THE GLORY OF GOD

Be Careful With Those “Biblical Diets"! 

And Other Weird Stuff People Make Up From The Bible

"Eat this! Don't eat this!" There seems to be an abundance of diets out there today attempting to help the person desiring to be more healthy. With that, there are many well intentioned followers of Christ who have just the right "biblical" plan for us to achieve that goal. For fun, try to Google "Biblical Diet" and see the multitudes of diets, each telling us their’s is God's original plan. It's rather interesting to see how passionate many become with these diets. They live and breathe focused upon their diet, consumed to the point of it becoming an idol. 

Our response to these "biblical diets" is often, "Well, it's in the Bible. It must be true and it's how everyone must eat." But don't jump on that Christian nutritional bandwagon yet! In fact, be careful of any "biblical", "spiritual" or "doctrinal" bandwagon until you search the whole scriptures yourself (Acts 17:11). You may get taken for a ride if you don't. 

Diets in the Bible

If you are looking for a biblical diet, here are just a few of the diets found throughout the scriptures and what exhortations that came be taken from them.

How they ate in the beginning.

• Eat only fruit from trees like Adam and Eve. And you can use herbs as well. 
• Don't eat fruit from trees with snakes around it. It'll kill you. 
• Don't eat food offered from a woman. Look what happened to Adam.  
• Meat is better than grain because of God considered Abel’s sacrifice as better. Be sure to eat all the fat. That's the best part. 

God telling His people what to eat.

• God tells His people to eat lamb or they will die. 
• Nourish yourself only with milk and honey because that is what the Lord told His people they will be nourished with in the Promised Land. 
• Only eat quail for meat. It's the only meat God gave His people in the desert. 
• Only drink water that comes out of rocks. It's how God intended His people to drink water. 
• If you throw wood into poisoned water, it's safe to drink. 
• Only eat food that has fallen on the ground overnight. It is what God's people lived on for 40 years. 
• Never eat leftovers from the day before, unless it is on Saturday. It's rotten and has worms. 
• Be like Moses and don't eat or drink anything for 40 days. It was only then he heard from God. 
• Eat nothing with yeast. It's a command. 
• Don't eat animal fat. 
• Never eat pork or shellfish.

How prophets ate. 

• When in college eat nothing but fruits and vegetables, like Daniel. It made him healthier and smarter than everyone else. 
• Only eat food cooked over dung, while laying on your side for several weeks. It's what God commanded Ezekiel. 
• Eat only the type of bread Ezekiel made. Again, God commanded it.
• Eat only grasshoppers and honey just like Elijah and John the Baptist. They heard from God and were His prophets. 

What Would Jesus Eat?

• Only eat dried fish and bread because that is what Jesus decided what was best to feed the crowds.
• Every lunch must consist of five loaves of bread and two fish. It's how Jesus prefers to feed the masses. 
• Always eat bread dipped in wine because that's how Jesus did it and told His disciples to do likewise. 
• Never eat bread dipped in wine because that's how Judas did it and he was from Satan. 
• Drink only wine and water because it's what Jesus did. Where does it say He drank coffee or tea? 
• Wine is preferable over water because Jesus turned water into wine to bless others. 
• Eat beef because Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son returning to a feast of the fattened calf. Everyone was merry when they did. 
• Only eat fish for breakfast because that's what Jesus cooked and served for His disciples when He rose from the dead. 

How the early Church ate.

• Eat only bacon because God commanded Peter several times to eat it. God was upset when he didn't listen. 
• Drink only wine because Paul instructed Timothy to do so. Timothy was a pastor. 
• Include in your diet eating paper scrolls because God commanded it to Ezekiel and to John.   

What's The Point? 

Many practices in the scriptures are meant to be DESCRIPTIVE not PRESCRIPTIVE. That means there are many times the Bible whereby what is written for us is merely describing what people did and does not prescribe that we do the same. However, the lesson of the description is what is most important. Remember an important principal of understanding the scriptures, as with any other things we read - CONTEXT. 

Dr. Roy Zuck explains:

Four Principles To Help Understand The Context Of Any Scripture:

1. Literal meaning - what it says.

2. Historical setting - the events of the story, to whom is it addressed, and how it was understood at that time.

3. Grammar - the immediate sentence and paragraph within which a word or phrase is found.

4. Synthesis - comparing it with other parts of Scripture for a fuller meaning. 

Be careful as well not to try to explain away clear commands to justify ungodly beliefs and actions by inserting made up context that was never there in the first place. And of course, be led by the Spirit through prayer as you read and listen. It will keep you from a host of false understanding. 

Eating and the Bible Today

Now, back to diets, the Bible and today. The Lord knew junk teaching would be eventually be flying around, especially near the end. We should expect it. Even in regards to eating - which sounds kinda superficial and silly. But He warns that false teachers will arise in the end times and deceive people with the following - 

"They prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creation of God is good and no food is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by God's word and by prayer." I Timothy 4:3-5.

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon or Sabbath days." Colossians 2:16. 

"If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!' These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings." Colossians 2:20-22. 

"For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food that I give thanks for?" I Corinthians 10:29-30

So, How Then Are We To Eat? 

Dieting is indeed a good thing to do. Yet, it's not an end to itself. God made it rather simple. In regards to food we are called to abide by the greater principle of GRATITUDE, listed in the scriptures above, and the principle of the WISE STEWARDSHIP of our bodies, as gifts from God to be used for HIS GLORY, not our own. (Romans 12:1, I Corinthians 6:19-20.) 

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31.