As Gentile believers in Jesus as the Messiah (a.k.a. Christians), Paul says in Romans 11 that we’re “wild olive” branches and that we’re “grafted in” to the “olive tree” to become partakers in the original tree – God’s promises to His people. Paul’s analogy is descriptive, showing how Gentile believers have a part in the Kingdom of God.

And I like being called a wild olive branch, don’t you? It sounds like we’re untainted in our wildness yet dignified in that we’re part of something rich and established. While this may be part of what Paul meant, there’s a lot more in this analogy for us as Christians.

Before the Wild Branch

To get some background, look at what’s going on at the beginning of Romans chapter 11. Paul is in the middle of telling his Jewish audience that they missed the messiah. By rejecting Jesus, they missed the message of grace they were offered and were still focusing on being saved by their works while waiting for the messiah. Verses 11-16 describe how the Gentiles have a chance at the Messiah because Jesus’s own people rejected him. Paul still wanted the Jewish people to see their need for Jesus (and some of them did!), but he describes their rejection as the “reconciliation of the world” (Rom. 11:15).

How blessed we are, Brothers and Sisters? It is so sad that God’s people, the Jews, shunned the messiah they had prayed for over so many years, but God brings a blessing in even something as heartbreaking as this. And it’s for us! Because of this, we have access to Israel’s Messiah, now the Savior to the entire world!

About Grafting

I love gardening more than most, but I haven’t attempted grafting. It isn’t easy. It’s an expert-level sort of thing. A tree farmer must do a graft correctly and carefully and take great care of the scion – the area where the two trees are attached. Even after a LOT of work and attention to detail, the graft may not take! Even when it does take, the new offshoot may not be productive. A well-grafted branch not only grows but also produces well.

Grafting only works when the new branch is of the same family as the original tree. For example, you can’t graft a cherry branch onto an orange tree. A successful graft requires a sort of “communication” between the old and new trees, which can only occur between trees of the same type.

A Farmer’s reasons for grafting may vary, but the overall goal is to get the best of both varieties. Combining the trees into one shouldn’t obscure the character of one and highlight the other but reserve the essence of both. Generally, one of the two trees has quality rootstock, and the other produces desirable fruit. Grafting gives the gardener the best of both worlds – a tree with solid roots and good fruit. The nature of each tree is reserved while allowing the best qualities of both to shine through.

Two Types of Olive Trees

In the Middle East at the time of Paul and today, two main olive tree types are commonly grafted – the wild and the cultivated varieties. The cultivated trees grow olives used for food and to produce olive oil. Wild olive fruit isn’t as flavorful and is not usually eaten. Grafting won’t make a wild branch produce olives of cultivated quality or change the solid root structure of the original tree. It would, however, allow the wild branch to benefit from the established roots and healthy base of the cultivated tree and help it to produce healthy fruit of its unique variety.

Understanding Paul’s Symbolism

To clarify Paul’s analogy, Gentiles that recognize Jesus as the messiah and thus their need for him are the wild olive branches. The cultivated olive tree and its roots represent the promises of God given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Old Testament. He is saying that, although God made these promises to the Jewish people, we have a part in them, as Gentiles, due to our belief that Jesus is who he says he is. Our faith strengthens us and allows us to be “sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7).

So, now that we’re grafted in, what are we? While the grafting process entitles us to be heirs to God’s promises to the Jews, it does not make us into Jews. After the graft, we maintain our original character – Jews stay Jews, and Gentiles stay Gentiles. The change is that we’re then one in our Messiah, Jesus. 

The Branches Broken Off

When grafting, cutting some branches off the original tree is usually necessary to allow space or a better nutrient load for the new branch. Paul says in his grafting analogy that Jesus came to save his people, the Jewish people, but most of them rejected him as the messiah. He says that these branches were “not spared” and that they were “hardened.” Sadly, the Jewish people who did not recognize Jesus as their messiah were broken from the tree of God’s promises.

But Paul doesn’t stop there. He states that God will never abandon His people Israel. Also found in 1 Samuel 12:22 and other places, God is clear about His undying love for the Jewish people. Paul continues, saying that God will readily re-graft them when they turn from unbelief.

He also says that it was the disobedience of the Jews in rejection of Jesus that made a place for Gentile believers in the Kingdom of God. Because they fell away and were broken from the tree, we can now be grafted into that tree where we wouldn’t otherwise have had a part. This redemption is just part of God’s character. He makes a perfect plan, and people mess it up, then he brings blessing out of the terrible situation that is beyond what we could have imagined. It’s part of who He is!

The Job of Grafted Branches

What should our lives look like today as successfully grafted wild olive branches? How do we reflect our roots while maintaining our Gentile character? Paul answers this as well.

• Stay humble.  Paul first warns us of arrogance. Because branches were broken off, allowing us to be grafted in does not give us the right to think of ourselves as superior to the Jewish people. In verse 18, he said that we should remember that it is the root that supports us and not the Gentiles that support the root. As branches that benefit from the root, Christians should stand firmly against anti-Semitism and work diligently to bridge the deep chasm between Christians and Jews that has been built throughout history.   
• Pray for the Jewish people. Praying for their salvation should be our prayer for the Jewish people today. If seeing them turn to Christ and be re-grafted in is a desire of God’s heart, it should also be ours! 
• Learn more about the tree.  Being grafted in brings the opportunity for salvation to us as Gentiles. Some Christians say that the Old Testament is no longer relevant to our faith, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Genesis 12:1-3 contains God’s promise to Abraham to give him land and numerous descendants and to bless all the people of the earth through him. But the whole bible contains our story as God’s people, from Genesis to Revelation. God’s character is revealed throughout His word, and we should make it our life’s work to get to know Him and the promises (both fulfilled and yet to be) upon which our faith is built.
• Have a faith worthy of jealousy.  Not in a middle school mean girl way, but one where our faith is so pure and solid that outsiders, including Jews, want what we have. Paul suggests that this jealousy was one of the reasons salvation was extended to the Gentiles. Is your faith capable of making someone jealous for it? Do outsiders see your relationship with the God of the Bible and hope in our Savior and want that in their own lives?  
• Produce good fruit.  Like a grafted branch, we are to be productive offshoots. In John 15:8, Jesus says, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” We glorify God by bearing good fruit, including the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.      

The analogy of being grafted in as wild olive branches demonstrates how we, as Gentiles, have access to God’s promises to the Hebrew people. Without this grafting and some branches being broken from the original tree, we wouldn’t have a part in these promises and wouldn’t have our Messiah, Jesus. As successfully grafted and productive branches, we should produce fruit that glorifies God and humbly honor our roots and the spiritual nutrition they provide.

There stands in the Old City of Jerusalem a 2,000-year-old wall of limestone. Its beautifully chiseled ancient stones are of historical interest but have fueled much religious and political tension throughout its existence. But why this wall? Why is it worth all the strife and spilled blood surrounding it? Why do millions of people come from all over the world to visit this 187-foot section of wall – sometimes over 1 million people in just one month?      

Mount Moriah

To fully understand the significance of The Wall, we must have at least a basic understanding of Mount Moriah. Now called the Temple Mount, and a seemingly small area comparatively, many significant acts of faith took place in this very spot. On Mount Moriah, Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him out of obedience to God. Abraham named this area “the LORD will provide” after God provided a ram to be offered in Isaac’s place.

1 Chronicles 21:18-30 and 2 Chronicles 3:1 describe Mount Moriah as the place God appeared to David and answered his prayer to end the plague on his people. It’s also the site of the threshing floor that David purchased for the Temple to be built. Ornan (or Araunah, depending on your translation), the floor’s previous owner, offered to give it to him, but David said he wouldn’t offer to God that which cost him nothing and paid for it anyway. Doesn’t that show us what’s going on in David’s heart? Service to God isn’t really sacrificing if it costs us nothing!

Solomon then built the Temple on Mount Moriah, which was later rebuilt after the first Temple was destroyed. Many places in the Bible (Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation, among others) indicate that there will be a holy temple in the future. Scripture suggests that Mount Moriah will again be where God inhabits His Temple.

Solomon’s Temple

Built almost 3,000 years ago on Mount Moriah, in the 10th century BCE, the Temple for God was among the grandest of structures in history. Read about it in 1 Kings 6-8. It was indeed a work of art! During his reign, building the Temple was on David’s heart but was later constructed by his son, Solomon. This Temple wasn’t just a beautiful church building. Called the house of God in the Bible, it contained the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies and was where sacrifices were carried out according to the Laws of God. The design came from God and was given to David (1 Ch. 28:19), who then passed it on to his son when the time came for it to be built.

In 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5, it’s recorded that the presence of God showed up in the form of a cloud during the dedication of the Temple. When the priests exited the Holy of Holies, the innermost part of the Temple, after placing the Ark of the Covenant there, the glory of God filled the Temple in the form of a cloud. The Bible says that cloud permeated the building, so the priests couldn’t even stand to minister! Clearly, God thought highly of the Temple King Solomon had built for Him!

The Second Temple

In about 587 BCE, the city of Jerusalem was occupied and taken over by the Babylonians. King Nebuchadnezzar II had not only Solomon’s Temple destroyed but all of Jerusalem burned.

After the fall of the Babylonian Empire in 516 BCE, Cyrus the Great allowed the Jewish people to rebuild the Temple. It was reconstructed in the same place as the first. In 19 BCE, Herod built a semi-rectangular retaining wall around the Temple area, and the Temple was completed during the reign of his grandson, King Agrippa II, as recorded by historian Josephus Flavius. The Western wall of this rectangular retaining wall is what’s currently known as The Western Wall.

The Temple today

The story behind the celebration of Hanukkah covers the period when the Seleucid Empire controlled Jerusalem. Antiochus IV followed in his father’s footsteps in trying to Hellenize the Jews. The Temple was desecrated with the pagan practices of the Greeks, which eventually led to the Maccabean Revolt and their miraculous victory.

Roman rule over Jerusalem in 70 CE brought the most recent destruction to The Temple. This time, it wasn’t rebuilt (at least not yet!). Both the Romans and the Christians under Constantine forbade the Jews from entering Jerusalem for centuries, except just one day annually, the 9th of the month of Av, when they were allowed to visit to mourn the Temple.

In the 7th century, the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem led to them building a shrine on the Temple site, the Dome of the Rock, in 691 CE. Even after the Nation of Israel regained control over Jerusalem in 1967, the Temple Mount remained under Jordanian rule. It’s still this way today, and though Jews may visit, they may not pray there. The closest place to the Temple they’re permitted to pray is the Western Wall, which is why the Kotel, or “wall” in Hebrew, is considered the holiest site in Judaism.

Christians and The Wall

Should the Western Wall be a sacred site for Christians? The short answer is yes! Though we are not Jewish, our belief in Jesus as the Messiah has allowed our Gentile selves to be grafted in, allowing us to become God’s people. God’s promises to the Israelites in the Old Testament also apply to us.  

The Temple is not only part of the history of our faith as Christians and our spiritual heritage as people of the Kingdom of God; it’s also the place our God physically inhabited here on earth to be with His people, pre-Jesus. It’s easy to forget that our God is real, supernatural, and awesome! Don’t miss the significance of the history of this Temple. Your God thought the place was important enough to live there. Your God lived there. For real. Let that sink in.

Jesus at The Temple

Another reason for Christians to honor the Temple is that it was a place of worship for our Savior, Jesus. The Bible records many situations where we find Jesus in different life stages at the Temple in Jerusalem.

As an infant

Jesus’s first visit to The Temple was when he was just 40 days old. Mary and Joseph brought him there to fulfill the command in the Torah to do so (Luke 2:22-38). He also went there at least as often as once yearly as he grew up (Luke 2:41).

As a young man

At 12, Jesus went to Jerusalem with his parents to celebrate Passover. Then, he was accidentally left behind and was found asking brilliant questions of the rabbis there (Luke 2:41-51).

As a man

The most well-known story from Jesus at the Temple was when he overturned the sellers’ tables (Mark 11:15-18), but that wasn’t the only time he went to the Temple. During one period in his adult life, he taught there daily (Luke 21:37-38).

As believers in the truth of scripture, the God of the Bible, and Jesus as Lord, it can be seen that the Western Wall and the Temple it represents are of great importance. The fact that Jesus fulfills the need for a sacrifice for our sin, causing us not to need a temple for sin sacrifices, doesn’t diminish the significance of The Temple and its Western Wall. While not all of us can visit it in person, Christians can honor this site and thus our God from afar by learning more about its history and effect on the world both politically and prophetically. If you can, a visit to the Western Wall (as well as other significant sites in The Holy Land) will grow and concrete your faith and understanding of the land of the Bible.

After realizing the value of learning the Hebraic Roots of the Christian faith, there is no clear path to follow, leaving many people feeling stuck, not knowing how to proceed. Although they know that many Jewish traditions like Passover, for example, point to Jesus and enrich the Gospel, there’s no specific source on how to implement those in a modern American Christian family. Searching the internet may help, but it may also be confusing due to conflicting viewpoints inside and outside the Hebrew Roots Movement.

In Acts, there was an ongoing debate about whether Gentiles could participate in the faith of the early Messianic Jews without following all details of the Torah. James the Apostle replies, “Therefore, I judge you not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God…” (Acts 15:19-20). James knew, and I’m assuming God knows, that learning Jewish traditions as a Gentile takes some time and grace. Although Christians have already “turned to God,” we may be just beginning to incorporate Biblical practices into our faith. Our family has had to find resources and learn a lot independently, and there has been a steep learning curve. If you give time and grace to yourself and your family in this endeavor and combine them with your conviction about learning these practices, you’ll eventually figure it out. It has been a long process for my family and me, but we’ve grown so much, and it’s been so worth it!

Start with the Sabbath (Shabbat)

The best place to start is by incorporating the practice of a weekly Sabbath. Observing the Sabbath is where my family started, but I have other reasons for it being a good starting point.

• It’s one of the 10 commandments (Ex. 20:8 and others).
• It happens weekly, allowing for a lot of practice.
• Your practice of it can vary.
• Many Jews revere it as the most holy day.
• It can bring peace to your home.
• It will bring rest.
• It is a sign of the covenant between God and His people (Ex. 31:16, Lev. 24:8, and others).
• It was made for us! (Mark 2:27)

Soon after you attempt to start doing the Sabbath, you’ll realize that the rest of your week must change to accommodate a workless Sabbath. Friday will turn into Preparation Day, and the chores from Friday and Saturday must be spread out throughout the week. It may be helpful at this point to make or revise your cleaning schedule. A word of caution, though – be careful you don’t ruin your Sabbath by sliding into it exhausted, resentful, and arguing with your family due to your stressing to get everything done. Unfortunately, I’ve done it many times, and it will disrupt the peace the Sabbath is supposed to bring. Keep preparations simple at first, focused on allowing for rest, togetherness, and time with God. Here are some things to start with.

• Compile some family favorite recipes that are easy to make or can be made ahead of time and use those for Friday and Saturday evenings. 
• Make or plan meals with little prep (like veggies and dip or sandwiches) for Saturday lunches. Here’s the hummus recipe we use regularly.
• Make sure the house is clean enough for everyone to be able to relax (kitchen, bathrooms, and main living areas functionally clean). 
• Lay out clothing for Shabbat on Friday.

Find resources

I’m so glad you’re reading this! When I started my Hebraic faith journey, resources for Christians were minimal. I had to wade through Jewish sources, deciphering what applied to me and what didn’t. While I won’t claim to have all the answers, I will share what I’ve learned to make this path easier for other Believers to travel. Many other resources are out there now, most of which weren’t available even a few years ago. Here are some of my favorites, and there are even more on my resources page:

Websites

• Hebrew for Christians – While the focus is to teach Hebrew, they also cover holidays, prayers, and more.  
• 119 Ministries – Videos and podcasts that provide Biblical answers to many of our questions on our journey.
• Torah Class – The BEST bible study I’ve found that’s from a Hebraic perspective. This study is intense, not directed toward seekers but mature Christians familiar with the Bible. The site has many studies covering the Old and New Testaments and topics, all of which are free! 
• Land of Honey – Many additional resources for Christians seeking Hebraic information – holidays, printables, etc.
• Aish.com – Educational website about Judaism – holidays, Torah, Jewish wisdom, etc. 

Books

• Enter His Gates by Susan Marcus – Covers Jewish holidays and traditions and how they relate to Christians.
• A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Robin Sampson and Linda Pierce – Not only shows you how to celebrate Biblical holidays as a Christian but also how to teach the Bible to your children.

Visit a Hebraic Congregation

It’s easier to navigate this new beginning with a community. Chances are getting better that there’s one near you. Even if there’s not, it’s worth the drive! Find one here or here.

I know visiting a new church or synagogue can be intimidating, especially of a different faith than you’re used to! In my experience, Messianic Jewish congregations are open to Christians joining them and welcome them with open arms. If you have any questions or are hesitant to visit one in your area, call first and inquire. I’m willing to bet they’d love to have you show up! 

Study the Torah

Studying the Bible from the point of view that the Torah (the first five books) is the root of all Scripture can deepen your knowledge of the Bible in its entirety! If you’re not sure where to start, print out and follow my free, printable Torah reading schedule. It will have a reading from the Torah and a corresponding reading from the New Testament. When I started studying the Bible this way, it significantly improved my understanding of the whole Bible, and I think it will do the same for you.

Learn Some Hebrew

It’s not just one more thing to add to our already full to-do list! Learning the Biblical Hebrew language or having a good grasp on the most-used Hebrew words in the Old Testament can significantly increase your understanding of the culture of the Hebrew people (Jesus’s!), both the Old and New Testaments, and even God Himself. 

Although translated by some very educated and gifted individuals, there’s no substitute for the Bible in its original languages. Hebrew doesn’t translate well to English, leaving room for some misunderstanding. One of our lifelong pursuits as Christians is to study the words of our God. Given this, what could stop us from increasing our understanding of the Bible by learning the original language of its writing? Get started! I bet it won’t be as challenging as you think! 

Stay in the Word

Always. But especially while you’re on this path that is new to you. As you research and come across resources to help you, use discernment. Compare what you hear to what the Bible says and pray for clarification when necessary. Many Christians of all denominations have gradually and unknowingly strayed from following God through His word to following a pastor, author, or another person instead. This journey is between you and your family and God. Please make sure it brings glory to Him and no one else.

As many Christians grow in their faith, they begin to pursue the Biblical roots of their faith. They incorporate the Biblical Holy Days, the study of the Hebrew language, and maybe even some Jewish traditions into the practice of their Christian faith.

But how specifically is this different from traditional Christianity? We’ll get to that in a minute. First, let’s look at one way we’re the same to avoid confusion.

Salvation by Grace

Just as traditional Christianity holds to the doctrine of grace (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8–9, and more), so do Hebraic Believers. Unfortunately, this is the biggest misunderstanding and most common objection to the Hebraic faith from their Christian brothers and sisters. Many assume that we’ve shifted from the belief that we’re saved through the sacrifice of Jesus to the belief that we’re saved instead by adherence to the Law. This isn’t true.

Sadly, in some cases, this misunderstanding has led to a wide divide between traditional Christianity and Christians who practice in the ways of their Biblical roots. Instead of being a divider, the concept of grace should be one thing that unites these two faiths!

Where We Differ

Although we have many similarities and agree on many of the concepts in the Bible, the main thing we differ on is how to live out our faith.

Observing the Law

Applying the commands in the Torah to the life of a Christian is by far the most common objection traditional Christians have with our faith. You may be surprised to hear, though, that most Christians already observe much of the Law. The 10 Commandments (Ex. 20), the ideal setup for marriage (Gen. 2:24), and the command to love your neighbor (Lev. 19:8) are all parts of the Law. The difference is that we observe a few more of the laws found in the Old Testament than traditional Christians do.

But because we make an effort to follow the Law doesn’t mean we think that’s what saves us. I’ve heard countless Christian arguments of this sort, and this is a result of a misunderstanding of what Hebraic Christians believe.

The main objection is that we teach against grace. They incorrectly assume that, because we teach that Believers should observe the Law, we consider it to be what saves, instead of the blood of Jesus. I’ve heard it said that we even “preach a gospel contrary to what Paul preached” (Gal. 1:8-9).

But what they don’t understand is that we don’t believe that at all. We do not believe or preach that we’re not saved by grace. As a part of multiple communities in the Hebraic and Messianic Christian faiths, I will tell you that I’ve never heard from someone who believes we’re not under grace. I haven’t heard from any group or individual in this faith that has replaced grace with the Law.

A lot of the disagreement comes from our differing interpretation of Pauline Scripture. If you’re interested in pursuing the Hebraic position vs. that of traditional Christianity on this, 119 Ministries has an in depth video series explanation as well as a short book and blog post, all entitled “The Pauline Paradox”.

Learning the Hebrew Language

In the quest to get back to our Biblical roots, many choose to learn Biblical Hebrew. There are many benefits to learning Hebrew but the most common is to bring clarity when studying the Bible.

While only some traditional Christians choose to learn Hebrew, most Hebraic Believers are at some level of knowledge of Hebrew. Some just know basic greetings or names of people and places in the Bible and some are full-blown Hebraists!

Church Replaces Israel

Most Hebraic Believers don’t believe in what’s known as Replacement Theology. This is the concept that the Christian church has replaced the nation (or people) of Israel. Replacement Theology says that the Jewish people are no longer God’s people because the Christian church has taken that place. This idea is not only antisemitic, it’s anti-Biblical!

We believe instead that we’re grafted in to the promises God gave to Israel. We’re adopted into this family of God’s people through our faith in the Messiah but we don’t replace the natural-born children of that family. For more on the relationship between the church and Israel, read Wild Olive Branches: The Blessing of Being Grafted In.

Christians Don’t Become Jews

Another problem Christians see with Hebraic Believers is that they think we’re trying to become Jewish. They argue that one cannot just follow the Law and observe the Holy Days and then be changed into a Jew in the same way you can become Baptist by becoming a member of a Baptist church.

They’re correct. We do not become Jews. This is just another misunderstanding I’ve heard often about Hebraic Believers. We do not believe we are changing into Jews by practicing our faith this way. Our goal is to practice our faith in the way God wants us to. We base these practices on what we find in the Bible and we incorporate some valuable Jewish traditions as we see their relevance to our faith Biblically.

Acceptance of Jewish Traditions

While we’re on the subject of Jewish traditions, this is another objection Christians have to the Hebraic faith. Some say we shouldn’t have practices common to the Jewish people, as we’re not Jewish.

I have two responses to this. First, we follow a Jewish rabbi. Jesus did Jewish things, not just because he just happened to be born into a Jewish family but because that was the faith he was bringing others into. If you struggle with the idea of our Savior being Jewish, I encourage you to think and pray about this: When Jesus returns, will he be Jewish? Did he come to earth to start a new religion? Jesus’s Biblical Jewishness isn’t something he renounced and we shouldn’t either.

Second, many Jewish traditions are deeply rich in the ways they highlight aspects of our faith. Hanukkah is a celebration of God’s faithfulness to His people, as is Purim. Bar Mitzvahs are an important transition where our youth takes responsibility for their own faith. Lighting candles on Shabbat (the Sabbath) helps us fulfill the command to remember the Sabbath and sets it apart from the other days of the week.

These and other Jewish traditions bring our focus back to God and His Word in a way traditional Christianity does not. We learn from them and there are even some Jewish organizations, such as The Chabad, Rabbi Lapin, and Dennis Prager, that direct their ministries partly toward including Christians in their faith.

Different Bible Versions

Christians of all kinds have preferences to certain versions of the Bible. It’s wonderful to live in a time, where we not only have access to God’s Word, we can even choose our favorite way to study it because we have so many resources available to us!

Hebraic Believers tend to prefer more literal Bible translations. We also attempt to replace some of the “Jewishness” and ancient Middle Eastern culture that has been removed from some traditional translations.

For some, this is the Scriptures Bible, while others prefer to read in the original Hebrew and/or Greek. The Complete Jewish Bible is another popular one, as well as the Tree of Life version.

My intent in writing this post is to clarify these differences for those seeking answers in this area. Although we do have differences, believers in Christ from all backgrounds are parts of the same body, and we should function as such:

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.  For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Romans 12:3-5

What does it mean to eat Biblically clean?  Why have some made it a part of their faith?  And weren’t the dietary laws disposed of with Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross?  This post will explain a Biblically clean diet, answer the above questions, and more.

A diet change occurred for some Christians who have made their Biblical Hebraic Roots a part of their faith.  They aligned their diet with the one prescribed by God in the Bible.  This change is confusing to many from traditional Christianity as they believe all dietary laws were done away with when Jesus died for our sins. 

First of all, does God care what we eat?  Of course He does!  He cares about every aspect of His people’s lives– small and large.  In His mercy and patience, He knows we aren’t perfect and provides a Savior to cover all we do that disobeys Him. 

But after we receive Jesus as our Savior, should we continue in our disobedience?  Of course not!  As we mature as Christians, we must examine every area of our lives and continually grow closer and closer to the way God wants us to live in all areas. 

What It Is

Eating biblically clean comes from the command given in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.  These chapters only cover animals and not vegetables, fruits, or grains.  Although everything in these chapters about hooves, fins, and scales can be confusing, we can narrow it down pretty simply.  Most animals we usually eat in the U.S. are fine.  But pork and shellfish are out, as are any other fish without fins and scales.  We don’t commonly eat other restricted animals – dogs, horses, rabbits, vultures, eagles, owls, snakes, etc. 

Biblically Clean vs. Kosher

Although there are apparent similarities, an Orthodox Jew would not consider a Biblically clean diet Kosher.  Basically, a Biblically clean diet follows the dietary laws given in Leviticus 11 literally.  Biblically clean is different from what’s referred to as a Kosher diet according to today’s understanding.  Eating Kosher includes not mixing meat with dairy products and other rabbinical additions to the statutes in Leviticus.

Why We Do It

• Out of obedience

As we all recall the story of Adam and Eve, we always question why they ate the fruit.  Why didn’t they just take God at His word and obey Him?  It was such a small thing to avoid just one of the many trees in the garden.  They were given such a beautiful place to live, peace, each other, and communion with God!  What more could they need? 

Biblically clean is similar to the way we view these dietary laws.  God gives us all we have and has lavishly blessed us.  He gives us numerous food choices outside of the restrictions he gives.  We can (and many do) live free and happy lives without including the restricted foods in our diet.  The cost of obeying these laws is minimal, but disobeying God always has negative consequences, even if we see the issue as insignificant. 

• To set us apart 

In conclusion to His explanation of the dietary restrictions in Leviticus 11, God states the following:

“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.’” Lev. 11:45

As Gentiles grafted in to the promises given to Israel by God, this verse is for us, too!  God doesn’t want us to blend in with those around us.  He wants us to look different – to be His! 

Dietary laws, along with the Sabbath and other commands, do set us apart from the rest of the world.  If you keep the Sabbath or eat Biblically clean, you’ll soon learn how different your life will look from those around you. 

• God knows what’s best for us

Many people propose that God gave the dietary laws for health reasons.  Whether or not this is true isn’t clear, but it’s also irrelevant.  If God tells us to do anything, we know it’s for good – our good, the good of others, or for His glory.  If He told the people of Israel, His chosen people, what not to eat, we can trust that it was not only best for them then but is best for us today.

• Remembering who we serve 3 times a day

Sometimes it’s challenging to stay focused on what’s important, isn’t it?  When eating according to the Biblical dietary laws, we’re reminded many times daily who we’re living for.  If I were living for myself and ordering a pizza, I’d order a pepperoni pizza, but I have to stop and think before I order since I’m committed to eating Biblically clean.  What would God prefer I order?  Wouldn’t we rather please Him with even the little things in life, like what we order at a restaurant?  Is it possible He doesn’t care about something that small?  I don’t think so!

• Spiritual discipline

We live in a culture in which there’s really no right or wrong.  Where you draw the line on any issue is up to you, and you can change it anytime.  But how does a Christian discipline him or herself to stay on God’s path in our culture?  Discipline is like a muscle.  Some call it the “no” muscle.  If we live giving in to everything our flesh desires, how do we exercise this “no” muscle? 

Keeping a Biblically clean diet is very helpful for building discipline in life – both yours and that of those around you, like your children!  When we have uncompromising things to adhere to, we keep our “no” muscle in good shape.  An exercise you must do three or more times daily will make spiritual discipline second nature as you must stop and think before each meal, ensuring that it aligns with your beliefs. 

Did Jesus Say Dietary Laws Don’t Matter?

People often use the story in Mark 7:1-23 as a reason not to eat according to the laws in the Bible.  Here, Jesus scolds the Pharisees for condemning those eating without first ritually washing their hands.  However, a few points are beneficial in understanding what’s going on here. 

First, Jesus notes that they are putting the traditions of man above the Commands of God.  Ritual hand washing was a law made by the rabbis of the time and not a Command from God. 

Second, Jesus didn’t refer to the food during this chapter but to ritual hand washing.  One can apply the meaning to food, but Jesus didn’t say that.

Third, most English Bible translations include a sentence at the end of this story with a highly disputed translation.  It’s in verse 19 and is often in parentheses: “Thus he declared all foods clean.” But that’s a loose translation from the original Greek.  We can easily interpret the point of this story in the context Jesus indicated – that ritual hand washing doesn’t make foods clean or unclean.

What Would Jesus Eat?

Have you ever wondered what Jesus ate while he was here on earth?  All of his meals would have been eaten according to specific rules, not just because he was Jewish by heritage but out of obedience to God – to avoid sin and obey the Laws God gave us. 

Think about it.  Had Jesus broken these dietary laws and disobeyed God, would he have been perfect?  Would he have qualified to be our Savior and Messiah? Nope.

But What About Peter’s Vision?

Acts 10 is another place Christians look to to show we shouldn’t adhere to dietary laws.  But, again, taken in context, this chapter isn’t talking about food at all but about people.  

Read the whole story when you get a chance, but to summarize, Peter has a vision in which a sheet is lowered three times.  On the sheet are all kinds of animals – both clean and unclean. A voice says, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat.” Peter protests, saying he’s never eaten anything unclean. He then hears the voice again. This time, it says, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider common.” (Side note – for an eye-opening view of this story, do a word study on the words used here for clean, unclean, and common.)

Instead of accepting the vision and the words at face value, Peter is perplexed. He’s pretty disturbed by it and tries to figure out what the vision could have possibly meant. 

Many stop here and conclude that the vision meant two things – that followers of Jesus are to disobey the commands concerning food in Leviticus 11 and that Gentiles are allowed into the faith and able to receive the Holy Spirit. That could be one way to interpret this story, but later, Peter explains more than once (Acts 10:28 & 11:2-18) that he’s figured out what the vision meant and that it’s about people (Gentiles included in the faith). He doesn’t mention it being about food at all. 

How Does Grace Factor in?

So, if we’re supposed to keep the dietary laws post-Jesus, doesn’t that mean we’re doing works to earn our salvation? 

No – not at all. Let me explain. The Bible discussed two relevant concepts here – justification and sanctification. Salvation (or justification) is a one-time thing. It occurs when we repent of our sin and turn to Jesus, putting our belief in him as the one who paid for our sin. 

When we discuss the things we do in our daily lives as we live obedient to God, we’re talking about a process called sanctification. A simple way to explain it is that we grow closer and closer to holiness as we mature in our faith.

So, eating unclean animals does not condemn us in the same way stealing doesn’t. We eat Biblically clean not to be saved but because we are saved and love and trust God.   We want to live God’s way and obey Him. He has given us the way to live in His Word, and Jesus also upheld the authority of these instructions (Matt. 5:17-19).

Should You Eat Biblically Clean?

Like all the changes a Christian makes in his or her life, the first step is to consult God.  Honestly seek what He has to say as you seek an answer to this question.  Be sensitive to whether or not The Spirit is convicting you on this issue.  If you’re still on the fence about it, check out the Holy Cow: Does God Care What We Eat? for more Biblically-based information on the subject of diet.

Challenge

If you’re thinking of going Biblically clean, try it out as you’re waiting for God’s answer.  Eat Biblically clean for one month and see what happens.  Did you think about God more or the same amount?  Did you find yourself in the Word more or less?  Did discipline in other areas of your life increase or stay the same?  Does the thought of returning to the way you previously ate bother you?