What Defiles a Man - Day 51 Through the Bible

Many organic farms surround Mt. Celo Church.  A highlight of  living in this area is the wonderful fresh produce that can be purchased at our Farmers Market on Town Square in our historic hometown, Burnsville, NC

One of My Gleanings from the Readings 

Food /  Obedience to God / Holiness - The Levitical commandments regarding pure and impure food leave us in a quandary.  Most of us know about Peter's vision and God's revelation to him that all foods under the New Covenant are acceptable (Acts 10:10-16) But Jesus...when He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man". (Matthew 15:10-11) Of course, this is speaking of the power of words, for destruction, again. (see Post for Day 48)  Most of us familiar with the Bible, will also immediately think of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 when we read these OT dietary commands:  "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."  While the preceding NT verses speak specifically to sexual immorality, it is clear in the ones quoted above that there are implications for the care of the body - which is God's, not ours - and is the sacred temple of the Holy Spirit.  The Mark reading also deals with food and OT law and finds the disciples gathering grain to eat on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees declare this Scripturally unlawful as well, according to the OT.  Jesus says, " The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

My Lessons and Applications - I am under the New Covenant.  While this precludes the OT separation of certain foods (just as the Israelites were called to be separate - holy vs. unholy and failed in this as well), I have a new, stricter commandment - to glorify God in my body and my spirit, which belong to God through Christ's blood atonement.  Do I view my body as holy to God?  Does this impact my choices..diet, drugs (illegal or legal), sexual purity, exercise and care of the body?  Am I slovenly or overly concerned with my body?  And to the spiritual...am I feeding my soul and spirit with the Word of God, in constant communion with Him?  Proverbs 10:3 from today's reading:  "The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked."  As with so much of Christ's teaching, He delves deeper into the principle underlying commands - the spirit of the law - the true meanings and purpose - holiness, drawing near to God, separate from the world's ways.  Matthew 6:25, 32-33  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.