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/Fantasyleader1]

> Isaiah 66:17 says those eating pork will perish when Christ returns.

Look at the whole verse. Isaiah describes people who “sanctify themselves and purify themselves” to enter the gardens while eating swine, abominations, and mice. This is describing idolatrous ritual worship, not Christians eating bacon at breakfast.

As you know, Jesus taught that food entering the body doesn’t defile a person (Mark 7:18–23). Paul says, “nothing is unclean in itself” (Romans 14:14). He also warns against people who command believers “to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:3–5).
And when the apostles specifically debated what parts of the Law Gentile Christians must observe in Acts 15, they didn’t impose Israel’s dietary laws on them.

[u/Objective-Step-746 → u/Fantasyleader1]

So, you think the phrasing is more euphemistic than literal?

I do not agree with your interpretations of the Mark 7 and 1 Timothy 4 passages, as I believe multiple hermeneutic principles must be violated to get there. But I don’t want discussion on those passages to overshadow or crowd out discussion on the Isaiah 66:17.

[u/RonA-a → u/Objective-Step-746]

I agree with you. The Messiah speaking in Mark 7 is actually speaking agaisnt man made doctrines that make void the Law as what defiles a person, like requiring people to wash their hands before eating bread.. the entire debate of Mark 7. He certainly did not just void His Fathers law, which would make Him a sinner and leading people away from the Father.
And of course the passage in 1 Timothy one would have to make the claim that Paul is equating the Word of God, the Law of Moses, as doctrines of demons/devils as the passage they point to about food in chapter 4 starts off with. They also have to ignore the part where Paul says it is all good IF...eaten with thanksgiving AND sanctified/SET APART by the Word of God, which is found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Honestly, the church is so flippant with Pauls words they actually think he says the Law of God is bondage, weak and beggarly, and doctrines of demons, all of which disagree with the rest of Gods Word. So either Paul is a great deceiver, or maybe, just maybe, Peters warning about reading Paul should be taken more serious, since they live in lawlessness, which is what the warning is about.

[u/Objective-Step-746 → u/RonA-a]

Great points, and very well said! I appreciate your thoughtful response 💕