[Steve Myers] There's an interesting passage that concerns God's food laws. Someone asked me about this just the other day. It's in 1 Timothy 4, and in verse 4, it says something that could sound a little confusing at first. It says, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it's received with thanksgiving." So this person was asking, "Well, does that mean that I can eat anything I want? And as long as I pray about it, and I'm thankful for it, that it's okay. So I can eat pork or shrimp or whatever it may be. And as long as I'm thankful, it's good." \

Now, when you deal with passages like 1 Timothy 4:4, what we have to keep in mind is look at the context. Read around that particular verse to find out what exactly is it talking about?

Well, it's interesting, before this, not a word about God's food laws... In fact, it's not even talking about food. Then it's interesting if you read the very next verse. The very next verse says this, "It is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer." Well, food is sanctified by the Word of God. Well, what does that mean? Sanctify means set apart, set apart from other things, and set apart for a purpose. So from something and for something.

Well, what is food that's sanctified set apart by the Word of God? Well, God's very clear on that. That's where we'd have to look to Leviticus 11 and you look at Deuteronomy 14. That's where the Word of God sets apart food that's good to eat.

So don't let these tricky passages fool you. Remember the context. Remember we explain unclear passages by the clear ones. And it is very clear, God has sanctified certain foods that are good for us to eat, and we can find them in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.

That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.