20160713 Wednesday, July 13 2016
Romans 14: The Evolution Of What Humans Eat

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him"

When the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) created humans (see Adam and Adamah and The Thinker From The Soil), their diet consisted entirely of fruit from the trees of the Garden of Eden.

"2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV)

When the first humans became sinners by coveting and stealing the fruit from the one off-limits test of sinlessness tree (that was likely a fig tree, no different than thousands of others that the humans could lawfully take from; see Who Invented Camouflage?), they were put out of the Garden.

The first humans thereafter then also (along with the fruit trees that they could find growing wild; see also The Branches Of A Wild Olive Tree) became vegetable and grain eaters, from the crops that they grew by means of their own hard labor - in an endless battle with weeds (see Who Created Weeds?).

It was that hard toil of the soil that made Cain jealous of his brother Abel. Cain worked to feed the family, while Abel's flocks were used only to clothe ("3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" Genesis 3:21 KJV) the still-vegetarian family.

"3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:17-19 KJV)

"4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." (Genesis 4:1-8 KJV)

Humans continued as vegetarians until after the Flood when Noah and his family became the first omnivorous humans - they ate fruit, vegetables, grains, meat and fish. Coincidentally or not, it was at the very same time that humans became meat and fish eaters (with "clean" and "unclean" dietary laws of health that had nothing to do with "religion"; see the Fact Finder question below) that the LORD reduced the human potential lifespan, from centuries, to a maximum of 120 years. Notice how it is stated - when humans began to eat flesh, their lifespan was reduced "for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."

"6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." (Genesis 6:3 KJV)

"9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat." (Genesis 9:1-4 KJV)

Human diet has been a matter of "religious" controversy for a very long time - even though it is about health, good or bad (see the Fact Finder question below). Some have mis-interpreted Paul's statement, quoted below, that vegetarians are "weak in the faith" - but many very righteous and truly-faithful people, from ancient times to the present day, have been vegetarians e.g. the prophet Daniel was a very healthy and very faithful man: "1:15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. 1:16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." (Daniel 1:15-17 KJV)

Paul was talking about the process of conversion in which people, like growing children, learn from the lessons that are provided to them. As they grow, they learn to walk the Way, "for God is able to make him stand." Punishing or shunning those who are "weak" (i.e. not yet fully developed to adulthood), who are doing the best that they can in the time in which they are, is not the good way of Christian growth.

"14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:1-4 KJV)

So too many other things. It takes time for people to understand and accept the true Sabbath (see Why Observe The True Sabbath?) and the true Christian Holy Days (see The True Christian Holy Days). Rejecting them while they are growing to toward Christian "adulthood" is a Satanic "stumbling block" (see Satan's Sandals) that does nothing other than demonstrate that the haughty one has yet to learn many important lessons for themselves.

"14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 14:11 For it is written,

As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:5-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why did the LORD declare His dietary laws of health?
See What Makes Creatures Clean or Unclean?