Warning: this is a particularly, and unusually long post...sorry!
“necessary
things”
When Paul and the other apostles sought to remove obstacles
to the faith, (such as circumcision), there was a need to clarify the things
that are integral to faith. At a first
glance, I thought the “necessary things” of verse 20 and 29 seemed strange. But like many directives or rules given in Scripture,
insight can be gleaned if we look beyond the physical and toward the principle
behind it. In this case, it appears each
directive is linked to Old Testament passages.
Consider the following:
Lev. 17:7—“They shall no more offer their sacrifices
to demons, after whom they have played the harlot…”
èWe are never to take lightly the sovereignty of God,
and we need to guard our hearts against unfaithfulness. At this time in history, the temples of pagan
gods were often social centers where people would not only participate in idol
worship, but also share a meal, thus sealing the fellowship and shared
beliefs. The Lord God is the Ruler and
Creator of all. People are often tempted to honor,
prioritize, and serve lesser things over the Lord, and then find identity with
others in this. To abstain from things
offered to idols is a reinforcement of the truth that God alone is worthy of
offerings, and our true fellowship is to be had in Christ Jesus. When we participate in idol worship and
service, we deny the sovereignty of God.
(Keep in mind, and idol can be anything that we hold too high,
that becomes our focus and our aim.)
èè
Our allegiance is to the King of Kings alone, and we should never affirm
something less for or with others! Our
worship illustrates the choice of our will.
**Note that serving and worshiping things, or people, always
eventually leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction because imperfect things
fail to meet ultimate and eternal needs.
They decrease our ability to love freely and fully. This is actually a protective instruction for
our well-being and the well-being of those around us.
Lev. 17:10-14— “…You shall not eat the blood of any
flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood…”
èGod is the one who is the Giver of Life. During Old Testament times, the blood upon
the alter was “to make atonement for your souls..” This
was a tangible confirmation of man’s sin and the truth that sin has
consequences which must be borne. Though
we no longer offer animal sacrifices, we still may take the life of an animal
for the sake of a meal. Yet we are not
the ultimate Giver or Taker of life. It
is God who has provided life. We must
always have a sense of reverence and awe that not only do animals lose their
lives for our nourishment, but Jesus gave His life for our ultimate and
spiritual nourishment. His blood, poured
out on Calvary was His life on earth. Now, when we “drink of His blood”, [in
communion] we are taking in His resurrected Life –this is the only “blood” we
are to consume. Anything else would be a
poor counterfeit.
èè
We are to eat food for nourishment, with thanksgiving and reverence,
recognizing that other than Jesus, there is no “life blood” that will be truly
and ultimately good for us.
**It is also interesting that blood carries the toxins and
impurities of the body that are then filtered out by the kidneys, and later excreted. Eating meat which is not drained of the blood
means you are eating the toxins and impurities as well. When an animal is
strangled, it is deprived of oxygen and the blood coagulates and cannot be
drained out.
Lev. 18 --“None of you shall approach anyone who is
near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness…you shall not lie carnally with
your neighbor’s wife…you shall not lie with a male as with a woman…nor shall
you mate with any animal....”
èGod has created and designed humans to reflect His
goodness and His creativity. Humans have
been given the privilege of sex as part of the privilege of co-creating with
God in the bringing forth of other human lives.
This is a privilege and a pleasure, not to mention a responsibility, and
it is not to be abused. Throughout both
the Old and New Testament Scriptures we see that marriage serves as an analogy
for the relationship between people and God:
He is a loving protector and provider seeking and working for the
well-being of His beloved. When we
defile the sanctity of sex [which should be limited to, and guarded by
marriage], regardless of how we do
that, we warp the very analogy God has chosen to communicate part of Himself to
the world: We are meddling with the
Gospel message itself.
èèIn
Proverbs, husbands and wives are encouraged to love and enjoy one another
sexually—it is a good thing! But once
sex is outside of marriage a whole host of dangers flood onto the scene: sexually transmitted diseases, genetic
deformities, ruptured friendships, torn families, abuse, depression, deception,
destructive life choices, despair…
Now, lets go back to the Acts 15 scripture and context. Among Gentiles at this time, there were no
prohibitions about food, idols or sexual relations. What I find particularly interesting is that
three aspects of living are addressed: spiritual (idols), physical (eating),
and emotional (sex). [And yes, of course
there is overlap!] The key points
articulated by the Council could cut across all lines of cultural expressions
since they can be applied in all places in all situations. They are not bound by cultural preferences in
kinds of food, language, clothing, music, worship style, etc.
It is interesting also, how they each relate to some of the
pleasures of being alive:
Eating—think of how much we enjoy good food!
Sex—obviously it is a delightful thing…that is why so many
seek it before the proper time!
Worship—creative and intellectual expressions of what we
know and understand…of God!
In addition, they all present an opportunity an a platform
to communicate Truth.
The instructions to abstain from things offered to idols,
from blood,…and from sexual immorality, are unified in that they are
physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy for individuals and communities
at all times, in all places. They not
only serve as tangible reminders of larger truths, but they also foster healthy
living and relationships both for individuals and communities.
Read and Pray: I Corinthians 10:23-33, John
6:53-58, Proverbs 5:15-23, Psalm 16
