BIBLE TEACHINGS MADE PLAIN, part 19 – Biblical standards for Christians

BIBLE TEACHINGS MADE PLAIN, part 19

Biblical standards for Christians

In lesson 18 we dealt with justification, sanctification and glorification. Justification is the start of the Christian life with Christ as our Lord and Master. Sanctification the lifelong development of the life with Christ and growing up in Christ until glorification when Jesus comes again in glory, who is the hope of our glory.Col.1:27

This lesson will deal with certain standards the bible is teaching regarding health and our appearance as Christians. As Christians we are representatives of Christ. It is never static but a growing up as babies do from infants to adults. In a later lesson in this series we will say more in regard to how to grow and maintain the Christian life. The Christian sanctified life we live is in a human body and for that reason it seems logic that the Bible says something in regard to the body, how to feed it by way of food and drink, and how to dress it.

The following scriptures passages do point in that direction. In 1Cor.6:19, 20 we are told that the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, we are not our own, because we are bought with a price and we must glorify God in our body, not ourselves, Jer.9:23, 24. The apostle Paul seems to think about slaves who are not their own but belong to the master who has bought them. We have been bought and what is the price? In 1Peter 1:18, 19 we read not bought with anything of earthly value but with the blood of Christ as a Lamb. That blood was shed on Calvary where Christ died in our place and when we accept that price we are redeemed by that blood (Eph.1:7) and by His resurrection we are saved or our redemption has been confirmed, made sure, Rom.4:25. Through the influence of the Holy Spirit moving upon our mind and heart we surrender to Christ and live His life, Gal.2:20

In 2Cor.6:14-17 we learn more about this temple of God which is our body. God wants to dwell in us. He is our God and we are His people. The apostle Paul does set some rules for the body, the temple of God. In verse 14 it reads that we should not unequally be yoked with unbelievers. This clearly refers to the marriage vow. Believers should not go into a marriage relationship with unbelievers. This leads to an unequal and unhealthy spiritual situation. The unbeliever has different interests than the believer. One is earthly minded the other is heavenly minded. This will create friction in the marriage and family situation. Those who have ignored this counsel know by experience what it is like.

Then in verse 15 and 16 the apostle uses some examples why such an unequal situation does not fit. Again in verse 16 he repeats that God wants to dwell in us and be our God, and in verse 18 He will be our Father and we His sons and daughters..

In verse 17 it is mentioned not to touch what is unclean and in 7:1 that we clean ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh. It is clear that this is a reference to things which people put in their bodies, via food or drink, which are unhealthy and not good for the body. By abstaining from it we perfect holiness and our standing with God. To know what is good for our bodies we have to go to the beginning again as we have done before for other things in the scriptures. From the beginning we can always learn how it should be. Our Creator, the One Who has made us knows best what is good for our bodies, like the manufacturer of a motor car knows best what is good for the car and how to keep it running in perfect condition. In Genesis 1:29 we read what God told Adam and Eve what they should eat, nuts, grains and fruit. Still today classified as the best. Then after the fall we read in Genesis 3:18 that they were allowed to eat the herbs of the field as well, it means vegetables were added to their diet, but definitely no flesh food at this time. This dietary plan lasted for about 1600 years till the time of the flood, when Noah was told to build an ark. When the time came to go into the ark we read in Genesis 7:1, 2 that from the unclean animals one pair entered the ark and from the clean animals seven pairs. Here we have the first indication regarding clean and unclean animals. After the flood in Gen.9:3 we read that God allowed flesh food to their diet but as the herbs of the field. In other words as they did not eat all that was growing in the field so they were not allowed to eat all that goes on four or two legs. They had to follow the line of difference between clean and unclean. In Gen.8:20 we learn that Noah coming out of the ark offered a sacrifice to God but from the clean animals. Further more we read in Genesis 9:4 that blood was not to be eaten at all from any animal, clean or unclean. Some people take this as a prohibition against blood transfusion, but that is incorrect. Blood transfusion goes through the veins not as food through the mouth. The same people who refuse blood transfusion do eat red meat which is still full of blood. Apart from blood, fat also is not to be eaten, read in Lev.3:17; 7:23, 26. You see the Bible is well ahead of modern medical science which also has established that fat is not good for the body, stay away from fat.

Now the question can be raised how we know what is clean and what is unclean, the answer is in Leviticus 11 and in Deut.14:1-20. Also any animal which had died by itself and not properly killed for food consumption was forbidden to eat, read Lev.22:8; Deut.14:21. It is all very wise counsel from the Lord to keep us healthy because that is the reason for these rules, read 3John 2. We are what we eat. However not always it does prevent sickness, we are also subject to environmental influences and from what our ancestors have been. There are unavoidable circumstances, but the closer we live to God’s blueprint the best result we will harvest in our bodies.

So far we have dealt with food but what about drinks which refers to alcoholic beverages? Going through the Bible we will often read about wine, but it refers not always to the same kind of wine, fermented or not fermented. The origin of wine is what grows on the vine, and when pressed we get grape juice which is good to drink. When we leave it too long or process it we get alcoholic wine. People have learned through the years to make alcoholic drinks from other fruits as well, like banana, palm tree fruits etc. But all wine in alcoholic fermented position is not good in Biblical terms, read Prov.20:29-31; and 23:21. What Jesus used for what we call the communion service was the fruit of the vine, grape juice, Matth.26:27-29. Stay away from any alcoholic beverage in any shape or form

But there is more what can harm our flesh and is filthiness of the flesh, 2Cor.7:1. Any tobacco substance in any shape or from, drugs, apart from medically prescribed ones by your physician, also should not be touched. On the same line we find caffeine drinks like coffee, tea and Coca Cola. These also should not be touched for good health reasons

So far we have been talking what goes into our bodies. What about the outside, do we have counsel from God regarding what we should do or not do in this area of our life?
We read in 1Tim.2:9, 10 that we should be modest not in outward show of things. Also turn to 1 Peter 3:1-4. We take from these scriptures that the wearing of ornaments, jewellery is not encouraged in the scriptures. It is counsel for the female but the male is not excluded. In OT times jewellery was often a problem that people used and wore it. But in times when people wanted to have a closer walk with God they were admonished to take it off. Read the story of Jacob in Gen.35:1-4
Also read in Ex.33:4-6 the people had sinned because of erecting the golden calf and dancing around it. Moses called for rededication and they stripped themselves from their ornaments. They felt that wearing ornaments and dedication to God does not fit.
When they did not wear it they felt naked as some people do today who are “addicted”: to wearing jewellery. Read Exod.32:25, when Aaron asked them to give him their ornaments for making a golden calf they had felt naked. Apparently not all was taken off because in Exod.33:4-6 Moses asked them to take all off in an act of rededication to God.

When Adam and Eve had sinned they saw their nakedness and dressed themselves with something of their own choice, but God replaced it with something better. Read the stony in Gen.3. Read also Isa.3:16-23 which is not very much in favor of body ornaments and body piercing to put things in or through the body.

The Holy Spirit should have a guiding influence in our lives, Eph.5:18. When alcohol is in our body it starts to direct us in the wrong direction, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit we are led in the right direction. We are saved by grace through faith, Eph.2:8, saved from the world and its sinful practices. For that reason the world should not have anymore a moulding influence upon us, Rom.12:1, 2. In Christ we have become a new creature, 2Cor.5:17 and thus we are called into holiness 1 Pet.1:16 and this is quoted form Lev.11:44 the chapter about clean and unclean. We must be heavenly minded Col.3:1, 2 and not seeking the things of this world, 1 John 2:15-17.
How this is possible we will learn in a later lesson after the baptism lesson, because somebody might say we have to be careful not to be so much heavenly minded that we forget we live on planet earth with all dangers and temptations. But don’t forget we live in earth’s final hour called the last days; the coming of Jesus in glory is near. We are either focus on that glorious event and look up towards heaven or keep looking down and are earthly minded. We love Jesus for what He is, for what He has done for us, for what He has in store for us and for reasons that we want to see Him in glory.

Commitment: Because I love Jesus Who died in my place and Who is my personal Saviour I commit myself to live a clean life and stay away from unclean foods intoxicating drinks and stay away from unnecessary body ornaments