Gospel passage : And he (Jesus) said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
(Mark 7:18-23 ESV)
(Mark 7:18-23 ESV)
Fried foods. White bread. White sugar. Creamy salad dressing. T-bone steaks. Prime rib. Double cheeseburgers. Ham sandwiches. Lobster. Beer. Wine. Coffee. Coke. Marlboros. Cubans.
Is it a sin to eat red meat? Ham? Crawfish? Is it a sin to drink a Budweiser or a Blue Moon? Is it sinful to enjoy a cup or two of coffee in the morning? Or smoke a big Churchill cigar? Or let me ask the question this way: Does a rare to medium rare rib eye steak, a ham and Swiss sandwich, or a cigarette defile you – pollute you -- so that you can’t stand before God? Lots of religious people say, “YES!”
Or let me put it another way: does abstaining from all these foods, drinks, or leafy products – make you clean -- improve your standing before the almighty? Get you closer to the kingdom? Or bring the kingdom to you? Many people categorically declare, “YES!” In Jesus’ day they were the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Today, there is still Kingdom of God food and drink regulation people! Food and Drink Police!
However, the modern day god of the food and drink police is an idol! A make believe god! A self-invented deity! Its name? Well, it is just like Valdemort – a “he who must not be named!” – kind of idol! But I will name it! I call this idol: The Elite Community of Central Planners! ECCP for short! And this idol is a beast!......
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