DIETARY LAWS IN THE 
NEW COVENANT ASSEMBLY

When the laws of clean and unclean meats are mentioned, most people say, "Those were part of the old Law of Moses and it was nailed to the cross!" Unaware of what they are doing, they are ready to climb upon that Dear Old Rugged Cross, which they sing about, and enthusiastically hammer the nails to those old dietary laws to make sure they stay up there. What makes anyone think that YAHWEH would let his laws that are for his people’s good health be nailed to a cross? Why is there so much objection to eating only what YAHWEH'S word sanctifies for his people’s good health and holiness? Is the lust of the flesh to be obeyed instead of YAHWEH? Leviticus, chapter eleven, is very specific regarding which meats YAHWEH sanctifies and which ones he does not. In verses 44 & 45, YAHWEH gives the reason for the dietary laws. It is because he wants those who love him to be holy as he is holy.

Lev. (44) For I am YAHWEH your Elohim: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

It was a holy thing to eat what YAHWEH said was to be eaten and to reject what he said to reject. What could have possibly changed that? YAHWEH classified the flesh that HE created to be eaten as "clean" while all other flesh that HE created was for an entirely different purpose. The other flesh HE classified as "unclean" or not fit to be eaten by holy human beings. If one was to make a study of unclean animals, he would find that each one of them is a part of YAHWEH'’ environmental sanitation system. When left in the natural without the human race's so-called "progress," the system is absolutely perfect. A whole book could be written on that subject without scratching the surface in that field.

The messages YAHWEH gave through visions were usually shown with parables. YAHshua usually taught with parables, which were illustrations projecting a message. The story was not to be taken literally, but rather was merely a method of simplifying the message by using familiar objects and actions to convey the message being taught. Many people have taken some of these parables literally. In taking the parables literally, they miss the message in the parable. This is the case with the parable shown in a vision that is recorded in the book of Acts. It is mistakenly interpreted to mean that YAHWEH had his dietary laws that were for his people, not against them, nailed to the cross. At the time the men came for Kefa, he did not know what the vision meant, but he did know by the time he arrived at Cornelius's house. The meaning of the vision is very clear. YAHWEH was telling Kefa (Peter) not to call the Gentiles unclean anymore because he was also calling them into his grace. YAHWEH was not telling Kefa that he was sanctifying unclean meat to be eaten!

Acts 10 (17) Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, … (28) And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but YAHWEH hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Some people think that YAHshua’s answer to the scribes and Pharisees did away with the dietary laws that are for the good health and holiness of YAHWEH'S people. In verse two, they are asking YAHshua why the disciples do not wash their hands before they eat. YAHshua used their little fault-finding question to show their wickedness and hypocrisy. He answered with a parable about a little DIRT, not unclean food, passing through the body'’ digestive system. The dirt was removed in the bodily waste. This illustrates that when one is tempted with evil (dirt) and overcomes the temptation, he is cleansed of it. If one dwells on the things that tempts him, he will eventually yield to it and defile himself. That is what defiles one, not the little fault-finding hand-washing they were complaining about.

Mat. 15 (I) Then came to YAHshua scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, (2) Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. …. (10) And He called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: (11) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Mat. 15 (15) Then answered Peter and said unto Him, Declare unto us this parable. (16) And YAHshua said, Are ye also yet without understanding? (17) Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? (18) But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. (19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (20) These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

In the early New Covenant Congregation, there was no problem regarding which flesh was forbidden to eat. The problem concerned whether or not the food was unclean if it had been sacrificed to idols and devils before it was sold in the market place. The situation in I Corinthians 10:14-33 is the same as in Romans chapter 14. Please read both chapters with an open mind and with a desire for the truth. The situation in both chapters is concerning the contents of the following quotation.

I Cor. (25) Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: (26) For the earth is YAHWEH'S, and the fulness thereof. (27) If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (28) But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is YAHWEH'S, and the fulness thereof: (29) Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? (30) For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? (31) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of YAHWEH [How could one eat to the glory of YAHWEH by eating that which YAHWEH said was not to be eaten?]. (32) Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Assembly of YAHWEH:

Contrary to popular teaching, the following verses do not void YAHWEH'S dietary laws for his people.

I Tim. 4 (I) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (3) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which YAHWEH hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (4) For every creature of YAHWEH is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: (5) For it is sanctified by the word of YAHWEH and prayer.

Verse three concerns meats which YAHWEH created to be eaten with thanksgiving. In the eleventh chapter of Leviticus, YAHWEH'S word states what he created to be eaten with thanks-giving for good health and holiness. It tells which meats are sanctified by the creator. The Creator should know which meats HE created to be eaten by the human race. Unclean animals, when left in their natural environment, still serve the same purpose that YAHWEH had planned for them when he created them. They are a part of the most perfect environmental sanitation system this world has ever known. If every creature is good to eat, as the translators make it appear, is the flesh of man good to eat? He is a creature. For Genesis 2:7 states, "And YAHWEH ELOHIM formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into HIS nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.". The Hebrew word used for "soul" is "nephesh," meaning a breathing creature (See Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible or any other reliable Hebrew Lexicon.)

One thing needs to be made very clear. The people of YAHWEH should NOT condemn others for eating unclean meat. However, one should be reminded that YAHWEH still wants HIS people to be holy, and that everyone will receive the things done in his body "according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad."

II Cor. 5 (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.