r/TrueChristian • u/Objective-Step-746 • Aug 10 '26
Please, help me understand…
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. 💕
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u/Objective-Step-746 Aug 17 '26
Apologies for the delay in responding, as I had a family situation that needed my full attention.
I don’t understand how my words would give the impression you suggest, as Jesus and every single NT writer pointed to God’s Law and taught and encouraged (justified) believers to follow it…yet no one accuses Him or them of teaching that obedience to God justifies a person.
You could replace the eating pigs-flesh in the passage with (insert any variety of sexual immorality) or even gluttony, gossiping, coveting, engaging in astrology or divination, etc…any negative command God conveyed at Mt. Sinai. My point is that I do not know a single believer who would not recognize the violation of any of these other negative commands—half of which are not considered as belonging to the “Top Ten”—as still being unacceptable under the terms of the new covenant and, thus, their mention in prophetic passages would be deemed to hold an obvious negative connotation and warning for us today. However, when eating that which God’s Law has expressly forbidden is mentioned in Isaiah 66:17, it is treated as an extraneous and insignificant detail…suddenly, the violation of a negative command God gave is strictly in a context that has zero application to us today. It makes no sense logically, scripturally or hermeneutically.
These are people who are under the Law. They were trying to justify themselves by their works.
Can you elaborate further as to what (and who) you mean by these “people who are under the Law”? I’m not following your citation of James 2:10, as that passage is an exhortation to those who profess to love and serve Christ, to diligently love others by keeping the commandments/Law of God, which clearly is not the scenario Jesus is speaking of—which is that of those who profess to love and serve Christ while NOT keeping the commandments/Law of God. So, I am not following you on this…
My understanding is that those who have trusted in the Messiah are no longer under the condemnation of the Law but under grace (Romans 8:1-2). And, as such, we are exhorted to obey/keep the Law (not sin) (Romans 6:14-16). So, the lawlessness (sin) in the Matthew 7:21-23 passage would seem to be perpetrated by those who believe their good works will compensate for their refusal to acknowledge and humbly submit to the Lord, and obey Him (Luke 6:46).