Page 112 - Laying Down the Law

Speaking specifically of foods, (see verse 13) Paul declares the following:

Romans 14:14-15
I know and am convinced by the Lord Yahshua that there is
nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean,
to him it is unclean.

I Corinthians 8:8
But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if
we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.

In these last words of Paul, we find an echo of the verse we looked at in the
previous post. “Neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision availeth anything, but a
new creation.” We are neither the worse if we do not eat (circumcision, keeping the
Law), nor the better if we do eat (uncircumcision, free from the Law). As Yahshua
declared, what enters the mouth does not defile the man. On the other hand, eating
“holy” foods does not make the man righteous.
This chapter would not be complete unless I spoke of the role of the Spirit as it
pertains to diet. If man is freed from the Law, but fails to come under the rule of the
Spirit of Christ, he is lawless. The fact that God has given only the prohibition against
eating blood to those who are in Christ, does not imply that man is to be self-directed
in what he eats.
The very beginning of Christ’s ministry began with His Father, through the
indwelling Spirit, giving His Son instructions relating to food consumption. The
Father told His Son that He was to fast from all food for forty days. If Christ were led
of the Law of Moses, He could have argued that Moses permitted a man to eat food
daily. As long as clean foods were chosen, there was no necessity for Him to fast.
Christ was not led by the Law, but by the Spirit. His Father revealed His will to be that
Christ fast for forty days, so obedience required submission to this revelation.
As sons of God, we too will find the Father giving us specific instructions
regarding our diet. Sometimes He will lead us to fast. Other times He will direct us
to avoid certain foods, or add certain foods to our diet. Some years ago when I was
very much overweight, the Father instructed me to cut out the fats and sugars from
my diet. The Law of Moses says nothing regarding sugar, but the Spirit is able to
speak to us specifically, guiding each individual perfectly.
The Father has disciplined me much in the area of eating, for I had appetites that
were unrestrained most of my life. I know that my Father has an interest in what I eat.
He has an opinion in the matter, and I do well to seek to know His thoughts and to
abide by them.
Just because the saint has no written code today to instruct him in what to eat,
does not imply that Yahweh has no instruction to give in the matter. Our instruction
comes from a different channel. We are instructed by the Spirit who was given to
indwell us. The following principle is given to the body of Christ.