MEATS THAT ARE GOOD by H. H. Burkholder

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 11, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 19.

MEATS THAT ARE GOOD.

By H. H. Burkholder

"Now THE Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer."

Dr. Wm. Smith, in his dictionary of the Bible, says of this word: "Meat.—It does not appear that the word 'meat' is used in one instance in the Authorized Version of either the Old or New Testaments in the sense which it now almost exclusively bears of animal food. The latter is denoted uniformly by flesh."

Now what about the statement that "every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused"? Doesn't the word "creature" here mean animals? I answer, No. Why?—Because I can not find any scripture that tells me that God created animals for any such purpose. The warning of the apostle is against those who command to abstain from food which God created to be received, which, as we have found does not include flesh. The products of the earth have been sanctified by the Word of God—set apart for the use of man; but no such record can be found in favor of a flesh diet. It is true the use of flesh food has been permitted as a result of sin. God has permitted many things since the fall because of man's lust and hardness of heart. Matt. 19:8 furnishes us an example: "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so."

—H. H. Burkholder, in Welcome Visitor.