This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page. What does it mean to eat Biblically clean? Why have some Christians chosen to follow the Bible’s dietary instructions? And weren’t the dietary laws done away with through Jesus’s death and resurrection?
These are common questions, especially for Christians beginning to explore the Hebraic roots of their faith.
For some believers, studying Scripture from a Hebraic perspective leads to changes in the way they live, including what they eat. They begin following the dietary instructions God gave in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
This can be confusing to Christians who have been taught that the Biblical dietary laws no longer apply after the death and resurrection of Jesus.
So, does God care what we eat?
Of course He does. God cares about every area of our lives, both large and small. In His mercy, He knows we’re not perfect, and He provided a Savior to cover our sin and reconcile us to Him.
But after receiving salvation through Jesus, should we continue living however we choose?
Of course not. As followers of Jesus, we are called to grow in obedience and maturity. That means continually examining our lives, studying Scripture, and allowing God to change the way we live.
For some believers, that process includes reconsidering what the Bible says about food.
What Does Eating Biblically Clean Mean?
The instructions concerning clean and unclean animals are primarily found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
These chapters explain which animals God permitted His people to eat and which animals were considered unclean.
Although the descriptions involving hooves, fins, scales, and other characteristics can initially seem complicated, the basic principles are fairly straightforward.
Land animals that both chew the cud and have divided hooves are considered clean.
Fish must have both fins and scales.
Certain birds and other animals are specifically identified as unclean.
For most people living in the United States, following these instructions primarily means avoiding pork, shellfish, and fish without fins and scales.
Other animals prohibited in Scripture, such as rabbits, horses, vultures, eagles, owls, and snakes, are not commonly eaten in American diets.
Eating Biblically clean does not mean following every practice associated with modern kosher observance. It simply means choosing foods that meet the Biblical definitions of clean animals found in Scripture.
Biblically Clean vs. Kosher
Although there are similarities between eating Biblically clean and keeping kosher, they are not the same thing.
A Biblically clean diet focuses on the dietary instructions found in passages such as Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
Traditional Jewish kosher practice includes additional requirements based on rabbinic interpretation and Jewish tradition. These may include separating meat and dairy products, using separate cookware and utensils, and following specific methods of food preparation.
Someone who eats Biblically clean may follow the Biblical distinctions between clean and unclean animals without following all the requirements of traditional kosher observance.
Understanding this difference is important because the terms are often used interchangeably when they refer to different practices.
Why Do Some Christians Eat Biblically Clean?
Out of Obedience to God
When we read the story of Adam and Eve, it is easy to wonder why they did not simply obey God.
God gave them an abundance of food. They lived in a beautiful garden, enjoyed fellowship with God, and had everything they needed.
There was only one tree from which they were commanded not to eat.
Yet they chose to disobey.
The account reminds us that obedience is not determined by whether we consider a command important. Obedience is rooted in trusting the One who gave the command.
Many believers who eat Biblically clean view the dietary instructions in the same way.
God has provided an enormous variety of foods for us to enjoy. Avoiding a relatively small number of animals does not prevent us from living full and enjoyable lives.
The question is not whether we personally consider the dietary instructions important.
The question is whether we trust God enough to take His instructions seriously.
To Live as a People Set Apart
At the conclusion of the dietary instructions in Leviticus 11, God says:
“For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.” Leviticus 11:45
The Biblical concept of holiness includes being set apart for God.
As Gentile believers grafted into the promises given to Israel, we are called to live as people who belong to God.
Following God’s instructions often causes our lives to look different from the culture around us.
Keeping the Sabbath and eating Biblically clean are two examples of practices that can visibly distinguish the way we live.
Being set apart is not about believing we are better than others.
It is about remembering who we belong to and allowing that identity to shape the way we live.
Because God Knows What Is Best for Us
Some people believe God gave the dietary instructions primarily for health reasons.
There may be practical benefits to some of these commands, but Scripture does not clearly identify health as the primary reason for the dietary laws.
Ultimately, we do not need to understand every reason behind God’s instructions before choosing to trust Him.
If God gives His people instructions, we can trust that His wisdom is greater than ours.
His commands may be for our good, the good of others, or His glory.
Often, they accomplish more than one of these purposes.
To Remember Who We Serve
Eating is something we do every day, usually several times a day.
Because food is such a regular part of life, our eating habits can become a frequent reminder of who we serve.
If I were choosing food based only on my preferences, I might order a pepperoni pizza.
But when I have committed to eating Biblically clean, I have to stop and consider whether my choice aligns with what I believe God has instructed.
That small decision becomes an opportunity to remember God.
What would please Him?
Am I willing to obey Him even in the ordinary decisions of life?
Faithfulness is not limited to major life decisions. Our relationship with God should influence even the small and ordinary parts of our daily lives.
To Develop Spiritual Discipline
We live in a culture that often encourages people to follow their desires.
Biblical faith calls us to something different.
Following God requires discipline, self-control, and the willingness to say no to ourselves.
Discipline is strengthened through practice.
Eating Biblically clean provides regular opportunities to practice that discipline.
Before purchasing groceries, ordering food at a restaurant, or preparing a meal, we must stop and consider whether our choices align with our convictions.
That repeated practice can help develop greater awareness and self-control in other areas of life as well.
It can also provide parents with opportunities to teach their children that following God sometimes means making choices that are different from those around us.
Did Jesus Declare All Foods Clean?
Mark 7:1-23 is one of the passages most frequently used to argue that the Biblical dietary instructions no longer apply.
In this passage, the Pharisees criticize Jesus’s disciples for eating without performing the traditional ritual washing of hands.
Understanding the context is important.
Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for elevating human traditions above the commandments of God.
The dispute begins with ritual handwashing, a tradition practiced by the Pharisees. The issue was not that the disciples were eating animals prohibited in Leviticus 11.
Jesus explains that eating with unwashed hands does not spiritually defile a person. Instead, sin comes from the heart.
Many English Bible translations include the phrase “Thus he declared all foods clean” in Mark 7:19.
This passage has been the subject of considerable debate concerning its translation and interpretation.
One important question is what Jesus and His audience would have understood the word food to mean.
Within the Biblical worldview of His Jewish audience, animals prohibited by Scripture were not normally considered food in the first place.
For this reason, many believers understand Mark 7 as a discussion about ritual purity and human traditions rather than the cancellation of the dietary instructions found in the Torah.
What Would Jesus Have Eaten?
Have you ever considered what Jesus ate during His life on earth?
Jesus lived as a Jewish man who faithfully obeyed God.
His meals would have reflected the dietary instructions found in Scripture.
This is an important point because Jesus lived a sinless life.
Had He knowingly violated God’s commands, He would not have been sinless and therefore could not have been the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Jesus’s obedience demonstrates that God’s instructions are good and worthy of being taken seriously.
The question Christians must consider is whether following Jesus should also lead us to imitate His example of obedience.
What About Peter’s Vision?
Acts 10 is another passage commonly used to argue that Christians no longer need to follow the Biblical dietary instructions.
Peter receives a vision in which a sheet containing various animals is lowered from heaven.
A voice tells him:
“Get up, Peter, kill and eat.”
Peter responds that he has never eaten anything common or unclean.
The voice answers:
“What God has cleansed, no longer consider common.”
Peter doesn’t immediately understand the meaning of the vision. Scripture says he’s perplexed and continues thinking about what it means.
Soon afterward, Peter is invited to the home of Cornelius, a Gentile.
When Peter arrives, he explains the meaning he has come to understand:
“God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Acts 10:28
Peter later explains the experience again in Acts 11:1-18.
In both accounts, the interpretation centers on people.
God was teaching Peter that Gentiles who come to faith should not be considered spiritually unclean or excluded from the people of God.
The vision prepared Peter to enter the home of a Gentile, preach the Gospel, and witness the Holy Spirit being given to Gentile believers.
The passage never records Peter explaining that God had given him permission to begin eating unclean animals.
For this reason, many believers understand Peter’s vision primarily as a lesson about the inclusion of Gentiles rather than the cancellation of the Biblical dietary instructions.
How Does Grace Factor In?
If Christians choose to follow the Biblical dietary instructions, does that mean they are trying to earn salvation through works?
No.
To understand the difference, it’s helpful to consider two Biblical concepts: justification and sanctification.
Justification refers to being declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus.
We cannot earn salvation by keeping commandments, performing good works, eating certain foods, keeping the Sabbath, or doing anything else.
Salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith.
Sanctification is the lifelong process of growing in holiness after we have been saved.
As followers of Jesus, we learn to turn away from sin, obey God, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our lives.
Obedience is not the cause of our salvation.
It’s a response to salvation.
We don’t obey God so that He will save us.
We seek to obey God because He has saved us, because we love Him, and because we trust that His ways are good.
Eating Biblically clean does not make someone more worthy of salvation.
Likewise, eating an unclean animal doesn’t place someone beyond the reach of God’s grace.
The question is whether, as we grow in our faith and study Scripture, we’re willing to allow God’s Word to shape every area of our lives.
Jesus said:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17
He continued by warning against setting aside even the least of God’s commandments and teaching others to do the same.
For believers who eat Biblically clean, obedience to the dietary instructions is not an attempt to earn salvation.
It is one way of responding to God’s grace with trust, love, and obedience.
Should Christians Eat Biblically Clean?
Every believer must approach this question seriously, prayerfully, and with an open Bible.
Don’t follow the Biblical dietary instructions simply because someone else tells you to.
Study the relevant passages for yourself.
Read Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
Study Mark 7 in its full context.
Read the entire account of Peter’s vision in Acts 10 and Peter’s explanation in Acts 11.
Consider the example of Jesus.
Examine how the New Testament describes the relationship between grace, faith, obedience, and sanctification.
Most importantly, ask God for wisdom and be willing to follow wherever your study of Scripture leads.
Changing the way you eat can feel significant, especially when it affects family traditions, restaurants, holidays, and social gatherings.
But obedience often begins with a willingness to reconsider things we have always assumed to be true.
A 30-Day Biblically Clean Challenge
If you are studying this subject but are not yet sure what you believe, consider trying a simple experiment.
Eat Biblically clean for 30 days while continuing to study Scripture and pray about the issue.
During that month, pay attention to what changes.
Do you think about God more often throughout the day?
Do your food choices cause you to examine Scripture more closely?
Does practicing discipline in this area affect other areas of your life?
Do you become more aware of the connection between your faith and your everyday decisions?
At the end of the month, return to the Scriptures and continue seeking God’s direction.
The goal is not simply to change your diet.
The goal is to become more intentional about allowing God’s Word to shape every part of your life.
Whether the issue is food, Sabbath, money, relationships, work, or any other area of life, followers of Jesus should continually ask the same question:
Am I willing to trust God enough to live according to His ways?
Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Biblically Clean
What does eating Biblically clean mean?
Eating Biblically clean means following the dietary instructions found primarily in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. These passages distinguish between animals that God identifies as clean and suitable for food and those He identifies as unclean. For most Christians who eat Biblically clean, this means avoiding pork, shellfish, and fish without fins and scales.
Do the Biblical dietary laws still apply to Christians?
Christians have different interpretations of the Biblical dietary laws. Some believe these instructions were no longer required after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Others believe God’s definitions of clean and unclean animals remain relevant and choose to follow them as an act of obedience, not as a way to earn salvation.
Did Jesus declare all foods clean in Mark 7?
Mark 7 records a dispute about the disciples eating without performing the Pharisees’ traditional ritual handwashing. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for placing human traditions above the commandments of God and taught that eating with unwashed hands does not spiritually defile a person. Many Christians understand Mark 7:19 as declaring all animals clean, while others believe the passage concerns ritual purity and does not cancel the dietary instructions in Leviticus 11.
Does Peter’s vision in Acts 10 mean Christians can eat unclean animals?
In Acts 10, Peter sees a vision involving clean and unclean animals. However, Peter later explains what God showed him: “God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (Acts 10:28). The passage focuses on God’s acceptance of Gentiles and their inclusion among His people. For this reason, many believers understand the vision as being about people rather than a change to the Biblical dietary instructions.
Is eating Biblically clean necessary for salvation?
No. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith in Jesus, not something earned by following dietary laws or performing good works. Christians who eat Biblically clean do so because they believe obedience should be a response to salvation. They seek to follow God’s instructions because they love Him and trust His ways, not because they believe their diet can save them.
What does grace have to do with eating Biblically clean?
Grace and obedience are not opposites. We’re saved by grace through faith, but salvation begins a lifelong process of growing in holiness and learning to obey God. Christians who follow the Biblical dietary instructions view eating Biblically clean as one way of allowing God’s Word to shape their daily lives.
Can Christians eat pork and shellfish?
Pork and shellfish are identified as unclean animals in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Christians disagree about whether these dietary distinctions remain applicable today. Believers who eat Biblically clean avoid pork and shellfish because they understand God’s definitions of clean and unclean animals to remain relevant for followers of Jesus.
Is eating Biblically clean the same as keeping kosher?
No. Eating Biblically clean generally means following the distinctions between clean and unclean animals found in Scripture. Traditional kosher observance includes additional requirements based on Jewish law and rabbinic interpretation, such as separating meat and dairy products and following specific food preparation practices.
