Food (and Meat) for Thought
Thought 1
I find the holiness crew annoying.
You know the type:
- They quote Scripture against every sin but the ones they commit
- You cannot fellowship with them unless the only sins you commit are theirs
- You are to be shunned until you stop committing your sins
If it were up to me, I’d pull a Jesus in the temple. Get the whip, crack it, and drive them out… happily, dancing with joy.
Thought 2
I have food problems. They are rooted in a unique reaction in my immune system; it’s a different complement of antibodies than the ones usually implicated in immune response.
My husband does not have this problem. My brother does not have this problem. My kids have this problem mildly.
Therefore, I have to view all food as potential toxins. I have to choose carefully which foods I eat, which foods I don’t eat, and when and how to eat foods.
Synthesis
What if some sins for the holiness crew are like some foods for me?
That is, when the holiness crew sees them committed or knows of their commission, they have a spiritual immune reaction that is heightened and stronger than one would anticipate.
What if for me when it comes to sin I am like my husband or brother? I know and recognize them as sin and can reject them as sin, but I don’t feel the need to be reactive to the sin (without the street cred and invitation by God or sinner to intervene).
With this in mind, how do I authentically be me with all my faults and still have fellowship with those who cannot tolerate my faults?
It’s funny; Paul wrote about food in Romans 14:19–23, but I cannot help but wonder whether food and its consumption as an extension into my analogy might have something to offer me in handling those with holiness rulers trying to rap my knuckles.
So then, make it your top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in your relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage one another. Stop ruining the work of God by insisting on your own opinions about food. You can eat anything you want, but it is wrong to deliberately cause someone to be offended over what you eat. Consider it an act of love to refrain from eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything else that would cause a fellow believer to be offended or tempted to be weakened in his faith. Keep the convictions you have about these matters between yourself and God, and don’t impose them upon others.You’ll be happy when you don’t judge yourself in doing what your conscience approves. But the one who has misgivings feels miserable if he eats meat, because he doubts and doesn’t eat in faith. For anything we do that doesn’t spring from faith is, by definition, sinful. (The Passion Translation)
In light of this, could the eating of meat include the use of edgier language? the wearing of more revealing clothing within modest taste? connections on social media? choices of entertainment? real-life relationships (don’t go romantic here)?
I have never disagreed with the Word of God as the ultimate authority on conduct. I have always struggled with:
- Is that application in line with what God had in mind in the writing of that passage?
- If it is sin, but God is not yet dealing with me in that area, how do I acknowledge that the “correcter” is accurate but that I am not yet at that point in my journey?
- Is there such a thing as contextual sin? That is the action in and of itself is not directly sinful; what makes the action sinful is the motive of the actor.
In essence, how do I be myself authentically without causing another to stumble? In effect, I want to live 1 Corinthians 10:31–33:
So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God. Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [do not lead others into sin by your mode of life]; just as I myself strive to please [to accommodate myself to the opinions, desires, and interests of others, adapting myself to] all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved. (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
It’s odd. The holiness crew causes me to stumble with my angry, while I cause them to stumble by feeling unclean on my razor edge mode of expression.
- How can we live together in mutual peace authentically being ourselves without stumbling over each other?
- How can we live and let live; that is, how can we recognize we are called to different spheres of influence and each sphere has different rules and guidelines for social interaction?
- If I am trying to as Paul did accommodate myself to the opinions, desires, and interests of others, while adapting myself to all men without consideration of my own gain and advantage, how do I avoid going with the flow of the world and accepting those things that are contrary to the Word of God?
Questions, questions, questions… It always seems that when I seriously try to understand and apply the Word to modern life I am left with more questions than clear answers.
I think that’s why the only thing I’m sure of is that I’m thankful for salvation, mercy, and grace. His mercy and grace are new every morning; there is actually a scripture for that (Lamentations 3:21–23, Complete Jewish Bible):
But in my mind I keep returning to something, something that gives me hope — that the grace of Adonai is not exhausted, that his compassion has not ended. [On the contrary,] they are new every morning! How great your faithfulness!
