Commentary on "Nutrition in the Bible"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 6: Thursday, June 17, 2010 - Diet Today

 

Overview

The theme for today is introduced with this memory verse:

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 14:17 ESV)

Yesterday, we sufficiently covered what today’s diet should be for Christians. Instead, we will look at what scripture has to say, relative to the meaning of this memory verse.

 

Observations

The quarterly lesson begins with this statement:

’As Seventh-day Adventists, we should be very thankful for the counsels we have been given on health. The best medical science affirms the basic principles of the kind of diet we advocate.’

Obviously the lesson author is using ‘the counsels we have’ which are understood to mean the words of Ellen White to modify the above memory verse to reflect Adventist teaching. In the Teacher’s comments the claim is made that many fail to understand the significance of ‘clean and unclean’ meats and then ignore where the bible clearly states that only the Hebrew people were restricted in what they ate based upon which animals are clean or not. The claim is made that the ‘historical context’ is being overlooked.

This is foolishness. The bible and the bible only is our standard of faith and for knowing God’s truth. Ellen’s words, when they contradict the bible, are wrong. If you use history for changing the clear meaning of the bible, it is wrong.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (II Tim. 3:16-17 ESV)

All scripture and the words of Ellen White are two totally different things.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Rev. 22:18-19 ESV)

The book of Revelation is the very words of Jesus Christ, Rev. 1:1. Anyone who claims Ellen is the ‘spirit of prophecy’ is speaking heresy, because this is a title for Jesus Christ and him alone. Anyone who adds to his words, especially the book of Revelation, is in mortal danger of receiving the plagues described in that book. No one who does this has a share in the tree of life.

 

Summary

1. Clearly, Ellen’s ‘Testimonies for the Church’ (the quote in the lesson), where it adds to or takes away from the words and meaning of scripture are vehemently condemned with a person’s very salvation at stake.
2. To return to today’s memory verse, we can be very assured of at least one thing. The gospel message concerning Jesus Christ and the salvation he freely offers us has nothing to do with what we eat or drink. The verse means exactly what it says.

 

GO TO DAY 7

 

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Official Adventist Resources

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