TheSimpleAnswers.com

“Why are unclean meats unclean?”

“God said so.”

“Well why did He say so?”

“Because He knows something we don’t.”

“DUH! Is that the best you can do?”

“Well … maybe it’s because they’re unhealthy…”

*****

You know, that’s the best answer I’ve ever heard on this subject. And yet this is one of the major things that sets a true Christian apart from the rest of the world. Didn’t you ever want a better answer? I did. So… why are unclean meats unclean?

Genesis 1:29-30 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Back in the garden of Eden, just after creating man God laid down dietary laws for him. God instructed him that he could eat all plants and all fruits freely. God told Man, in effect, that these were “clean” for him. (Of course, the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was excepted from that. It by inference was unclean).

At this time God also set down dietary laws for animals as well; just how He enforced them is at the moment beyond me, but He clearly said that EVERY beast of the earth, and EVERY bird was to eat every green herb. We can back this up in a rather unusual way because we know that in the future God will restore the Earth to the paradise-like state it was in then, and in that time…

Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

When this day comes the wolf will be eating the same thing as the lamb - grass and herbs - and the lion will be eating the same thing as the ox - grass and herbs. So however God makes this possible, it seems that the entire Earth both was and will be again, vegetarians. So God told man that every green herb was clean, and we can infer from that that every animal was unclean, and not to be eaten! Read the rest of this entry »

Did you ever wonder? Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Christ, was a PERSON. He had MOTIVES, and REASONS for what he did, just like you and I do when we sin. But what were they? What could POSSIBLY have motivated him to betray his friend and longtime companion, Jesus? He wasn’t just the embodiment of evil, you know. He was working a plan. And he wasn’t just doing it for the money!

Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he [Jesus] was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Read that carefully. First, you notice he returned the money as we all know, so clearly that wasn’t his motive. And he returned the money as soon as “he saw that Jesus was condemned”! When he saw that Jesus was condemned, HE REPENTED! Because he had never expected that to happen!

Matthew 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. …

AND he knew that Jesus was innocent, so he didn’t betray him because he was mad at Him either! So it wasn’t for the money, it wasn’t because of a grudge, and it wasn’t to see Him suffer - so WHAT WAS JUDAS THINKING?? Read the rest of this entry »

What was wrong with the Pharisees? Why did Christ condemn them? Was it for keeping the letter of the law? WHY would He condemn them for doing what HE, HIMSELF said? HE DIDN’T!

He never condemned them for the righteous things they did!

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Notice He said that tithing of mint, anise, and cummin was GOOD! He commended them for doing that - but the problem was, they were NOT keeping the rest of the law!

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Notice He said that they had SOME righteousness - just not enough.

Matthew 23:1-3 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: FOR THEY SAY, and DO NOT!

He did NOT condemn them for professing to believe and preach the letter of the law that He, Himself gave them… He condemned them for not doing it themselves…

Luke 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

The world today seems to have the idea that the Pharisees kept the letter of the law perfectly - and that they were condemned because they didn’t have “love”. But the Bible says they were covetous - the tenth commandment is “Thou shalt not covet” - therefore, they DID NOT KEEP the letter of the law!

John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet NONE of you keepeth the law? …

So it’s clear, they didn’t keep the law. Christ Himself said so. But this wasn’t their only problem! Read the rest of this entry »

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. …

What LOVE Jesus had for the people! What a selfless, caring man He was, to have an attitude of forgiveness for the very people crucifying Him! What a HEART FOR THE PEOPLE our Savior had!

It’s kinda funny, it makes me a little nauseous just to write that, even though I’m about to rip it to shreds. It’s just so supercilious and over-the-top and, well, the only word I know that really describes it is “sickening”. Anyone who believes that first paragraph has a totally messed up concept of who God is, and what Christ was ACTUALLY feeling when He uttered those words!

Most people believe that Christ didn’t really NEED to say those words - He just did so that we could see that He didn’t hold any malice towards those people. To show how great was His unconditional love for mankind. HORSE FEATHERS! HOGWASH! POPPYCOCK!

It’s time you USED THE BIBLE to interpret itself! And it’s time you learned what Christ ACTUALLY was thinking, hanging there on the stake, about to be murdered for no reason! Did you know that the Bible actually has His thoughts leading up to that last “Father forgive them”, in great detail? Brace yourself, because the caring, loving, forgiving little baby-in-a-manger Jesus is about to be seriously redefined! Read the rest of this entry »