Bloody Paul!

[Epistemes]

The Israelites were instructed by God not to eat the blood of any animal:

*“Wherever you dwell, you shall not partake of any blood, be it of bird or of animal. Every person who partakes of any blood shall be cut off from his people.” *
(Leviticus 7:26-27)

And it is again emphasized in the New Testament, in a letter from Paul and Barnabas:

*"‘It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’" * (Acts 15:28-29)

This is the same Paul who stated that we are set free from the Law by faith. Why this discrepancy? And should Christians adhere to this principle?

 

[RNRobert]

I think the Council of Jerusalem wanted to avoid giving scandal to the Jewish Christians, which was why they said to avoid blood and meat sacrificed to idols.

Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, said it was ok to eat meat offered to idols as long as they avoided giving offense to their weaker brothers and sisters.

 

[Della]

I think the Council of Jerusalem wanted to avoid giving scandal to the Jewish Christians, which was why they said to avoid blood and meat sacrificed to idols.

Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, said it was ok to eat meat offered to idols as long as they avoided giving offense to their weaker brothers and sisters.

Yes, this was a disciplinary matter, not one of doctrine or dogma.

Epistemes, disciplines can be changed, and often have been down through the centuries. What does not change is doctrine or dogma (dogma is only doctrine defined as necessary to believe).

It is good to understand that there are four divisions for faith and morals-- the “four D’s”: dogma, doctrine, discipline, and devotion. Disciplines and devotions are the only ones that change or can be changed.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Any dietary restrictions are purely disciplinary in nature since Jesus declared all foods clean.

17And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him, 18 since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) (Mark 7:17-18)