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. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing
to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Today, we see these signs of
the times that the Holy Spirit revealed through Paul: people are forbidding
young people to marry. The common philosophy is wait till you’ve been on your
own a while, gone to college and been independent, then get married in your mid
to late twenties or even early thirties. This is causing a huge birth decline
in our country and possibly even being a large contributor to divorce (since
people expect to be independent and married instead of sacrificing their own
desires for their spouse). In addition, many choose to simply co-habitate as
opposed to marriage.
Likewise, new “diets” and health
plans are everywhere forbidding people to eat this and that. What does God have
to say about all of it: everything (food) God created is to be received with
thanksgiving and prayer—it sanctified (made holy). Now I am not saying that
someone with a food allergy should eat what causes an allergic reaction, what I
am saying is that we do not need to raise questions of conscience about
everything we eat. Today, many are so concerned and worried about their heath
that they cannot really enjoy their food. As a matter of fact, when one is
constantly stressed out, bitter, or questioning, it has harmful affects on the
body: osteoporosis, ulcers, anxiety disorders, insomnia, etc… God’s Word
reveals that these things will happen, mostly through the Proverbs, and medical
science has caught up with the truth of God’s Word today to see that how people
perceive things really does affect them. As I read one doctor say some time ago
in a Bible Study text, “It isn’t what you eat, but what eats you.”
Receive your food with thankfulness and
joy! It is consecrated, it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. God
Himself told Peter to go, kill, and eat snakes, pigs, and other “unclean
animals” (Acts). And do not fall prey to the commands of men regarding
marriage. Follow the Lord, if you seek Him and Wisdom, He will mature you and
guide you to the woman (or man if you are a woman) that you are too marry. He
will give you understanding. Follow the Lord!
1
Tim 4:3-5 (KJV)
