Do not eat fat?

[LiveForLove]

Hi! I'm LiveForLove.

I'm in my third year of being a born again Christian and just joined this site yesterday. I joined because I'm confused about a couple of things and wanted to seek advice from some mature Christians without any bias.

I noticed how in the Old Testament (Leviticus) it says that we are not to eat fat or drink blood. (Specifically Leviticus 3:17)

I looked on some different sites to see what others said concerning this. Some said that the Old Testament food laws were abolished when Jesus died because He made everything new.

Others said that Jesus didn't die to erase the old laws but died so we'd have purpose to keep the old laws (including the ones about food.)

All of this confuses me. I've prayed about this topic, and I still feel like God is trying to bring this to my attention for a reason.

Another thing that concerns me is that if fat is really abolished then what about the fat in dairy products, grain, ect? I realize in the Bible it's only talking about fat in meat but since I'm not even sure what this type of fat is then I feel the need to ask.

I also realize that almost all foods have some type of fat in them but I don't think that was an issue back in the Biblical days. So please don't feel the need to point that out to me.

I would just like to know what the Bible says. (Or maybe even your own experiences dealing with this subject)

Any information you have is much appreciated.

Please also pray for me and my spiritual growth in Christ, along with this forum and that God might speak through one of you to show me what I did not see before.

Thank you!

I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors.

-Me & Jesus love you!

 

[B-A-C]

In this particular case, God isn't really talking about their diet so much as the fact that this is a sacrificial offering. (Obviously if you kept some of the best part for yourself,
it wouldn't be much of an offering).

Lev 3:14; 'From it he shall present his offering as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
Lev 3:15; and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys.
Lev 3:16; 'The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD'S.
Lev 3:17; 'It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.'"

Lev 4:31; 'Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.
Lev 4:35; 'Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Lev 7:20; 'But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, in his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people.
Lev 7:21; 'When anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.'"
Lev 7:22; Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev 7:23; "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall not eat any fat from an ox, a sheep or a goat.
Lev 7:24; 'Also the fat of an animal which dies and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but you must certainly not eat it.
Lev 7:25; 'For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is offered to the LORD, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people.

Obviously they were able to eat flesh from other animals. But not the fat from sacrificed animals, or an animal that was killed by another animal.

Some take the following to mean, it's OK if it isn't a sacrifice.
Gen 45:18; and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Lev 9:24; Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Deut 32:37; "And He will say, 'Where are their gods, The rock in which they sought refuge?
Deut 32:38; 'Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your hiding place!

My 2 cents.

 

[Brad Huber]

BAC is correct, but too much fat in your diet is bad, moderation in all things. But as to blood, their is something very special about blood, clean and drain all meat and cook it so that the bulk of the blood is gone. And NEVER purposely drink the blood (not including trace amounts left in the meat when cooked) of any living creature. I don't know if it is outlawed in scripture other than spoken of the blood of mankind speaking out to the Lord, but my spirit tells me it is sacred.

 

[Brother Paul]

Yeah I go with BAC...also this is specific instruction to the Priests the Levites...in all their generations!

Brother Paul

 

[jean]

Hi,
The Old Testament Law was given to show people their sin and the food laws for health and cleanliness reasons as well as sacrificial ones mentioned (they didn't have all the mod cons we have) Jesus didn't do away with the Old Testament but by His sacrificial death He fulfilled the requirements of the Law, so as has been said above, moderation in all things but we are under God's wonderful divine grace now not the Law.
I know a chap who was a traditional Anglican married to a Pentecostal, while she lived he would never eat black pudding (a dish very popular in the North) it's pigs blood basically! When his wife passed on, my friend said now he could eat black pudding with a clear conscience!

1 Corinthians 10 tells us 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

So what we eat and drink is a matter of conscience but we must also be aware of who we are in the company of and not make them stumble by our faith. We may think black pudding is fine, if my friend doesn't and it may offend them, desist from eating it in their company! I hope this helps.

God bless you in your walk with Him and my prayers for your growth in the knowledge of His amazing love.

 

[rstrats]

jean,

re: " We may think black pudding is fine..."


I don't see how any New Testament Christian could think that consuming blood is fine in light of Acts 15:29.

 

[LiveForLove]

Thank you. I'm sorry I didn't read this sooner! I really appreciate it!

-God believes in you!

 

[LiveForLove]

That's what black pudding is?
-God believes in you!

 

[New Blaze]

In this particular case, God isn't really talking about their diet so much as the fact that this is a sacrificial offering. (Obviously if you kept some of the best part for yourself,
it wouldn't be much of an offering).

Lev 3:14; 'From it he shall present his offering as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
Lev 3:15; and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys.
Lev 3:16; 'The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD'S.
Lev 3:17; 'It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.'"

Lev 4:31; 'Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.
Lev 4:35; 'Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Lev 7:20; 'But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, in his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people.
Lev 7:21; 'When anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.'"
Lev 7:22; Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev 7:23; "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall not eat any fat from an ox, a sheep or a goat.
Lev 7:24; 'Also the fat of an animal which dies and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but you must certainly not eat it.
Lev 7:25; 'For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is offered to the LORD, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people.

Obviously they were able to eat flesh from other animals. But not the fat from sacrificed animals, or an animal that was killed by another animal.

Some take the following to mean, it's OK if it isn't a sacrifice.
Gen 45:18; and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Lev 9:24; Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Deut 32:37; "And He will say, 'Where are their gods, The rock in which they sought refuge?
Deut 32:38; 'Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your hiding place!

My 2 cents.

Hey what's up B-A-C. How did you get to the conclusion that Leviticus 3:17 only refers to animal sacrifices? I read it and couldn't find any indication that it is just limited to sacrifices.

 

[Bendito]

Hi! I'm LiveForLove.

I'm in my third year of being a born again Christian and just joined this site yesterday. I joined because I'm confused about a couple of things and wanted to seek advice from some mature Christians without any bias.

I noticed how in the Old Testament (Leviticus) it says that we are not to eat fat or drink blood. (Specifically Leviticus 3:17)

I looked on some different sites to see what others said concerning this. Some said that the Old Testament food laws were abolished when Jesus died because He made everything new.

Others said that Jesus didn't die to erase the old laws but died so we'd have purpose to keep the old laws (including the ones about food.)

All of this confuses me. I've prayed about this topic, and I still feel like God is trying to bring this to my attention for a reason.

Another thing that concerns me is that if fat is really abolished then what about the fat in dairy products, grain, ect? I realize in the Bible it's only talking about fat in meat but since I'm not even sure what this type of fat is then I feel the need to ask.

I also realize that almost all foods have some type of fat in them but I don't think that was an issue back in the Biblical days. So please don't feel the need to point that out to me.

I would just like to know what the Bible says. (Or maybe even your own experiences dealing with this subject)

Any information you have is much appreciated.

Please also pray for me and my spiritual growth in Christ, along with this forum and that God might speak through one of you to show me what I did not see before.

Thank you!

I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors.

-Me & Jesus love you!

What an interesting question!!! I have to agree here with BAC and the others here....This chapter is talking specifically of sacrifice