that you would be damned. But again, this is about what we are purposing in our hearts, not about some magical properties in food. Jesus "cleansed" them all. We have nothing to worry about – except worrying about it. Making too big a deal out of food is very dangerous and is one of the ways the antichrist will deceive the world.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
1st Timothy 4:1-5 NIV
If you would say, "I'm just trying to do what the Lord wants me to do", I would reply that the Lord wants you to grow spiritually, pass the tests that come to the mature believer, and help others do likewise through the proper functioning of your spiritual gifts. He doesn't care what you eat.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #15:
Hello Bob… I feel quite miserable. I think I have sinned so much through eating because of my consciousness and I did it today once again. How far away from the Lord am I? Can I return? I hope so. 

My problem is that even though I heard your arguments, the commandment to not eat Blood was given to Noah before the Mosaic Covenant. It feels more like a natural law that the soul/life is ACTUALLY in the blood, as the Bible says, and that’s why we shouldn’t eat it. Thats also why I struggle to eat because if I don’t eat kosher, there may be blood in the meat (for example because people sell animals that died because of the anastheasa (don’t know how to write it), even though it’s forbidden). That would also line up with why Jesus blood is so beautiful and so holy and life saving, because GODS LIFE was in it. I’m not convinced, I’m just telling you what happens in my mind to some degree. 

Another fact is that maybe (I didn’t do great research to be honest) early church fathers (I’m not a catholic but early church fathers lived in the more early times and therefore they might help) apparently did not give away this command of not eating Blood but maybe even supported it (I got this from chat GPT so it’s not really trustworthy + I’m unsure if I understood it right). 

So if this is true, I probably have to eat kosher meat. But because I to be honest don’t like to, I see what you have to say about it.

Be blessed Bob and thanks for your ministry! 
Btw you are allowed to post all of this online so another one who has the same problem can learn from it. But I hope my email address is not there then.
Response #15:
Thanks for the permission. N.B., while I don't post email addresses or names of individuals and/or relationships except in very special cases, anything I write is always mine to post.

Since it is not a sin to eat food you have not sinned in eating food. Food cannot affect your heart/spirit. It's what comes out of your heart/spirit that defiles a person, not what goes into their mouths.
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Mark 7:18-23 NIV
The Christian life is not about food.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Romans 14:17 NIV
The Christian life is about hope, hope of life eternal not in this body but the next, eternal one.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV
I'm not telling you to eat blood. I am telling you that your definition of it and your imagining that it possesses "special powers" is wrong. You are thinking that it's impossible to eat meat and not eat blood, but if that were true, none of the believers in the entire Old Testament were innocent of this. Didn't our Lord and His disciples eat the Passover the night before He was betrayed? That means eating roast lamb. How is that any different from what we do in eating meat today? No different.

Please don't waste your time on the church fathers. As long as you are fixating on this one single question, you're not going to grow spiritually. And as long as you are unwilling to believe what you are taught, you are not going to grow spiritually. What you need is to commit yourself to a course of spiritual growth on the broad front, seeking out all of God's truth, not just one or two small pieces. You can see from your misery that this does not work. Ichthys is not the only place to find spiritual nourishment. I also recommend Bible Academy (at the link), in case you are not able to believe what I am trying to teach you.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #16:
Thanks for your answer Bob. 

I think Mark 7 is wrongly translated and interpreted since some time. Here is the reason why: 

1) The only problem is that the passage (Mark 7, Mat 15) can very well and very logically be interpreted as being about dirt. Why?

If we look at the possible translations of Mark 7, then it is very logical (maybe or probably even more logically than the other way) to translate the passage in such a way that the food is cleansed in the normal way in which it is excreted. This would probably not mean that the food itself is declared clean, but that the food is cleansed FROM something. And if we look again at the end of Mat 15, where Jesus says “but eating with unwashed hands does not make anyone unclean”, this train of thought, that Jesus is talking about eating food with dirty hands not being a problem, fits much better than all food being clean. But I am of the opinion that we can also eat pork, because we are not under the law. Only the blood would be the problem. 

2) the second is that the “nothing” as applied may not always really mean „nothing“. Maybe it means „nothing“ in a specific group of things when applied in a context. Otherwise I could not quite understand how Paul can say that EVERY (although „every“ is another word) creature of God (humans are created by God) is good and nothing is reprehensible that is received with thanksgiving. This means that he apparently does not mean EVERYTHING, but everything in the context of animals.

What do you think?

Be blessed, Bob, I hope you are doing great.
Response #16:
1) Asked and answered. See previous emails. Dirt is not mentioned in this verse. It is food that is clean when we eat it. Eating does not cleanse the food but turns it into something unclean after our bodies process it.

2) Re: "nothing" means "nothing", and in this verse is clearly nothing WE EAT – and that certainly includes food. So anything we eat is incapable of "defiling us" spiritually speaking.
"There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him [n.b., this certainly can not be taken to exclude food and drink]; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man."
Matthew 7:18 NKJV
Please stop advocating against yourself. There is no profit in this. At some point you have to have faith. No truth can be assimilated into your heart and become "full knowledge" (epignosis) unless you believe it.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #17:
I thought I already send this e-mail but I didn’t see it so I’ll send it again. 

1) so it’s clear that Jesus says that nothing that goes from outside in the body can make it unclean. But does that mean that eating blood is not a sin? Can I say „not making me unclean“ means „is not sin“? Because I think people where unclean after menstruation too, for example, but menstruation is NOT a sin (right?). So how can I understand this? 

Is eating blood ok? Nothings that goes from outside inside my body can make it unclean, but does that mean that eating blood is not a sin? 

2) if I don’t know that blood is good to eat, I will have issues (atleast right now) with eating things that are not from a kosher market (right now atleast). 

Because in my head it says something like: „ the possibility of blood being in the food from normal stores is higher than in the food from kosher foods. There are more possibilities for people to put blood in your food with needles in normal meat factories than in kosher meat factories “. 

And I do not know that, but it might be true and it really is a problem for me to eat, because as long as I take the higher risk, I feel like and maybe am sinning directly (against my conscience)…. I can’t fix this problem by just saying „it’s obviously from the evil one“ or „it’s just overthinking“ or „thats stupid“. I need an counter argument or I need to know that God does not judge me for taking the higher risk, because it’s not my fault if blood gets in there. Or in the best case (for my „freedom“) the blood is clean to eat and I don’t need to worry.

I’m am SORRY for annoying you again with this topic and I understand if you do no longer want to deal with those trains of thought. But I hope that you’ll still answer.. 

I think the problem is nearly completely dealt with. Now it’s just a matter of faith for me. The problem is that I sinned so „umverschämt“ (I don’t know the English word, the one I wrote here is in German) much and hardened my heart so much that I know what I do is terribly wrong and my state of heart is more than just dangerous. Through the much willful sin I have not honored Jesus sacrifice but rather made it less holy in my sight (the sacrifice of course cannot lose any of its holiness). The place I find myself is so regrettable. The Lord gave me the opportunity to suffer through lack of food and rather I often chose to eat though my consciousness was not clean. I didn’t only miss the test which I may soon never be able to accomplish again, but I also have gotten myself a cold, loveless, hardened and distracted heart. 

How can I return? How can I come back to the Lord from such a dump of major mistakes?

Be blessed Bob and thanks to God for your ministry!
Response #17:
I am praying for you to have peace on this matter, my friend.

Eating meat is not a sin. And Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians 10:23-33 that a believer should NOT worry even about whether or not the food served at an unbeliever's house has been sacrificed to idols or not – and should only abstain for the sake of a weak believer who may tell us of the origin of the meat (i.e., for his/her sake not because it matters at all if we eat it). Now if it is no problem to eat meat sacrificed to idols as long as we don't know and we're NOT supposed to investigate, how is that any different from your situation? Based on the parallel, you should not worry about it – because it is a symbolic thing not a spiritual issue. The source of the food only becomes important if someone who is a weak believer tells you some meal is problematic and then you should consider not eating it for the sake of that other person's conscience.

Feelings of guilt are very often based upon wrongly interpreting things. The devil makes great use of this emotion whenever he can (see the link).

So what is the solution? First, stop worrying. You're not doing anything wrong – you don't see other good and godly believers you know about agonizing over this, do you? Second, get cracking with your spiritual growth. In the end, that is the only way to have peace and joy and confidence in this life.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #18:
Hello Bob, 

I understand the point but there is just one big problem to this argument. We see the Bible talking about the law and what it contains, or the old service in the tent, as a foreshadow or shadow I think multiple times. But never in the Bible I see any scripture that would talk about the covenant to Noah as a foreshadow. We see the contents of the law being called foreshadow in Colossians 2, and we see the service at the tend being called shadow (or something in that way, maybe it talked about the tent itself.) in Hebrews 10, but nowhere do I see the covenant with Noah (which is outside and before the mosaic covenant) being called a foreshadow. And yes, the command not to eat blood was also in the mosaic covenant and therefore no one needs to keep it because of the mosaic covenant, but that doesn’t delete the fact that consuming the animals meat with its blood was forbidden for Noah too.

The only way I can think of blood being ok to eat is if the passage in Mark 7, where Jesus says nothing that goes into the body can make man unclean, actually means that consuming ANYTHING is no sin. 

Because in my head I think „yes, so blood getting in my body is not a sin, but that does not mean that breaking the command of God not to eat blood does not make me unclean.“ so basically the blood itself would not make me unclean, but me breaking the command not to eat blood would make me unclean. 

What do you think? 

Be blessed Bob and thanks for your ministry. Please pray for me. My heart got hardened and I am bringing bad fruit in my heart (anger, pride, jealousy, evil).
Response #18:
That's correct, there is no problem with eating anything, as long as you have no problem with eating anything (Rom.14:23). That is what Jesus said and that is what it means. Some people have problems with this, not because it is a problem but because of their background. That is why Paul commands believers in 1st Corinthians chapter 10:23ff. not to eat meat in their presence if it offends someone else' conscience. And that is why in Romans chapter 14 he makes allowances for Jewish believers (and others who were wary of eating meat) by likewise saying that out of love a believer who understands that there is no problem with eating anything should refrain for the sake of those whose consciences are weak in their presence. The flip side of this is that those who have the weak (i.e., immature) point of view are not allowed to thrust their opinion on others (that would be turning the truth upside down).

So here is what I would recommend. Since you are having such a problem with this, my advice would be to consider doing what Daniel and his three friends did, namely, eat only vegetables. They did that for reasons of keeping the Law (which is now defunct), but as I recall it was for them a very healthful diet. If you are ruining yourself over the issue of food, this would preserve your health while you concentrate on growing spiritually. THAT is the important thing, namely, your spiritual "diet". For as Paul says about food:
But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
1st Corinthians 8:8 NIV
But we definitely ARE worse off if we allow concerns about diet to torpedo our spiritual growth. So if you can't get past this issue at the moment, why not eat humus and vegetarian chili and the like? If you did this for the rest of your like you wouldn't be any worse off physically (maybe healthier). But if you stay hung up on this issue and as a result fail to grow spiritually, that will result in your problems compounding instead of you getting to the place the Lord wants you to be.

So eat or don't eat meat. But let this worry go for the sake of your spiritual even more than for your physical health.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #19:
Thanks Bob for you answer and your ministry

The problem is that I really want to solve this issue. 
1) It’s like I can „feel the joke“ on my neck as long as I have this problem. It stops me from fully grasping and enjoying grace and takes my joy away. Its no longer a natural thing of me to search for God and bring fruit through Him alone. This problem feels like a big heavy brick laying on top of me and pushing me into the ground, stopping me from flying up in the clouds to God. Every time I want to come to God or want to eat normally, I kind of have to either ignore the problem (which is a terrible idea on long or short term) or I somehow have to lift this brick up and fly with it to God, by this I mean that I have to „fight to believe“ in certain scriptures, which often ends in me sometimes doubting while taking a bite or something like that. 

2) here’s a second problem, which is maybe even somehow paradox. If I have problems with eating blood then I don’t have problems with the law in my head normally. It’s like „ok blood is bad but all animals are good to eat“. Then when I convince myself through scripture that I can eat anything it suddenly seems like all animals are NOT good to eat. WHAT IS THAT!?? And then I’m back at the point where I have the scripture and still doubt.. it’s just goofy…. ♂ 

3) the third problem is that I can’t only eat vegetables but I rather have to eat kosher only or something like that, because the possibility of someone slipping blood in my meal might be less in kosher products (you prob already know this bad argument. I think I already wrote to you about this. Btw, It does not help to say that it’s a bad argument, I already tried ). This would take way to much time and stop spiritual growth again probably. Firstly because of the joke and secondly because of the massive time waste that comes with it…

Be blessed Bob. I hope you are doing well? Thanks for your ministry and for helping me and other people with their questions.
Response #19:
1) There is a time to move on. It's way past time for you on this issue.

2) "What is that?" That, is guilt. Guilt is one of the devil's main weapons (link). Believers need to learn to distinguish between reasonable regret for doing something definitely wrong (and still not let themselves be mastered by it), and this sort of doubt-guilt which is merely the evil one and his agents trying to manipulate us. Faith stands with what is true and rejects any and all emotional pangs to the contrary.

3) I'm not suggesting it. Just making an observation. As long as you can eat healthy without tormenting yourself about what you eat it really doesn't matter what you eat. That is what the Bible very clearly affirms (as we have seen over and over).

Praying for your deliverance on this.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #20:
Hello Bob,

Sorry for the late answer, I’m just so done.

Quite often I’ve found good arguments for eating things and soon afterward I had to sometimes hopelessly look how they got dismantled in often quite stupid or evil ways.

I just don’t know what to do anymore. It feels like I’m finally done. Here are some points that I just can’t prove wrong although the sound stupid. But then sounding stupid doesn’t change anything, I have to prove it wrong. Or I have to prove I’m right. 

1) in Colossians 2;16 I had the thought that maybe Paul said that nobody shall judge them in food or drink because they are yet a) not strong enough in the basic gospel to talk about such themes, but they should generally keep it (the Bible verse that says, do not argue about opinions), b) or because they should already be following dietary laws and be flawless and therefore nobody shall judge them. And the „foreshadow“ part, where nobody shall judge them because it’s the law, which we don’t have to keep, only counts for the rest. And I HAVE NO IDEA. I’m not a language expert, I don’t know if this interpretation is possible or not. 

2) In Mark 7 Jesus says all things are clean. Now I already asked you the question if this maybe talks about physical cleanliness or ritual cleanliness (in a way). Now, the argument for it being about ritual cleanliness is that SHIT is NOT unclean according to the law and that the Mikwe (the bathing of a women after menstruation or birth) was with water that does not move. I think in america it’s called still water (I’m sorry if that’s terribly wrong)? This water is apparently great for bacteria to grow there and they used this water apparently for several persons. Not only that but also a doctor touching a dead person would probably be unclean although through cautious steps he could probably stay physically clean. The only problem is that I have problems with believing physical facts when it comes to scripture. So if the questions is if the cleanliness is about physical things or ritual things, it’s hard for me just to say „oh because the people used this water and shit is clean, that means that it’s talking about ritual things“, a) because then my brain rather wants to justify shit being clean physically by saying that scripture is calling it clean….. AAAH. b) And also I had a thought in my head „what does physically unclean even mean? Because maybe shit isn’t even physically unclean, because what is physical uncleanliness?“. Maybe you now understand the problem in my head… 

So as you can see, this is a mess. I can’t let it go, I need to figure it out. If I try to let it go, I’ll probably have problems with my consciousness..

I don’t know what shall happen with me. Can I be restored and come back fully to God? Who knows…

Thank you for helping me, Bob.
Response #20:
First things first. 

Part of becoming a mature believer is correctly "calibrating" your conscience by 1) listening to the truth; 2) believing the truth; 3) applying the truth in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

In Romans 14 and in 1st Corinthians 10 believers who are not eating meat, for example, are characterized by scripture as "weak". Mind you, Paul does not upbraid those believers because he recognized in the Spirit that it takes time to digest many truths regarding things that are not as we saw them before we were saved or became mature. These will be different issues for different believers depending on backgrounds and experiences. Take alcohol for example. Some mature believers will keep the same policy as before faith and growth. Some will end up judiciously imbibing where they were before abstemious (e.g., 1Tim.5:23). Some will end up teetotalers where before being saved they drank like fish. In each case, it may take some time to get to the exact place the Spirit is leading us as individuals, because in matters of application we are all different. 

I think that is at the heart of the problem here. This is not a black and white issue. You need to accept that when it comes to food, as SCRIPTURE says, you are "we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do" (1Cor.8:8). The quoted verse (and many others we have discussed), makes the issue crystal clear. Here is the problem. Instead of hearing and believing the truth of what is clear and putting all other doubts aside until such time as other pieces fall into place, you are putting aside the truth in place of unresolved doubts. To go back to the puzzle analogy, it's like having a 10,000 piece puzzle and finding half a dozen that clearly DO fit together . . . but ripping them apart because of all the other pieces in the box you haven't yet figured out. Very clearly, you'll never put a puzzle together that way. And equally clearly, you'll never reach spiritual maturity that way. 

So when you say "I can’t let it go", yes you can . . . and you have to (if you want to get anywhere spiritually).

In terms of problems with your conscience, there is a difference between feeling guilty for something it's not necessary to feel guilty about and being reproved by your heart in the Spirit for doing something you KNOW is wrong. As we grow, we learn to discard the former and treasure the latter. 
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1st Corinthians 13:11 NKJV
How do we do this in spiritual terms (which is what Paul is talking about above)? We read and listen to the truth, we believe what we're taught by the Spirit, and we act accordingly. There's no other way to do it. And, I repeat, one has to embrace the entire realm of biblical truth to grow. Tackling one "problem" at a time will never solve that "problem". It will only guarantee that said person stays stuck in the mud without overall spiritual growth.

Re: 1): Colossians 2:16 is very clear in any translation I've seen. Gentiles don't have to worry about the Jewish dietary code (nor do Jewish Christians, for that matter), and the same is true about Jewish festivals et al.

Re: 2): Mark 7:19 is also clearly telling us that the Lord took food out of the equation for anything spiritual (and there are plenty of other verses, as we've seen, which agree with this). The verse says "cleansing all FOODS (Gr. bromata), not water or dirt or anything else. In the sentence, FOODS are what are cleansed.

Please let this go, my friend. Scripture is clear. Be pleased to listen to it and the Spirit, and don't let yourself be sidetracked by the evil one stoking unnecessary guilt feelings.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #21:
 First of all, I just want to thank you for all your knowledge you share with us. You really are remarkable, answering all of all questions with such patience. 

I use essential oils, not to the point of being obsessed with them. But, I do use and mix a few. I was reading in Leviticus, ( I think ) the other day. God was going over the spices used for the offerings. I ( thought I read) not to mix certain spices. I’m not sacrificing, but I still am curious about it. 

Thank you for placing Sawyer on your prayer list and for the readers that pray for the people on the prayer list. He still hasn’t professed being saved. Although he carries himself better than most Christians, he is still lost. I know the Lord is ready and willing to save him, and he will. It just hurts my heart to see him struggle with ( whatever the doubt is) he is having.

Again, so thankful for you and your servant's heart
Response #21:
It's my pleasure. I'll say a prayer for Sawyer (and we'll leave the request up as long as it takes).

I believe you're thinking of this passage:
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the LORD. Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”
Exodus 30:34-38 NIV
This has to do with the special incense that was to be used for sacrifice and offerings under the Mosaic Law. The Law is now defunct (Rom.10:4; Heb.7:12; 8:13), and, in any case, your formula as well as your purpose has nothing to do with the above. It was only any attempt to duplicate the special anointing oil above by anyone in Israel during that time which was prohibited.

Anointing with oil as part of medicinal treatment was a standard therapy in ancient times (cf. Lk.10:34; Jas.5:14). So even if most people don't use that method in modern times, it doesn't mean it's worthless. There was a point to most of the medical methods of antiquity, even if they are out of favor today (partly from not being fully understood; i.e., we don't really know the actual ingredients of many of the potions in the Hippocratic corpus because we're not sure which plants are really being referred to in many cases, even if they have familiar sounding names; e.g., their hemlock is not our hemlock).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #22:
Thank you Bob for your answer! 

Now the next question:

In Isaiah 66:17 it says that God will judge those who eat pork. Why does it say that? 

Yours in Christ,

Have a blessed day!
Response #22:
You're most welcome.
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the LORD.
Isaiah 66:17 NIV
The judgment above is not because of the food but because of these people's following and obedience to the "one" who is leading them to engage in these disgusting rituals. This is a picture of part of antichrist's false religion overseen by the "one" false prophet. The repellent nature of the sacrifice serves to show us that God is disgusted with the followers of the beast as well as with what they do and so should we be. After all, we're not really talking about food here: this is a "sacrifice" or diabolical communion (here's a link to other links about antichrist's false religion).
What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
1st Corinthians 10:19-22 NKJV
So to use Isaiah 66:17 to say we shouldn't eat pork completely misinterprets the passage. We know from plenty of places in the New Testament that food was only an issue under the Law for symbolic reasons (i.e., to demonstrate that Israel was a holy people, consecrated by the Lord; but now we are all holy by position in Jesus Christ and need no such symbolism).

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
1st Timothy 4:4-5 NIV

See also Matthew 15:11; Mark 7:19; Acts 10:9-16; Romans 14:1-23; 1st Corinthians 10:25-33. And here is a further link: "Should Christians eat pork?"

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #23:
Thank you for the answer Bob! To be honest, I still don’t fully understand (or at least think so) the passage in Isaiah. This is also because of a slightly different translation in a German Bible I read. But for this topic the verse in Timothy is really strong like a two edged sword, like Gods word already tells us 
Response #23:
My pleasure.

You can find out more about antichrist's false religion and his false prophet at the link.

Feel free to write any time, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
http://ichthys.com/