Eating Blood?

Questioner: sunji

Subject: Baptists: To eat or not to eat BLOOD

Date Asked: 2012-06-18 21:19:45

Date Answered: today

Question:

Hi Pastor!

I am a new believer in the Lord Jesus Christ from an independent baptist(fundamental in doctrine) in the Philippines. I am here in Qatar now and the church I am currently attending is a bible baptist. We as fundamentalist don't eat blood since it is a commandment of God in the OT and in Acts in NT. However, this church I am attending now eats blood. It really disturbs me every time the issue is being raised up and specially when they make fun of it...

Hoping to hear from you soon.

God bless

Answer:

Greetings, my new Brother!!! I understand the many challenges of being a new believer as well as that of being in a new culture having spent time in Germany, Greece and Thailand. My previous church had several Filipino families and I know some of your delicacies include blood. I'm not into raw fish either. ;-) You are correct that the Scripture does say that while we are not under Law, the Jerusalem Council did give the following ruling for Gentiles to follow.

Acts 15:19-20

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. KJV

Even if they say that we are under grace this rule was given by the Apostles who preached grace.

Lev 17:10-14

10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. KJV

Several things have been considered by theologians to be the reason for not eating blood, but regardless of God's rationale the fact remains that it was prohibited in both Testaments.

Here in the States it is very difficult to do this because most meat is not slaughtered according to the Levitical law. Chickens are gassed whereas at one time they were killed so to allow the blood to flow out. Thus if you eat a chicken killed that way you will get coagulated blood in it. You have reminded me of this and I just told my wife to look for meat with a Kosher marking meaning it will not have blood in it.

The British have blood pudding and I have had a taste of a Filipino dish with pork blood in it. I did not know it had blood until after I ate some.

1 Cor 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. KJV

Your friends will probably say that we are under grace and even quote this verse emphasizing the first part but downplaying the last phrase. While they will not go to Hell if they eat they are also not edifying themselves by ignoring a clear teaching of the Word. This is not a gray area as so many Christians love to live in.

I believe that we will find when we get to Glory practical reasons for God giving many of His commandments as well as spiritual reasons. Our flesh and blood is similar to animal blood, but someday science will catch up to God and may find that there are bacteria or a virus in the blood of various animals that are quite harmless to them but may actually affect our immune system or cause some of our other health issues. Some of the other animals prohibited in the Levitical Law have been declared less than ideal for us by nutritionists and others have caused health issues before we found the causes and changed our cooking or preservation practices. I am willing to trust God that blood has a negative effect on me and that is one reason He prohibits it or just accept His right to tell me no for whatever reason whether He ever reveals it to me or not. I will not die if I avoid blood and I may be healthier if I do avoid it and it is an easy commandment to obey. Since I struggle with tougher commandments I am OK with taking an easy one.