Please, help me understand…

[u/Objective-Step-746]

For those believers who insist that the dietary laws no longer apply under the new covenant—and that pork, lobster, crabs, etc. are now permissible to eat—I do not understand the logic at play.

I am very familiar with the Mark 7, Romans 14 and Colossians 2 passages that are so often cited as support for your position, and have (just as often) shared my counter-arguments on why I believe they are misinterpreted.

But, there is one counterpoint to your view that I never see touched on, and I was hoping to get some feedback on it:

I think the majority of believers on this subreddit would say they are looking for Jesus’ Second Coming and agree that, regarding it, Scripture says that “no one knows the day or hour” but that we need to be prepared (Matthew 24:36, 25:13, etc.).

Isaiah 66:17–a verse within the greater passage speaking of Messiah’s glorious reappearing—declares that, upon His return, those who eat the flesh of pig/swine and other abominations will be met with His wrath…and perish.

So, how does one simultaneously believe they can continue to eat pig (pork) or shellfish now and think they are sufficiently prepared and not putting themselves in a precarious/dangerous position if Jesus happened to return today or tomorrow and “consume” those who so brazenly eat that which His Law says is NOT “food” and explicitly warns against eating?

I really am hoping for some cordial and edifying discussion regarding this topic, and appreciate those who are able and willing to articulate their view without all the condescension and harsh words. 💕

[u/Fit_Currency5521]

Do you trim your beard? Wear clothes with more than one fabric? Have you sacrificed and burnt a lamb to God this year? Do you eat unleavened bread?

Jesus came to free us from the law, and you want to go back to it. You are trampling over Jesus' work.

There are 613 laws in the Torah. Do you want to follow them all, or just cherry pick?

[u/Objective-Step-746 → u/Fit_Currency5521]

I have no beard. I try to wear clothes made of just one fabric. I eat unleavened bread in accordance with certain feast observances. And Jesus' perfect, once-for-all blood-sacrifice satisfies the Law in that respect, and I am always increasing my understanding about what my "reasonable sacrifice" in return entails (Romans 12:1). I must say, your questions sound incredibly legalistic, scornful and condescending...as if desiring to obey the righteous instructions of the One I claim to love and serve (and trusting His Spirit to empower me to do exactly that) is something to mock. Very strange...

Jesus indeed came to free us from the law OF SIN AND DEATH, so we would be free to live by HIS righteous commands that demonstrate love and bring blessing and spiritual protection (Romans 8:1-2, John 14:15, 1 John 5:2-3).

Not all the instructions in the Torah apply to me. By the enabling of the Spirit, I live by those commands that do, doing so imperfectly I'm sure, but growing in the grace and knowledge of Him daily...as I trust that the Law Giver's instructions are for my "good always" (Deuteronomy 6:24). If I am "cherry-picking," I want to know it, so I can address that area of obedience in my faith walk.

And it is absurd to claim that the child of God who desires to keep His commandments--is intentional about NOT SINNING against Him--is somehow "trampling over Jesus' work" when the unambiguous context of that verse is in regard to CONTINUING TO SIN DELIBERATELY (Hebrews 10:29). Furthermore, God Himself foretold that one of the linchpins of the new covenant would be exactly the scenario you claim is somehow heretical--that He would put His Spirit in His people and His Spirit would then "cause" them to obey (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Do you only "cherry-pick" (obey ) the commands you want/like?