On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. Acts 10:9-15
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. 1 Timothy 4:3-5
These scriptures are used to suggest that today anything can be eaten but is that what was being said? Acts 10 speaks of Peter and Cornelius. God gave Peter the vision to show that Jews and non-Jews were accepted by God. God used the picture o unclean foods but the message was not about which foods were clean or unclean.
1 Timothy 4:3-5 says every creature can be eaten with prayer which sanctifies it. Then we can eat uncooked lion fish with prayer and it will be ok. How about the unclean meats mentioned in Leviticus? What was Paul saying to the believers then? False teachers in Paul’s day held wrong views of marriage and eating of foods and thus forbade these acts. This was the crisis that Paul’s hearer faced. Paul was not suggesting that a believer should eat anything.
In fact the Bible says:
- We should be in health: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2 (KJV)
- Our bodies are a living sacrifice to God, the sacrifices were spotless and in perfect health: beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 (KJV)
- Our bodies are the temple of God: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (KJV)
- We are to eat and drink to the glory of God: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV)
Therefore we can say that God wants our bodies as His temples for the Holy Spirit. They must be spotless and healthy. In order for that to be done we must eat and drink to the glory of God that our minds may be renewed by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)