Hi I was wanting to know what SDA believed on the sabbath and eating meat.

[HolyRevolution]

Hi i was wanting to know if you were SDA and what you believed on the Sabbath and eating meat.

 

[Jon0388g]

Hi i was wanting to know if you were SDA and what you believed on the Sabbath and eating meat.

Hi HolyRevolution! Welcome to the Seventh-day Adventist Forum!


We believe the Sabbath, or seventh-day of the week, is the day on which God gave a special blessing so we can spend time with Him and rest from our weekly labours and stresses. We also believe it is still a binding law on all of God's people to obey, as it forms a part of God's eternal law, the Ten Commandments. Here is our fundamental belief on the Sabbath:


"The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)"


On eating meat, the SDA church has no official belief. You will find a varying mix of opinion on the subject but Adventists generally believe a vegetarian diet is most preferrable. We also believe that in the last days, the condition of meat (disease, infection, etc) will get so bad that God's people will cease to eat meat altogether. It really isn't very healthy anymore.



Hope this helps, anymore questions?





Jon

 

[mva1985]

I just might add a little clarification that the SDA church wants a person to eat clean meats only.

 

[HolyRevolution]

so the SDA church believe that eating unclean meet is a sin?

 

[TrustAndObey]

so the SDA church believe that eating unclean meet is a sin?

We believe what the Bible says about it, yes.

Eating pig is called an abomination. We follow the Leviticus 11 guidelines.

 

[AzA]

No, the church does not believe that eating any kind of meat, clean or unclean, is a sin. Some people may have developed their own ideas for and against, but the church has not added an eleventh commandment to the Ten.

The Health Ministries department at the world church headquarters makes the following comments: “Israel had been given many laws of sanitation and hygiene, which indicate principles that still have weight today. Similarly, science has found that many of the animals prohibited in the book of Leviticus do carry parasitic diseases and may concentrate toxins by reason of their position in the food chain. ...
In an extreme situation, it would not be a sin to eat an unclean food. But as a general matter of choice it is far better to accept God’s wisdom and advice. The Adventist Church does not require vegetarianism for membership, but strongly advocates the Bible as the guide for a healthy, happy, life.

In other words, it's good sense to think about what you put into your body -- clean or unclean -- in terms of quantity, quality, and preparation. Do your own research and let God bring you to the place He wants you to be. Though there are obvious effects to things like tobacco and stimulants, we don't all respond to everything in exactly the same way. God knows you best; let him guide you.

 

[AzA]

(The source for that quote was Jan Paulsen who is the current president of the world SDA church. The comment is from the Let's Talk broadcast series he has been having around the world with young Adventists.)

 

[HolyRevolution]

My friend goes to a SDA and they say unclean meat is a sin and also says we shouldnt eat meat because health reasons.

 

[TrustAndObey]

My friend goes to a SDA and they say unclean meat is a sin and also says we shouldnt eat meat because health reasons.

I guess it depends on whether or not one considers disobeying God as a sin. Adventists certainly didn't make up the list of clean/unclean meats found in Leviticus 11 (I didn't mean that sarcastically if it sounded that way).

Animal products are the only way you'll get cholesterol in your diet, which is a huge issue in our country right now. It is just plain common sense that a vegetarian lifestyle is healthier, but even then you have to be careful and make sure you're eating foods that provide the important vitamins.

A vegetarian can be a very sick person if they don't eat enough of the RIGHT veggies, beans, etc.

A big issue for vegetarians right now is that animal dung is being used for fertilizer, and we're getting poisoned with salmonella. It's best to go organic (but it's expensive).

 

[TrustAndObey]

HR, I have a funny confession to make that you might appreciate:

I never heard about clean and unclean meats in the church I attended as a child/young adult, so when I decided to read the Bible for myself, I was stumped by these verses:

Genesis 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

I was first stumped by the NUMBER (everybody always says Noah took TWO of each animal, and that's simply not true), but I was also confused about what "clean" meant.

We don't read about the clean and unclean meats until MUCH later in scripture, so I thought a clean animal must mean something like a CAT that bathes itself all the time. And an unclean animal must mean something like a dog that rolls around in dirt and stinky stuff and eats poo.

 

[AzA]

My friend goes to a SDA and they say unclean meat is a sin and also says we shouldnt eat meat because health reasons.

As I earlier, HR, individuals speak according to the understanding they have. But the church organization does not describe food as sinful or teach that food will cost people eternity. When people do that, they're following private convictions, and they are free to do so.

There is value to what people call "wholistic living" -- that's making choices that are good for your whole system... body, mind, spirit. But it's very important to distinguish between poor choices and sin. For example, it's probably a poor choice to disrupt your body clock several times a week -- it'll cost you in concentration and memory powers. But it is not a sin and has no bearing on your salvation.

Do you see the difference?

 

[mva1985]

Polluting the body "temple" is not a sin?

While I would not want to be a stumbling block to others regarding food and drink - we still need to do what is in the best interest of our bodies while trying to remain a good example to others.

 

[HolyRevolution]

I eat clean and unclean meat all the time and I am perfectly healthy. Also I have some Scripture that says that it is ok to eat unclean meat as well.

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

also Colossians 2:16 Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new more, or of the sabbath days:

Romans 14:1-3
1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3Let 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.

please tell me what you guys think or have a different interpretation of these things....

 

[TrustAndObey]

I eat clean and unclean meat all the time and I am perfectly healthy. Also I have some Scripture that says that it is ok to eat unclean meat as well.

Poor eating choices aren’t always something that shows up right away. You’re 17 and I’m sure you are very healthy because your immune system is in top form, but as I mentioned before, cholesterol comes from animal products (only) and that catches up with you as you get older.

My diet consisted of bean dip and chips and Mountain Dew for many years as a youngster (that’s not ALL I ate, but it was a big majority). I’m paying for that now that I’m 30.

9.

It’s like smoking. Smoking rarely ever causes serious health problems for a person until they get older in years. That’s when a person’s immune system deteriorates and they are at greater risk to develop lung cancer, emphysema, etc.

Have you seen the commercials about birth control where they say women shouldn’t take them if they smoke, especially if they’re older than 35? After 35 women are at greater risk to develop blood clots from it and/or have strokes.

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

You have some great questions.

Romans 14 has a sister chapter and it’s 1 Corinthians 8. If you’ll look over that chapter you’ll see that Paul is referring to meat that has been offered to idols.

1 Cr 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

Now notice the same verbage as used in Romans 14, in verse 9 & 10 of 1Cr 8:

9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

also Colossians 2:16 Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new more, or of the sabbath days:

That’s a great verse. Paul says those things are a shadow of what is to come (he said that after Christ’s first coming, death on the cross, resurrection and ascension so those things are a shadow of Christ’s SECOND coming).

We should not judge each other on food or drink. Jesus is our judge, and that’s what the next verses say. The body of Christ can judge us.

There was a time when we could stone each other for violations against those things, but as we know, that is no longer acceptable (thankfully!)

Obviously that doesn’t mean we can’t judge someone by their fruits and if a person drinks alcohol to the point of being drunk, that’s a pretty tough thing to hide. It doesn’t cover what is already discussed in scripture and that is that we should not become drunkards.

Romans 14:1-3
1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3Let 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.

Like I said, Romans 14 is talking about the meat offered up to idols, but again we see that we shouldn’t judge each other either way. None of those verses say an already unclean meat was offered to idols. We already know which meats are the unclean ones from Lev 11.

please tell me what you guys think or have a different interpretation of these things....

I hope I helped explain it. If you have more questions, feel free to ask! Great questions.

 

[AzA]

Polluting the body "temple" is not a sin?

No, it isn't, and the church does not teach that it is. You may believe so, however, and I don't question your freedom to believe it.

While I would not want to be a stumbling block to others regarding food and drink - we still need to do what is in the best interest of our bodies while trying to remain a good example to others.

This is normal good sense.

 

[mva1985]

No, it isn't, and the church does not teach that it is. You may believe so, however, and I don't question your freedom to believe it.

This is normal good sense.

According to my question and your reasoning then smoking is ok.

 

[AzA]

I eat clean and unclean meat all the time and I am perfectly healthy. Also I have some Scripture that says that it is ok to eat unclean meat as well.

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

also Colossians 2:16 Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new more, or of the sabbath days:

Romans 14:1-3
1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3Let 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.

please tell me what you guys think or have a different interpretation of these things....

HR, perhaps you might understand this later, but I'll say it now so you can think about it.

Spiritual uncleaness and physical uncleanness are by no means the same thing. The levitical laws distinguished between them, as did both Jesus and Paul. This is why dirt does not equal sin, why germs do not equal sin, and why cleanliness is not next to godliness. Yet dirt can make us sneeze, germs can make us sick, and a clean environment supports health.

What this means at a practical level is that salmonella might make me violently sick physically, but it has no bearing on my spiritual status or identity. It also means that deliberately or even accidentally eating something contaminated by salmonella would be a poor physical decision but it does not affect the work of Christ on my behalf.

There are many good reasons to avoid certain foods and drinks entirely, and to be moderate with others -- and there was a great, thorough study that came out the other day to support that -- but these are not spiritual issues in and of themselves. Paul said very clearly that the kingdom of heaven is not a matter of food or drink. There are deeper issues at play. Peter's vision in Acts 10 illustrates this by moving the apostle's attention from food to people. The vision doesn't sanctify the food that Peter rejected, nor did it have to, but it did teach him that his relations with people would require him to reconsider how God approached people and how he should therefore treat others. It's still an important issue today.

As always, if there are any changes that God impressess you to make, you should make them. If you have made any commitments to Him, you should keep them. Keep your mind open and He will direct you.

Take care.

 

[AzA]

According to my question and your reasoning then smoking is ok.

It's telling that that's the conclusion you have drawn from what I said.

 

[mva1985]

HR, perhaps you might understand this later, but I'll say it now so you can think about it.

Spiritual uncleaness and physical uncleanness are by no means the same thing. The levitical laws distinguished between them, as did both Jesus and Paul. This is why dirt does not equal sin, why germs do not equal sin, and why cleanliness is not next to godliness. Yet dirt can make us sneeze, germs can make us sick, and a clean environment supports health.

What this means at a practical level is that salmonella might make me violently sick physically, but it has no bearing on my spiritual status or identity. It also means that deliberately or even accidentally eating something contaminated by salmonella would be a poor physical decision but it does not affect the work of Christ on my behalf.

There are many good reasons to avoid certain foods and drinks entirely, and to be moderate with others -- and there was a great, thorough study that came out the other day to support that -- but these are not spiritual issues in and of themselves. Paul said very clearly that the kingdom of heaven is not a matter of food or drink. There are deeper issues at play. Peter's vision in Acts 10 illustrates this by moving the apostle's attention from food to people. The vision doesn't sanctify the food that Peter rejected, nor did it have to, but it did teach him that his relations with people would require him to reconsider how God approached people and how he should therefore treat others. It's still an important issue today.

As always, if there are any changes that God impressess you to make, you should make them. If you have made any commitments to Him, you should keep them. Keep your mind open and He will direct you.

Take care.

By saying this are you advocating alcohol in moderation?

 

[mva1985]

It's telling that that's the conclusion you have drawn from what I said.

I'm curious as to what it tells you?