Neither Jesus nor Peter ate unclean animals, so if you teach otherwise you are departing from Christianity

Answer:

I see that you are a Messianic Jew as well someone who thinks the middle of the United States is merely somewhere to fly over. I'm sure the nearly one million residents of the Omaha region are smiling at how little you know.

Unable to support your position that the Old Testament laws have been done away with (See "Why We Don't Follow the Old Testament" for details), you create artificial divisions. You claim to accept Jesus's words -- the ones in red letters in some editions, but you reject the rest of the words written by the same author; thus, you declare that you don't believe in the inspiration of the Bible. It is humorous how a person can except quotes of Jesus as accurate, but when the same Holy Spirit tells us additional information, you reject it.

The fact remains that you can't have it both ways. Peter stated, "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:19-21). Peter is saying that the words, such as "And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.)" (Mark 7:18-19) are not man's opinions, but words revealed by the Holy Spirit. It is this word that makes people Christians, it is this word that endures. "'But the word of the LORD endures forever.' Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you" (I Peter 1:25).

Paul said the same thing: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17). You are in no position to sit in judgment of the Holy Spirit, to dictate which passages you will accept and which you will reject. Because you seek to alter God's word, you bring a curse upon yourself. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:8-10).

Yes, Jesus lived under the Old Testament law, but he taught that its days were limited and that his new law would replace it. Mark 7:18-19 is just one example of the changes. That change took place with his death on the cross, "having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14). The apostles, led by the Holy Spirit, taught us only what Jesus wanted to be taught. "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13-14). Thus, Jesus (in the red letters) declared that the rest of the apostle and prophets' writings (in the black letters) belonged to him as well. So playing games of "division" doesn't work. "Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (I Corinthians 1:12-13). "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?" (I Corinthians 3:5).

"Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?" (Galatians 2:11-14).

Notice that Peter did eat with the Gentiles and Paul pointed out that he lived in the manner of the Gentiles, though he was a Jew. Therefore your argument doesn't hold water. (And by the way, nothing in the passage said it was over the food eaten -- you inserted that bit of personal, uninspired commentary.)

But even more interesting is that this same Peter said of Paul, "Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures" (II Peter 3:14-16). Peter calls Paul's writings a part of the Scriptures. Peter is saying that Paul was an inspired writer.

That would include Paul's telling Christians that the Old Testament laws no longer apply. "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ" (Colossians 2:13-17). Yet, despite Paul's command, you place yourself in the judgment seat of Christians, saying they must keep the very things Paul said were gone.

If that wasn't clear enough: "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" (I Timothy 4:1-5). The concept of clean and unclean food was not carried over into Christianity. People who make artificial distinctions between the meats a Christian may eat and declare that some may not be eaten are following after the teachings of demons.

When people, like the Messianic Jews, try to bind the Old Law upon Christians, they condemn themselves. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:1-4).