One Baptism
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... continued ...... But we are free to eat everything apart from blood & no guilt is attached to eating what was forbidden food. Jesus made that clear - Mark 7:14-23...
So, shall it not be crystal clear that Jesus Christ was upoholding that which is Commanded by God in His word, compared to the words of men? These texts are direct evidence of the continuing validity of that which is Commanded by God in His word. It is absolutely interesting to find that the Disciples/Apostles themselves never took these sayings of Jesus [in these passages] in the years of their following Him to mean that they could then suddenly eat anything they wanted, including Unclean animals, in all that time, or anytime thereafter.
This means that Jesus is specifically upholding what God Commands and teaches in the face of man-made words [like those words added to the text, a very dangerous thing to do, for God speaks about what will happen to those who add or subtract from His word]. Take careful note of this, and do not "wrest" the scriptures to your own "destruction".
The Pharisees were concerned about more than mere 'dirt', being contact with Gentiles in open places, such as Markets, etc. [Mark 7:2-5 KJB]
Jesus speaks unto them and tells them [scribes/pharisees] that they are the ones who are nullifying God's word by their "tradition" [vs 3] and the vanity of the "doctrines of men" [vs 9].
Jesus declares that it is the thoughts of the heart [inner disobedience/rebellion to God] which defiles. It is the rejection of the Commandments of God, the rebellion towards Him that defiles.
Anyone who is disobeying the word/commandments of the LORD is defiling him/herself, and this would include disregarding His clear commandments in Leviticus and Deuteronomy on what may or may not be eaten, for it is inward rebellion and leads to sin [transgression of the law; 1 John 3:4].
Afterall, sin of mankind began and involved eating something God said expressly not to eat...
Even above all of this, the whole sum of this Parable is found here, as Jesus makes known that the True Defilement of a man, in the heart, is rejection of God for those tradtions and words of men, and compares it to the false defilement defined by the Pharisees, a supposed outward ceremonial uncleaness based upon their "tradition" which cast away the Gentile from being approached, or able to be brought to the Light of the Gospel of God:
Matthew 15:20 KJB - These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
So, the Disciples at the time had been eating a perfectly clean food, Grain of the field [or bread], with unwashen hands [that is to the Pharisee, ceremonially] and they were being called “unclean”, for not "washing" before they had eaten, for the Pharisees and the like, would always wash their hands from their supposed outward self-imposed ceremonial defilement, like after coming from an area of Markets which could have Gentiles and other such things, washed all things and their hands so that they would be "clean" and not associate with heatheness [Mark 7:4 KJB].
Jesus declares to the Pharisees at that point, that it is the thoughts from the heart and the inner disobedience toward God and His Commandments that truly defile a person, and that “unwashen”, as the Pharisees defined, is not what makes a person actually “unclean”, as Jesus taught, in the heart.
The entirety of Mark Chapter 7, along with Matthew Chapter 15, is not in any way, shape or form speaking about an elimination or lifting of the Levitical and Deuteronomic Food Laws of the Unclean animals, but is rather speaking about what truly defiles - disobedience to God's word/commandments.
The Pharisees had come to the man-made conclusion and thought that by mere contact and touch with the Gentiles, or their items, that they would somehow contract their “uncleaness”, “impurity” and/or “heatheness” when in reality they were already disrespecting and disobeying the commandments of God for their own traditions and superstitions by creating a wall of "traditions" separating them from the very peoples they were to be the Light to, thus nullifying the very "Commandments" of God.
The Jews were supposed to be the Light to the Gentiles, but instead they cut themselves off, distanced themselves and hoarded the Truth, until finally, they had become blinded in darkness, "... a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof..." [2 Timothy 3:5 KJB].
Look at the texts themselves in what Jesus said about the Parable:
Mark 7:18 KJB - And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;
Mark 7:19 KJB - Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
Mark 7:20 KJB - And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mark 7:21 KJB - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22 KJB - Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mark 7:23 KJB - All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Mark 7:19 KJB - Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
Mark 7:20 KJB - And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mark 7:21 KJB - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22 KJB - Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mark 7:23 KJB - All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The whole context of the passages in Mark 7 and Matthew 15 nowhere mention the standing Commandments of God on the "unclean" animals at all and is not the point of the Parable or the discourse Jesus had with the Pharisees. Christ Jesus was not only very concerned about physical health, but also very much the spiritual health of every person.
Any person who eats the Unclean and the Abomination will cause great harm to their physical health, which will then affect their spiritual health, and will face those actions in the Final Judgment.
Galatians 6:7 KJB - Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
A person cannot go through life knowingly disregarding God on what He said we should not eat, and expect to remain healthy, whole, vibrant or even enter into the Kingdom of God in such outright and open-handed rebellion. For those who did not know, or who still do not know, God is long-suffering and merciful, but it also will still affect their health and life-span and the quality of those years.
Jesus Christ did not die upon the Cross to 'cleanse' the pig, the shrimp, the octopus, the scallop, the catfish, the shark, the snake, the squirrel, the dog, the buzzard, the cockroach, etc., so that mankind could suddenly increase their buffet menu choices. He did not die so a person could smoke and drink and take in whatever they will. Cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, etc will destroy any person, religious or no.
Many want a 'health plan' from mankind that will allow them to continue to eat/drink and do what they will, and they want a 'magick pill' to solve their cancers, diseases, sicknesses, and all the while they continue to refuse the health Plan of God written for their long-life of health, abundant joy and peace.
The texts mention "evil thoughts" "from within" such as "wickedness", "foolishness" that lead to rebellion and disobedience to the clear commandments of God on this subject. Let us ask, "Did Jesus sin?" "Did Jesus teach others to transgress the law of God?" "Did Jesus teach to eat Unclean and the Abomination?" No, not in any text of scripture.
As will be shown by further texts, Christians [the Apostles and Disciples even] actually continued to obey God in these Commandments, long after Jesus ascended into Heaven.
... to be continued ...