Hi Father,
I saw that your organization's web address was on the back of a
pamphlet that I recently read. I wanted to share my worldview about the
vegetarian/Christian question. I apologize in advance for the length of this
email and my tendency to stray from the stated goals of your organization.
This email is in response to the pamphlet: "What Would Jesus Eat...Today?" Questions And Answers About Christianity and Vegetarianism.
Genesis 1
29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.
31Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
These verses refer to God's creation before sin entered the earth. Notice that the animals and the human were instructed to be vegetarians.
The first humans lived in a perfect world with a perfect creation where there was no physical death or genetic alterations in any of the genetic codes. This perfect creation was in harmony with God's declaration that what he created was "very good". Man was created in "the image and likeness of God". This includes (but not limited to) exercising the ability to make free moral decisions. When presented with the choice to be obedient to God, the first humans missed the mark (or sinned). At this particular point in time and space, imperfection (or sin) entered into the physical universe (entropy began at this point) and also into mankind's mind and will.
Sin permanently separates a Holy (perfect) God and a fallen (imperfect creation. If sin can be removed, then a restored relationship between all parties (God/man/creation) is the outcome and the original sentiment of God pronouncing his creation "very good" still apply.
These first humans procreated and had kids and these kids had kids etc. This means that the first humans' offspring of male and female procreated with each other. Since the gene pool was almost entirely free of imperfection these acts of "incest" were permitted. Subsequently human beings populated the earth. After a period of time had elapsed there was a great flood in which all but a handful of human beings survived (plus some animals that had been intentionally saved). After the flood had occurred God gave the human beings instructions on what to do.
Genesis 9
God's Promise to Noah
1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth.[1]2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.
3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you
all things, even as the green herbs.4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.
Notice the statement "the life is in the blood". God is the lifegiver of all creation, thus that which animates all human and animal life is the oxygen and energy delivering substance of blood. Blood gives life and God owns it.
Restored relationship between perfect Creator and imperfect creation can be achieved only when sin is removed from the equation. This is possible when a perfect blood sacrifice (propitiation) is given as a ransom or as a payment of a demanded price.
The following scriptures are lengthy but they explain in detail how the Creator of the universe condescended into time/space and "became flesh and dwelt among us" and became the propitiation that removes the sin problem from our equation.
The Heavenly Sanctuary
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,[1] with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Greatness of Christ's Sacrifice
23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another--
26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
There will be a time when all of creation will be brought back into perfection and all things will be reconciled back to God. ie: The lion will lie with the lamb.
Romans 8
From Suffering to Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
This too is my hope and my faith and my life. I look forward to this and I am assured of it. You can look forward to this too.
Romans 10: 9-10 states:
"If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved".
Honestly turn from your sins and put 100% of your trust in Jesus Christ and he will completely reconcile you to God and you will enter into a relationship with your creator and sustainer.
Thanks for reading this,
James Hetherington
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