There have been some strange beliefs about food. Some still hold onto Old Covenant restrictions that no longer exist in the New Covenant. Jesus said, “Food doesn’t go into your heart but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes” (Mark 7:18-19).

Peter had a vision of a sheet descending from Heaven, holding unclean animals forbidden to every Jew. A voice said to Peter, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.” Peter explained his actions to the leaders in Jerusalem, who were offended when they heard that he had entered a Gentile home and even ate with them. He recounted the word of the Lord: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean” (Acts 10:15-16; 11:9). 

Paul wrote, “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer” (I Timothy 4: 1-4).

Jesus told His disciples to eat what was set before them: “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you” (Luke 10:8). Jesus has set us free in all things, and it’s in that freedom that we are free to minister the love of Jesus.