Is it all right to eat pork?
The answers to this question has been divided in two groups. The first group provides support for not eating pork while the second group gives support for eating pork. I pray that God’s Holy Spirit will guide you in all truth.
Group 1
Pork is one of the foods considered to be ‘unclean’ in the food laws given to the Children of Israel. Many other foods are also regarded as ‘unclean’. A complete list can be found in Leviticus chapter 11. I will deal with this question in the context of clean and unclean meats.
The first reference to ‘clean’ animals is found in Genesis when Noah was told to take 7 of each of the clean animals on board. Since animals are only known as ‘clean’ or ‘unclean’ in the context of whether or not they are good to eat, this suggests to me that meat was on the diet in pre flood times.
Genesis 7:2-AV Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that [are] not clean by two, the male and his female.
There is another important aspect to this verse in that this was still quite a long time before there was ever a Jew. Those who say the food laws apply only to the Jews should note that animals were regarded as ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’, by God, before the flood.
Now, after the flood Noah was told that all animals were to be ‘meat’ for him.
Genesis 9:3-AV Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Consider carefully this verse. We know from the above that Noah knew full well what was ‘clean’ or not. We also know that God does not change. So this is not a reference to God changing what was ‘clean’. By this time the only food not destroyed would have been what Noah brought with him on the Ark, and possibly, fish. I believe that this is God telling Noah that he could decide himself what to eat, probably to avoid waste as much as anything else. I would expect that Noah and his family would have eaten ‘clean’ food whenever possible.
Then we come to the food laws. A careful examination of these laws will reveal that they were given more in the interests of good health than anything else. It is evident too that these health laws also included instructions for personal hygiene and methods of dealing with boils, leprosy and other maladies. Following these laws did also set the Jews apart from those around them.
One thing one learns when exploring the Bible – God is very practical. There are some quite good medical reasons for following the food health laws. Here are some of them.
All ‘clean’ animals are ruminants. That is they have four stomachs. This ensures a much more thorough processing of food than is possible with one stomach, and less pollutants are stored in the flesh. It has also been discovered that ruminants are not subject to flesh worms. These can be acquired from eating the flesh of almost every other animal. The pig which got special mention as ‘unclean’ stores poisons in its body fat. A snake cannot kill a pig. The poison is just stored in the fat under the skin and is ingested by anything that subsequently eats that pig. Many outback Australian properties keep pet pigs around the home buildings to deal with snakes which come in plague proportions when the cracks in the ground, where they live, are closed by the swelling of the earth after rainfall. Pigs love snakes – they suck them up like spaghetti. My wife grew up with pet pigs that were kept for this purpose.
Concerning the flesh of the pig. With today’s hygienic methods of raising these animals it is unlikely they would carry the same risk as one raised in the wild, but consider this: the meat takes 4 days to digest in the bowel instead of 2 for ‘clean’ meats. Bowel cancer has been linked to excessive meat consumption and if the length of time spent in the bowel has anything to do with it then pork is twice as bad as beef.
Likewise the birds that are clean have an organ called a ‘gizzard’ which again permits the bird to process it’s food more thoroughly.
Most of what we call ‘sea food’, prawns, crabs, shell fish etc. are filter feeders. What they do is clean up the pollution in the oceans and store it in their bodies. Oysters for instance thrive best downstream from sewerage outlets. When one eats these creatures the pollution becomes more concentrated in our own bodies. Calcium kidney stones for instance are often the result of over indulgence in these foods. Fish without scales, like sharks and catfish, are scavengers and are at the top of food chains. Their bodies will contain a much higher level of pollutants than creatures further down the chain. God’s advice concerning food notwithstanding, the bible makes it clear that the Christian has freedom in Christ to eat other foods. Let us look at some references that point this out.
1Corinthians 10:23-AV All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1Corinthians 10:24-AV Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s [wealth].
1Corinthians 10:25-AV Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, [that] eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
1Corinthians 10:26-AV For the earth [is] the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
1Corinthians 10:27-AV If any of them that believe not bid you [to a feast], and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
1Corinthians 10:28-AV But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth [is] the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
1Corinthians 10:29-AV Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another [man’s] conscience?
1Corinthians 10:30-AV For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1Corinthians 10:31-AV Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Corinthians 10:32-AV Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1Corinthians 10:33-AV Even as I please all [men] in all [things], not seeking mine own profit, but the [profit] of many, that they may be saved.
Paul is consistent here with the trend that has been emerging. All things are lawful to him but he would not give offence to another by eating something the other thought unclean, in the other’s presence. He would consider the other’s feelings above his own. If invited out to a meal, he would show good manners by asking a blessing and cheerfully eating what was put in front of him rather than offend the host by rejecting what would probably be a carefully and lovingly prepared meal. Meat sacrificed to idols is not a problem in western cultures but may be in some pagan cultures.
Romans 14:2-AV For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Romans 14:3-AV Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
The main point here is whether God has received a person, not what he eats. Some religions make a big issue of food and actively support vegetarianism. There is no biblical support for this position and such should be a matter of personal choice.
Colossians 2:16-AV Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:
Jewish converts were critical of Gentile converts and had been admonishing them for not complying with all the laws kept by the Jews. Here Paul tells them they can safely ignore any ‘rules’ concerning food and drink, and ceremonial days. There is a need however, to consider that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that we are to keep them in good order. We should endeavor then to avoid foods that we know may be harmful. I would suggest that the eating of pork, while not forbidden to the Christian, should be avoided as the general rule. The main thing to consider is contained in the verses that follow.
Mark 7:18-AV And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;
Mark 7:19-AV Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
Mark 7:20-AV And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mark 7:21-AV For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22-AV Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mark 7:23-AV All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Here we have Jesus telling us that nothing that goes into a man can defile him (in a spiritual sense that is), but what comes out of him defiles. Dear reader, are you being defiled by what comes out of your mouth? By your thoughts and deeds? If you confess your sins to Jesus, believe that He is the Son of God, and proclaim this with your mouth, you will be saved.
Lance Wearmouth
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Leviticus 11:7-8 is very explicit about pork being one of God’s unclean animals not to eat. On a lighter note, Jesus in Mark 5 cast out the evil spirits out of the man into the herd of swine which shows the distain He had for pork. Isaiah 65:4 also speaks of unclean pork.
Allan Mann
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Colossians 2:16 & 17 says: Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Mark 7:15-23 says: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
Because of the above verses, many believe that when Jesus came and died for us, He made it alright to eat pork and have been since then. Many Jewish and other religions still don’t believe so and stick to the initial rules of the Old Testament. They did not eat flesh in the garden of Eden before the fall into sin. I believe flesh eating is a result of the fall from the perfect plan. Ever since the fall, the Lord has been trying to restore mankind. He will bring about this restoration of man and in that restoration I believe we will no longer eat flesh of any kind. During his adult years, the scriptures portray Jesus as being loyal to the “observant” traditions of his parents. We know that Jesus was careful to observe the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:17-19), and that he participated in the “Last Great Day” of the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:37). In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus openly declared his allegiance to the Old Testament Laws of God (i.e. “law of Moses”). He emphatically stated: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill… Till heaven and earth pass, one jot (a dot of the i) or one tittle (a cross of the T) shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” MAY ALL BE BLESSED!
DeeDee
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I do not eat Pork nor do I believe any one should eat it- Does it not state in the Bible the only meat to be eaten shall come from an animal that has a split hoof and chews it’s cud- A pig( Swine ) has a split huf , but does not chew its cud which makes it unclean – I know no whether Jesus speaking of casting the pears into the swine has a thing to do with it -But No I do not think pork should be eaten =We have to many other choices-But then–I do not eat meat any way – God Bless –In His Grace
June
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Of course it is. You can still go to heaven even if you do. However, you will get there faster than a non-pork eater.
God gave these unclean meats instructions in the Old Testament for our instruction now (2Tim.3:16-17) . They are health laws. They do not add to or subtract from salvation standing. But they do make for a cleaner temple of the Holy Spirit.
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The bible tells us in Leviticus in chapter 11 verse1- 47 its tell swine is not good for you.
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Well to be honest with you in my opinion no it is not. Really I believe that God in the scriptures wants us to eat healthy and vibrant foods for the body, for good cell structure and muscle tone and spiritually too.
I have recently discovered how important health is to the Lord and still learning.. I could go in to more detail but I believe God is not done with me yet. But back to the question in general. The pig is considered a hoofed animal and is a trash eater. He eats mostly discarded food and who knows what all. All this is transfer to his meat, and that is what we have eaten. This in general has been bad for our human bodies and has caused many cancers and other diseases in us.
I am learning a lot in a Christian health class that I have been taking and following a diet called the Hallelujah Acres Diet. This diet is Christian based and many testimonies, I am fighting breast cancer, I have just had a breast mastectomy 2 weeks ago. And I really believe God is helping me threw this threw the Hallelujah diet. I have so much to learn and so much yet to go threw. I am standing on God ‘s word for complete healing and yes it has not been easy because I have been a junk food junky all my life. It has been up hill battle some days are good but some are not so good. But I shall have the victory in Jesus.
I really believe now diet plays a very important part in our life and in our walk with the Lord. I have enjoyed getting your e-mails and there are so many brothers and sisters out there that need our prayers. You know I look at my situation and mine seems so small, my heart goes out to all need of prayer. Jesus is our healer and comforter, my love goes out to each and every one. God Bless you and thanks so much for all that you do. May God Bless You and Yours. Love in Christ
Debbie Monikoor@aol.com
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As to the question about pork. I will try to answer from a Biblical standpoint. Let me direct you to Leviticus chapter 11, and see if that says much.
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It says in Leviticus 11:2-4,7 “Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them…And the pig, thought it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.” I believe that the health guidelines in the Old Testament still do apply because it doesn’t say anywhere in the New Testament that they were abolished.
Group 2
Yes, on general principle. The Law of Moses is still in effect for those of the Jewish faith, but Christians are under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. “Acts 10 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (NIV) Because Christ is the fulfillment of the Law, we who follow Him are not obligated to follow the Law of Moses. He has made all things clean by His New Covenant.
“Acts 15 1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said,
“The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” 12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 “`After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ 18 that have been known for ages.
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. (NIV) Here, Paul, Barnabus, and Peter are discussing whether new Christians must follow the Law of Moses to be saved. The apostles conclude that the only dietary laws that Christians are obligated to follow are those listed in the scripture above.
Since we are saved by grace, following the Law of Moses is only adding conditions to our salvation that don’t need to exist. If God’s grace is sufficient, no extra laws should be held as a requirement for salvation. “Romans 14 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. 14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.
Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.”(NIV) Here, Paul is addressing an issue of sensitivity. He is urging us to show love and respect for our brothers and sisters in Christ who follow dietary laws by are not not eating things in their presence that offend them. Even though we are not required to follow the Law to be saved, we should not be a stumbling block to those who do. So, I would say that the Law is in effect for Jews, but as Christians, we are not obligated to follow it in order to be saved. I don’t believe a Christian can lose their salvation by following the Law, but I think they may be missing a good part of the Gospel message by doing so. YSIC,
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I think that eating pork all depends on if you want to or not. As for me I don’t eat meat. I thought I read somewhere in the bible, but not sure where that certain meat was considered unclean and shouldn’t be eaten. Not sure though just know my mom told me that. It also says something fish and not eating fish that has scales. I really do think that it really doesn’t matter. God will love you no matter what. Just keep him first in your life and be just like him.
Crystal
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3Forbidding 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. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. This looks like to me that what ever we eat is ok with God if we receive it with thanksgiving. for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
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In the Old Testament, God strictly prohibits the eating of pork or any cloved footed animal. But If you believe in the New testament also, I think eating pork is OK.
Dave
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Biblically yes its alright but if its against your health then I say no its not ok. The bible speaks of anything harmful to our health is wrong. Pork is bad on high blood pressure and I suffer from that and if i eat pork then its my fault it raises up. From my point of view on this question I feel the question is to that individual. God Bless.
Jeane
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Matthew 15:17 (NLT) “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes out of the body.” Acts 10: 12-16 (NLT) In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat them. “Never, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never in all my life eaten anything forbidden by our Jewish laws.” The voice spoke again, “If God says something is acceptable, don’t say it isn’t”. The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was pulled up again to heaven. Of course you must cook the pork very well, but according to just those two scriptures, food has no way of defiling you. True the Jews were forbidden to eat pork, or even touch the dead body or hair or skin, but that is fulfilled with the birth of the Lamb. There are many other scriptures dealing with the eating of certain foods, and they all say the same thing it isn’t what you eat that defiles you it is what you say from you heart and mind.
Dennis
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In the old testament, pork was discouraged for two reasons, swine were considered unclean, and really still are, but unclean because of their purpose; to eat garbage. They are also cannibals, which can carry disease that effect those that consume it. The second reason was that they hold so much salt that God gave practical advice not to eat it because they were traveling through dry desert and needed to conserve body moisture. Salt retains water and water is needed to flush out impurity. Swine are not unclean in and of themselves, but what they consume and get on them as well. Anything God declared unclean was because of what they consumed themselves, like vultures eat by scavenging and not good for us, and so on.
I have a great book called, “What the Bible Says About Healthy Living” that explains why the food laws were such and a listing of clean and unclean foods, for practical and healthful reasons, not under the law, since we are under grace.
Peter received a vision in the new testament that all foods were then considered clean, he argued with God but the Lord declared that all he made was good and was considered clean in and of itself. (Acts 10:9-16)
Pork is now a personal decision because of grace, and not a law. (1 Cor. 10;23)
I like these questions!
Buffy Albertson
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Of course it is OK to eat pork, the reason it is in the OT is because they didn’t have the opportunity to cure it properly while in the wilderness, our Father knew that it would be bad for his children uncured, besides in the NT Peter saw in a dream that it is OK to eat any kind of food, and with anyone too.
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Many answers to questions come with conditions. Its OK to eat pork if,
1. Your eating does not offend anyone else. See 1 Cor. 8: 1-13
2. The pork you eat has not been offered to Idols.
3. It is received with thanksgiving. See 1Tim. 4: 4-5
4. You can eat it in faith, believing that what you are eating is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer. This would not only apply to pork, but anything else you might eat. In Mark 7: 14-23, Jesus explains, that it is not what enters into a man that defiles him, but rather, the things that come out off him.
Pastor Dan danbook@dynasty.net
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Didn’t Our Lord say: “It is not what goes into the mouth that is important, it is what comes out of it.”