How can we respect God's commands regarding dietary laws today? Setting the Scene with Deuteronomy 12:23 “Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.” Why Blood Matters to God • Genesis 9:4 and Leviticus 17:11 repeat the principle: the life is in the blood. • Blood was set apart for atonement, prefiguring Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22). • Treating blood as holy reminds us that life belongs to the Lord, not to us. Does the Command Still Speak Today? • Acts 15:20, 29 shows the Jerusalem Council asking Gentile believers to “abstain … from blood,” confirming ongoing respect for this boundary. • Mark 7:19 and 1 Timothy 4:4–5 affirm freedom from the broader ceremonial food laws—yet neither passage cancels the specific ban on consuming blood. • The moral principle remains: honor life and the God who gives it. Living It Out in Our Kitchens and Cafeterias • Drain and cook meat thoroughly; avoid dishes centered on raw or retained blood. • Read labels on processed foods (some sausages, soups, or gravies may contain blood). • When dining out, ask how meat is prepared if uncertain. • Thank God at every meal (1 Timothy 4:5) and eat with gratitude, not mere habit. • Use discernment: if a cultural dish offends another believer’s conscience, show love by choosing something else (1 Corinthians 8:9). Honoring the Broader Principle of Holiness in Eating • Remember that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20); choose foods that nurture health and energy for service. • Practice moderation; gluttony dishonors God just as surely as ignoring His commands (Proverbs 23:20-21). • Seek meals that foster fellowship and peace, not division (Romans 14:17). • Whatever you eat or drink, aim for God’s glory above personal preference (1 Corinthians 10:31). Embracing Freedom without Forgetting Reverence • Christ fulfilled the law, freeing us from its ceremonial burdens, yet never freeing us to treat life lightly. • Our liberty is a call to deeper gratitude and obedience, not casual indifference. • Respecting the prohibition against blood keeps us mindful of Christ’s precious blood, the ultimate life given for ours. Summary We honor Deuteronomy 12:23 today by refusing blood as food, treating life as sacred, eating with thankful hearts, and letting every bite point us—and those watching—to the Lord who gave His own blood for our salvation. |
    |