People who really believe the Bible will sometimes ask us if the Bible doesn’t say that pork is dirty and, therefore, if Christians should eat it. “Now that’s a good question,” as my brother-minister R. C. Sproul says. So let’s go to the Bible and ask, “is eating pork unclean?”.
One of the early names we considered for our ranch was “Thousand Hills Ranch. The idea comes from Psalm 50:10, which says, “All the animals in the forest are Mine, as well as the cattle on a thousand hills.” What a beautiful truth that is! The cattle on a thousand hills belong to God, not anyone else. He created them and they are His. A thousand hills’ worth of cattle belong to the Lord God. So do all the hills’ cattle in the whole world. He also owns all the horses, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, and all the cattle. They are His, too!.
Of course, all animals and plants belong to God. The only reason we humans are allowed to eat them is because God gave us that right. If we read the Bible carefully, we can see that God did give people the right to eat, which is God’s property. At that point, when God made man, He told him, “Look, I have given you every plant on the earth that makes seeds and every tree whose fruit makes seeds. This will be your food” (Genesis 1:29). But, you may ask, I see that God did not give mankind permission to eat meat only plants. Maybe we’re supposed to be vegetarians!.
But let’s not be too hasty. It was only after Noah’s flood that God gave men the privilege of eating flesh. To Noah and his descendants God said, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs” (Genesis 9:3).
So, starting with Noah, both good and bad people were allowed by God to eat flesh, such as meat, fish, and other foods. And not just some kinds of flesh. God said, “every moving thing that lives… all things,” no animals excluded. So, everyone, including Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Twelve Patriarchs, and others, liked eating cows, sheep, goats, and even pork! Abraham eating pork?
A few hundred years later, during Moses’ life, God told the Jews they could no longer eat certain kinds of animals. You can read about these and many other Jewish ceremonial rules about what foods are clean and what foods are not clean in Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11. In Leviticus 11:7, God’s people are told for the first time that they can’t eat pork: “…and the pig, though it splits the hoof, having cloven hooves, but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.” ” This is where and when pork in all its forms (including ham, bacon, sausage, etc. was deemed unclean, along with rabbit and any seafood that doesn’t have fins or scales, like shrimp, lobster, crab, clams, and so on. Jews were to consider all these foods unclean and to totally abstain from them.
All of these ceremonial laws were given to govern the lives of all Jews. For how long? Until God would say otherwise.
God did indeed say otherwise. When Jesus, the Son of God, walked the earth, He said that God had thrown out the Old Testament rules about what foods were clean and what foods were not. In Mark 7:18–19, Jesus tells His disciples, “Do you not understand that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot defile him? For it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is thrown out?” This is how He said that all foods are clean. )” (NAS).
This idea that “all foods” are clean because of Jesus’ work to save people is made even clearer to Peter in the Acts of the Apostles. You may remember that strange event where Peter is praying on top of a house and goes into a trance. He then sees a big sheet full of “all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things (!) and birds of the air” (Acts 10:12). “All kinds” of animals were included—clean as well as unclean. Then God startled Peter, who had always been scrupulously kosher. God commanded Peter to “kill and eat” (Acts 10:13). As I translated Peter’s answer, the Apostle who could get irritable says, “No way, Lord! I’m kosher!” (See verse 14). Peter is reminding God that, since the time of Moses and the ceremonial laws given at Mt. Sinai, it has been a sin for Jews to eat anything which God had declared to be unclean. As if God needed reminding. “What God has declared clean you must not call common” (Acts 10:15). This is a pretty harsh way for God to correct Peter.
That’s the answer to our first question: Is Eating Pork Unclean? It’s still the same answer that was given to Peter all those years ago. What God has declared clean let no man call unclean. And so pork is clean.
On occasion, it has been said that God sent this vision to show that He was calling both Jews and non-Jews to become Christians and cleansing them with the blood of Christ. Of course that is true, but the reason for that is that God has said that Gentile foods, including pork, are clean. And, in addition, God DID say, “kill and eat. ” He was not talking directly about Gentile, but about pigs!.
The Old Testament’s ritual laws have ended with Christ. There are no longer any sacrifices, priests, or rules about keeping things clean. Those “walls” (see Ephesians 2:14–16) that kept Jews and Gentiles apart have been taken down by Christ and His one-time sacrifice. Why would you keep the ceremonial shadows of Christ when the Real One has come? This is something that the author of Hebrews says over and over again.
So, through Christ, Peter and all Christians are free from the rules that the Jews had to follow for ceremonies until Messiah comes. It was okay for Noah, Abraham, and all of God’s people before the Law of Sinai to eat “every moving thing” (Genesis 9:3). Now, through Christ, God’s people have that same freedom again. Christians may eat pork because God has declared it once more to be clean.
Some foods, like pork, were made by God so that people who believe and know the truth would eat them with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:3).
When we Christians finally sit down at table with Abraham, pork may well be on the menu!
Avoiding the Forbidden Flesh: Christian Denominations that Shun Pork
With its juicy, savory flavor, pork remains one of the most widely consumed meats across the globe. However, for a small number of Christian denominations, the consumption of pig flesh is strictly off limits. These groups shun pork based on conservative interpretations of Old Testament scripture and traditional Jewish kosher law.
If you’ve ever wondered why some faithful followers of Christ say no to bacon and ham, read on to learn about the biblical basis for pork avoidance and which Christian sects abstain from swine.
The Biblical Origins of Pork Prohibition
The roots of pork avoidance stem from various verses and passages found in the Old Testament of the Bible. Specifically, Leviticus 11 identifies the pig as an “unclean” animal that was forbidden for consumption under ancient Jewish dietary laws.
Later in Deuteronomy 14 8 the eating of pig flesh is again clearly prohibited. Pork was excluded from the diet along with certain birds, insects, and other creatures deemed impure or unsafe to eat.
These Old Testament food restrictions laid the foundation for traditional kosher Jewish diets that persist today. But how do these ancient prohibitions apply to present-day Christian denominations?
Most Christians believe that Christ’s new covenant of salvation superseded the old Jewish ritual purity laws They cite Mark 7 19 where Christ declares all foods clean and Acts 10 where Peter is told not to call any food impure
However, some conservative Christian groups have continued to apply the Old Testament ban on pork, believing it still holds spiritual significance today. Let’s explore some of the major denominations that choose to abstain.
Major Christian Denominations that Avoid Pork
Seventh-Day Adventists
One of the best-known Christian groups that avoid pork are Seventh-day Adventists. This Protestant denomination encourages vegetarian diets and abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine as part of a doctrine of health and wellbeing.
They avoid pork, shellfish, and other “unclean” meats prohibited in Leviticus as part of leading a holy life. For Adventists, these verses remain direct commands from God rather than merely symbolic ancient rituals.
Hebrew Christians/Sacred Name Movement
Another segment of Christians that abstain from pork are those identifying as Hebrew Christians or members of the Sacred Name Movement.
These groups emphasize adherence to Old Testament laws including kosher dietary restrictions. They believe Christians today must still observe biblical holy days, Sabbath-keeping, and avoidance of forbidden foods like pork to properly follow God’s word.
Holiness Movement Churches
Some denominations within the conservative Holiness Movement also prohibit pork consumption as part of their strict doctrine of personal holiness and piety.
They interpret Leviticus’ designation of pigs as “unclean” to be a continuing divine decree. Refraining from swine is part of living righteously under higher standards of Christian obedience.
Other Fringe Sects
Beyond these larger denominations, various legalistic micro-sects prohibit pork among other “worldly” foods and pleasures. Fringe Amish, Mennonite, and Pietist offshoots may also follow traditional Jewish kosher law including pork avoidance.
For these groups, abstaining from pork demonstrates their exceptional degree of spiritual commitment in following a higher path of righteousness.
Ongoing Theological Debates Over Pork Avoidance
While most mainstream Christian churches do not prohibit pork today, its avoidance continues to spur debate among theologians, historians, and biblical scholars. Let’s examine two of the key points of contention.
Applicability of Old Testament Ritual Laws
Central to the pork debate is the unsettled question of which Old Testament laws apply to Christians today. Conservative groups emphasize that Old Testament verses clearly ban swine flesh as an abomination.
They argue God’s pronouncements cannot simply be dismissed as outdated rituals. If Christians selectively obey scripture, they may jeopardize their salvation.
Others counter that Christians are not bound by Old Testament ritual purity laws specifically intended only for ancient Israelites. They argue we must consider the broader context of Christ’s new covenant of grace.
Potential Health Concerns
Some theologians have proposed that the prohibited meats in Leviticus were designated “unclean” partly for health reasons. Pork spoils quickly in warm climates and trichinosis from undercooked pork can be deadly.
Thus, God may have banned pork consumption to protect the ancient Israelites from foodborne illnesses in the times before refrigeration.
If so, perhaps there could still be wisdom in continuing to avoid pork today, beyond any symbolic spiritual meaning.
Conclusion
While most Christian denominations wholeheartedly welcome bacon, ham, and pork chops to the dinner table, a small minority of conservative groups continue to prohibit pork based on Old Testament scripture.
This illustrates how biblical interpretations can diverge significantly based on denomination, with no consensus on which ancient laws remain applicable today.
Regardless of whether or not they eat pulled pork sandwiches, the unifying factor for all Christians remains a faith built on God’s grace and love.
Grass-fed beef, pastured pork, pastured chicken, pastured eggs, pastured turkey.
People who really believe the Bible will sometimes ask us if the Bible doesn’t say that pork is dirty and, therefore, if Christians should eat it. “Now that’s a good question,” as my brother-minister R. C. Sproul says. So let’s go to the Bible and ask, “is eating pork unclean?”.
One of the early names we considered for our ranch was “Thousand Hills Ranch. The idea comes from Psalm 50:10, which says, “All the animals in the forest are Mine, as well as the cattle on a thousand hills.” What a beautiful truth that is! The cattle on a thousand hills belong to God, not anyone else. He created them and they are His. A thousand hills’ worth of cattle belong to the Lord God. So do all the hills’ cattle in the whole world. He also owns all the horses, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, and all the cattle. They are His, too!.
Of course, all animals and plants belong to God. The only reason we humans are allowed to eat them is because God gave us that right. If we read the Bible carefully, we can see that God did give people the right to eat, which is God’s property. At that point, when God made man, He told him, “Look, I have given you every plant on the earth that makes seeds and every tree whose fruit makes seeds. This will be your food” (Genesis 1:29). But, you may ask, I see that God did not give mankind permission to eat meat only plants. Maybe we’re supposed to be vegetarians!.
But let’s not be too hasty. It was only after Noah’s flood that God gave men the privilege of eating flesh. To Noah and his descendants God said, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs” (Genesis 9:3).
So, starting with Noah, both good and bad people were allowed by God to eat flesh, such as meat, fish, and other foods. And not just some kinds of flesh. God said, “every moving thing that lives… all things,” no animals excluded. So, everyone, including Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Twelve Patriarchs, and others, liked eating cows, sheep, goats, and even pork! Abraham eating pork?
A few hundred years later, during Moses’ life, God told the Jews they could no longer eat certain kinds of animals. You can read about these and many other Jewish ceremonial rules about what foods are clean and what foods are not clean in Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11. In Leviticus 11:7, God’s people are told for the first time that they can’t eat pork: “…and the pig, though it splits the hoof, having cloven hooves, but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.” ” This is where and when pork in all its forms (including ham, bacon, sausage, etc. was deemed unclean, along with rabbit and any seafood that doesn’t have fins or scales, like shrimp, lobster, crab, clams, and so on. Jews were to consider all these foods unclean and to totally abstain from them.
All of these ceremonial laws were given to govern the lives of all Jews. For how long? Until God would say otherwise.
God did indeed say otherwise. When Jesus, the Son of God, walked the earth, He said that God had thrown out the Old Testament rules about what foods were clean and what foods were not. In Mark 7:18–19, Jesus tells His disciples, “Do you not understand that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot defile him? For it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is thrown out?” This is how He said that all foods are clean. )” (NAS).
This idea that “all foods” are clean because of Jesus’ work to save people is made even clearer to Peter in the Acts of the Apostles. You may remember that strange event where Peter is praying on top of a house and goes into a trance. He then sees a big sheet full of “all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things (!) and birds of the air” (Acts 10:12). “All kinds” of animals were included—clean as well as unclean. Then God startled Peter, who had always been scrupulously kosher. God commanded Peter to “kill and eat” (Acts 10:13). As I translated Peter’s answer, the Apostle who could get irritable says, “No way, Lord! I’m kosher!” (See verse 14). Peter is reminding God that, since the time of Moses and the ceremonial laws given at Mt. Sinai, it has been a sin for Jews to eat anything which God had declared to be unclean. As if God needed reminding. “What God has declared clean you must not call common” (Acts 10:15). This is a pretty harsh way for God to correct Peter.
That’s the answer to our first question: Is Eating Pork Unclean? It’s still the same answer that was given to Peter all those years ago. What God has declared clean let no man call unclean. And so pork is clean.
On occasion, it has been said that God sent this vision to show that He was calling both Jews and non-Jews to become Christians and cleansing them with the blood of Christ. Of course that is true, but the reason for that is that God has said that Gentile foods, including pork, are clean. And, in addition, God DID say, “kill and eat. ” He was not talking directly about Gentile, but about pigs!.
The Old Testament’s ritual laws have ended with Christ. There are no longer any sacrifices, priests, or rules about keeping things clean. Those “walls” (see Ephesians 2:14–16) that kept Jews and Gentiles apart have been taken down by Christ and His one-time sacrifice. Why would you keep the ceremonial shadows of Christ when the Real One has come? This is something that the author of Hebrews says over and over again.
So, through Christ, Peter and all Christians are free from the rules that the Jews had to follow for ceremonies until Messiah comes. It was okay for Noah, Abraham, and all of God’s people before the Law of Sinai to eat “every moving thing” (Genesis 9:3). Now, through Christ, God’s people have that same freedom again. Christians may eat pork because God has declared it once more to be clean.
“What God has declared clean you must not call common” (Acts 10:15).
Some foods, like pork, were made by God so that people who believe and know the truth would eat them with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:3).
When we Christians finally sit down at table with Abraham, pork may well be on the menu!
Is it a SIN to eat PORK? || What does the BIBLE say about eating PORK?
FAQ
Do baptist Christians eat pork?
Why do Catholics not eat pork?
Which Christians do not eat meat?
What do Pentecostals eat?
Which Christian religions don’t eat pork?
To learn more about which Christian religions don’t eat pork and why, keep reading! Traditions: Some Christian religions abstain from pork as part of their cultural and religious traditions. For example, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the Rastafari movement all avoid pork consumption.
Is pork a Christian food?
Within most of the culture of gentiles, pork was a common food. So, limitations in the Bible were canceled and justification was found through interpretation. It was accepted in most denominations. But there are Christian denominations where the whole Bible accepted. There are no contradictions like eating pork.
Does Judaism eat pork?
However, some Christian denominations, such as the Seventh-day Adventist Church, consider pork taboo, along with other foods forbidden by Jewish law. The avoidance of pork in Judaism and Islam is a primary food rule and a way of maintaining religious identity.
Does the Church of God eat pork?
The Church of God (Seventh Day) is a Protestant Christian denomination that believes in observing the Sabbath on Saturday and abstaining from unclean meats, including pork, based on biblical teachings.