Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
Colossians 2:16 ESV
Does this verse mean we can eat and drink what we like and if others don't like it, tough?
Is it saying we can behave how we want because we are redeemed?
The spirit of the day would say that it is wrong to eat meat, and that the right thing to do is be a vegan. Better for our health, and better for the planet, and there are good biblical reasons to take this stance.
But what does the Bible say about how we should act?
Christian vegetarianism groups use Genesis 1, all the plants for food, doesn't say the animals.
Christian carnivores might point out that in Genesis 2&3 livestock and beasts of the field. Suggesting they were cultivating animals for food.
The vegetarian movement point out that the picture of heaven given in Isaiah says the lion will sleep with the lamb, indicating that animals won't eat each other.
Remember the means of salvation of the Jews at the Passover was a lamb dinner. So if God commands his people to eat meat, is that the right thing to do, or was that for a very specific circumstance?
Jesus ate meat and fish, and drank wine.
So who is right?
Mark 7:14-15, 17-19
Acts 10, Peter and sheet lowered
1 Timothy 4:1-5
Rom14 and then
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
Romans 15:1-2 NLT
1 Cor Paul talks about food offered to idols. We don't have such issues, you might be able to stretch that to halal meat. But his conclusion is
So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8:13 NLT
Ephesians 5:15-18 & 21
1 Corinthians 10:27, 29-31
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Although this passage is about sexual sin, it is applied to food and drink often. The principle is the same.
For others judging those that do eat meat, or that do not, may be more of an issue.
Self control. Fruit spirit
If paul was writing right now, would he be talking about wearing masks as another example?
Festivals, we accept that as Christians we celebrate pagan festivals. Christmas and easter both originally were pagan festivals that christians took over and used the date for their own festivals. Must have been very controversial at the start.
There are now Christians who due to the commercialism of these festivals say they won't celebrate them.
Sabbath. Some maintain that we must still make Sunday special.
Some work on a Sunday and have to carve out their time with God at other parts of the week.
We need to make sure that we don't judge those who interpret Scripture in a different way to us.
Judging those who go out clubbing, who don't wear a mask in public, who eat food we consider not to be right.
Equally we should not judge those that don't, and consider them 'weak' in their faith.
We have freedom, and we have responsibility
Food and drink can be incredibly divisive, now as is clearly was 2000 years ago. We need to make a choice to live differently, and hold values tightly where they are a matter of sin, but loosely where they are a matter of choice.
Reread Colossians 2. It is urging us to live in freedom as Christians, understanding what Christ has achieved for us
Questions
Read out Colossians 2
What things do other christians do that you struggle with?
Are there any things you would not be prepared to give up for the sake of other Christians' 'weaknesses'?
How far does your freedom go before it is then sin? How do you draw th