Pork: Is It Ok For Christians To Eat?

Certain Old Testament dietary restriction prohibit the eating of pork. It is understood by many modern persons to mean it is improper to eat pork today.

The Old Testament consists of three sets of laws. This fact needs to be considered in relating to a number of differences in the Old Testament era and today.

Civil law governed the nation. It was right for the time. We now have different civil laws and they are of the Lord and right for our time. Various acts in the Old Testament era were punishable by death. Parental disobedience being one. If that were practiced today it would greatly reduce the population. Homosexuality was punishable by stoning. Critics of advocates of a Christian culture are quick to focus on these civil laws.

Ceremonial law related to sacrifices, hygiene, and diet. It is in this grouping that restrictions on pork are included. In Peter’s vision at Joppa he refused to eat “all kinds of four-footed beast, creeping things, and birds” which came down in a sheet. “Beast” translated the Greek word TETRAPOUS, meaning creatures for slaughter.

The voice then spoke to Peter and said, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Moral law included spiritual values and is still applicable. The first two types of law are no longer applicable.

Pigs that are marketed today do not live in filth and eat slop as they did in the Old Testament era. Then they ate basically carrion and were carriers of disease and parasites. It was eaten at the risk of one’s life. Today pigs are raised on concrete floors and few a balanced wholesome diet. Likewise, catfish are pond raised and fed. They are no longer scavengers.

This is the Biblical line of logic employed by those who do eat pork.