This morning as I was frying my breakfast bacon, I was thinking about allΒ the Christians who pass on this tasty treat due to the Lawβs prohibition.Β Despite Paulβs declaration that we are not under the Law (Rom. 6:15), and hisΒ assurance that βevery creature of God is goodβ (I Tim. 4:4), these dear brethrenΒ remain convinced that βthe swineβ¦is uncleanβ (Lev. 11:7).
If this is your religious conviction, we would invite you to consider the reasonΒ God determined that pork was unclean. After God instructed Peter to eat someΒ unclean animals (Acts 10:9-16), you would think that he would say: βGod showedΒ me that I should not call any animal unclean.β Instead, he testified that God hadΒ showed him βthat I should not call any man common or uncleanβ (Acts 10:28).Β You see, Peter understood that the only reason God made certain meats uncleanΒ was to teach Israel that certain people were unclean: the Gentiles.
ββ¦I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. Ye shallΒ therefore put difference between clean beasts and uncleanβ¦β (Lev. 20:24,25).
We know that those who hold that pork is still unclean would never say thatΒ any people are still unclean, and so we invite all who hold this view to recognizeΒ the symbolism that Peter understood and acknowledged, and rejoice withΒ us that in the dispensation of Godβs grace there are no foodsβor peopleβthatΒ are unclean in Godβs sight. source
[β¦] would somebody please pass the bacon! [β¦]