A response on the question concerning bloods and eating bloods

Good morning bro.. Hows everything?
Hope all is well.. Anyway..

Patulong naman po sa pagsagot sa verse na to tungkol po sa aral daw na nagbabawal sa pagkain ng dugo at ng halal na karne..

Please take note po ung sinasabi nila na "NO MORE BURDEN TO LAY UPON YOU, EXCEPT THESE NECESSARY THINGS:"

ACTS 15

28 ‘For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, no more burden to lay upon you, except these necessary things:

29 to abstain from things offered to idols, and blood, and a strangled thing, and whoredom; from which keeping yourselves, ye shall do well; be strong!’

Thank you po ng marami!

============•============

Thanks for the question brother. This one requires a lengthy explanation.

Here is my reply:

The prohibition of consuming bloods in Acts 15 must be considered in its proper context. To understand the New Testament we need to look back what the Old Testament says about it.

Why is blood prohibited?

Leviticus 17:11,14 KJV
[11] For the LIFE of the flesh is in the BLOOD: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul. [14] For it is the LIFE OF ALL FLESH; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off."

My comment:

We can see that BLOOD was NOT CONSUMED by the people of God BECAUSE it is said that LIFE IS IN THE BLOOD and is for ATONEMENT of sins.

Let's read some more:

Leviticus 8:15 NASB
[15] Next Moses slaughtered it and took the BLOOD and with his finger put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and PURIFIED the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make ATONEMENT for it." 

Leviticus 5:9 NASB
[9] He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: IT IS A SIN OFFERING."

My comment:

Again, Animal Blood is USED as SIN OFFERINGS. Blood then is GIVEN AND OFFERED TO GOD.

What about in the New Testament? Is the prohibition of BLOOD still applies LIKE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? In light of the CONTEXT of the New Testament ANIMAL BLOODS ARE NO LONGER for sacrifice or has ANY VALUE, nor able to purify us from our sins. Consequently , it follows that these regulations are NO LONGER BINDING or applicable FROM THE TIME when New Covenant instituted.

Jesus said:

International Standard Version
"The Law and the Prophets remained until John. Since then, the good news about the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone entering it is under attack."

Other translation:

NET Bible
"The law and the prophets WERE IN FORCE UNTIL John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it."

My comment:

Christ CLEARLY said that the Law and the prophets were IN FORCE UNTIL JOHN or REMAINED TILL the time of John the Baptist. It follows that regulations concerning offerings, foods and rituals since then is obsolete.

Here is what the inspired writers tells us:

Hebrews 9:10-14 NASB
[10] since they relate ONLY to FOOD and DRINK and various washings, REGULATIONS for the body imposed UNTIL a TIME of reformation. [11] But WHEN Christ APPEARED as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; "

My COMMENT:

The inspired writer IS EMPHATIC that REGULATIONS is no more impose FROM the time of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's continue:
[12] and NOT through the BLOOD of GOATS and CALVES, but through His OWN BLOOD He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. [13] For if the BLOOD of goats and BULLS and the ashes of a heifer SPRINKLING those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, [14] how much more will the BLOOD of CHRIST, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

More verses:

Hebrews 10:9-10 NASB
[9] then He said, "Behold, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He TAKES AWAY the FIRST in order to establish the SECOND. [10] By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ once for all."

Hebrews 10:19 NASB
[19] Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place BY the BLOOD of Jesus

My comment:

We KNOW that eating blood is an OT regulations and is now taken away. The second is the EVERLASTING NEW COVENANT of Christ sealed with his BODY AND BLOOD. The above verses SIMPLY TELLS us that BLOOD OF ANIMALS can no LONGER BE OFFERED as SACRIFICE for our sins. Christ established a NEW COVENANT with HIS OWN BLOOD as THE TRUE SACRIFICE. Therefore the blood of animals ARE ALREADY OBSOLETE and REPLACED with the PERFECT sacrifice of Christ. This in effect release us from REGULATIONS concerning food and drinks which includes eating of animal blood.

How about the directives in Acts 15:29?

Here is the verse:

Acts 15:29 NASB
[29] that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."

Let's place these so called prohibitions on a list:

1. Abstain from FOOD sacrificed to idols.
2. Abstain from blood.
3. Abstain from strangled animals
4. Abstain from fornication.

We should understand that at this juncture the coming of the Gentiles to the Church is a new thing. The first Christians were Jews and when they come together the. Jews were scandalised seeing the Gentiles eating their food as bloods and meat offered to " idols". Also have concerns that maybe the food they offer were not bled or strangled, or was offered to "idols". These ARE BIG NO TO THE JEWS. Thus the first three on the list were meant as NOT TO OFFEND the Jews

Here is what St. Paul said concerning food:

1 Corinthians 10:23-28 NASB
[23] All things are LAWFUL, but NOT ALL things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. [24] Let no one seek his OWN GOOD, but that of his neighbor. [25] EAT ANYTHING that is sold in the meat market WITHOUT asking questions for conscience' sake; [26] for THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS. [27] If one of the UNBELIEVERS invites you and you want to go, EAT anything that is set before you WITHOUT asking questions for conscience' sake."

My comment:

St. Paul is right, and plain. Blood is also sold at the market place and animals may have been killed without draining its blood.

Here is the next verse 28:

[28] But if anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, FOR THE SAKE of THE ONE WHO INFORMED you, and for conscience' sake;"

My comment:

See, it's not that the food was offered to the idols became "EVIL"
Rather it's because it bring scandals to those who are weak in faith. The food remains from God. The blood of animals are no more for the same purpose of sacrifice offerings. St. Paul CONFIRMED that a Christians CAN EAT ANYTHING as the rules about food in the OT is no more binding. A food offered to gods ITSELF is not affected, "gods" in REALITY they do NOT EXIST.

1 Corinthians 8:4 NASB
[4] "Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is NO SUCH THING AS AN IDOL in the world, and that there is no God BUT ONE"

"There is no such thing as idols"

Here are another clear statements from St. Paul:

Romans 14:17-18,20 NASB
[17] for the kingdom of God is not EATING and DRINKING, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. [18] For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. [20] Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. ALL THINGS ARE INDEED CLEAN, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense."

"All things are indeed clean"

1 Corinthians 8:4 NASB
[4] Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is NO SUCH THING AS AN IDOL in the world, and that there is no God BUT ONE."

My comment:

"There is NO such thing AS AN IDOL"

1 Corinthians 10:31-32 KJVS
[31] Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. [32] Give NONE OFFENCE, neither to the JEWS, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:"

My comment:

"Give no offence neither to the Jews" nor to the Gentiles"

Here is Christ own words:

Mark 7:14-16 NASB
[14] After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: [15] there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. [16] [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."]"