The topic of food laws is also often used in pointless debates.
It’s honestly baffling how much time gets wasted discussing it.
The problem stems from our worldly way of thinking.
This passage is often quoted in such discussions, where Jesus says:
“And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them,
Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him:
but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was entered into the house from the people,
his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
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;
Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly,
and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? […]
That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
(Mark 7:14–23, Luther 1545)
Here Jesus makes it very clear:
A person is made impure by their actions—not by the food they eat.
But that raises the question:
Why are there dietary instructions at all, then?
Are food laws commandments?
There is no explicit “commandment” concerning food.
It has often been interpreted as law, but in essence, these were recommendations from the beginning.
The dietary guidelines are found in Leviticus 11, which begins:
“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.”
(Leviticus 11:2, Luther 1545)
However, in the original Hebrew, the word “shall” does not appear in a prescriptive way.
One of the concluding verses refers to it as a law, saying:
“This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl,
and of every living creature that moveth in the waters,
and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth.”
(Leviticus 11:46, Luther 1545)
Yet here too, context is often ignored.
The purpose of these food instructions is clearly stated:
“Ye shall not make your souls abominable with any creeping thing, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.”
(Leviticus 11:43, Luther 1545)
The soul and the body are one
Today, we often view the soul as something separate from the body.
But in biblical understanding, the human being as a whole is a soul.
So when the HErr asks us to be mindful of our food, in order not to defile our soul,
He is simply saying:
“Watch what you eat, so that you don’t become sick.”
The HErr wants us to stay healthy.
That’s why He tells us which animals are good for us—and which are not.
This is the law.
Looking around in our society, we see countless illnesses caused by poor nutrition:
Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, cholesterol issues, and many more.
This is part of the reason behind this verse:
“If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God,
and wilt do that which is right in his sight,
and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,
I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians:
for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
(Exodus 15:26, Luther 1545)
It is up to each individual whether they take the food laws seriously in their own life.
But sadly, many people eat all kinds of things—and then blame God when they become ill.
They say it’s unfair that they suffer now—but many illnesses caused by unhealthy diets are not just physical.
Memory problems, mental performance, and even our emotional stability are linked to nutrition.
The brain accounts for only about 2% of body weight, but consumes roughly 20% of our metabolism.
When we eat poorly, toxins get stored in body fat for years.
As a result, health issues may appear much later—and we often don’t even realise where they come from.
Food and character
Especially with drugs or medications, many substances influence how we act.
Of course, we can and should be grateful to God for medical advances.
I would not want to go without anaesthesia during surgery.
And medication to prevent blood clots after a broken leg is clearly a blessing.
The issue begins when we harm our bodies continuously.
There are patients who require long-term morphine (opioids).
Even when these are necessary for pain relief, they still influence human perception.
It’s not uncommon for chronic pain patients to become more distant and emotionally dulled.
These are, of course, extreme examples—
but even our everyday diet has an effect on our character.
So the next time you’re in a discussion about dietary laws, just remember:
They are, first and foremost, excellent dietary guidance.
Yes, we can eat animals like crabs and pigs—but ask yourself:
Is it good to eat them?
These animals consume waste and toxins.
By eating them, we take in the pollutants they processed.
God created these animals with amazing resilience—
but our bodies were not designed to handle continuous intake of toxins.
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