1 Timothy 4:4 – “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving.”
The previous verses of this chapter warns about “ hypocritical liars who order people to abstain from eating certain foods – which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.”
It is common in some places around the world, to meet people who believe that a certain food will make them more pure, or clean, or more acceptable to God. They still follow some ritualistic traditions that keep them from eating different kinds of meats, and sometimes, even some vegetables.
It was not much different during the time of Jesus when the Pharisees were too strict in giving so much importance to: clean and unclean foods. In Mark 7:15 Jesus teaches us that what we eat, which comes from the outside, cannot make us unclean, because it does not go into our heart, but into our stomach, then out of our body. All the impure, unclean, evil thoughts and sinful desires come from within our mind and our heart.
“Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” (1 Corinthians 8:8)
Our God saw everything that He made, and, behold, it was very good! ( Genesis 1:31).
So, every creature, all creation is good, acceptable to God, and nothing is to be refused, specifically what we eat, if it is received with thanksgiving, giving thanks and acknowledging God’s favor and kindness towards us.
God commands us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – not stomach!
