Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach

DISCOVERING THE NEW COVENANT
envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come
from inside and make a man ‘unclean.' Mark 7:14-23
(NIV).
Mark’s comment here was written many years later from
the perspective of the New Covenant understanding of the
apostles. He clearly understood Jesus to be making an end to
the food laws.
Acts 10-11 records the story of Peter and the vision of
the unclean animals that he was told to kill and eat. The
primary application of this vision was to make it clear to
Peter that he was to call no man common or unclean any
more. But behind the vision is another truth. What was it that
made the Gentiles unclean? It was what they ate. It was the
food laws behind the scenes that made the Gentiles unclean
to the observant Jews. The point is once again made that the
food laws were not considered binding by the apostles. In
First Timothy 4 the Holy Spirit warns against heresies that
teach abstinence from certain foods:
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some
will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving
spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in
hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a
hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from foods which God created to be received
with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the
truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is
to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 1 Tim 4:1-5.
Here a warning is attached to making an issue of food
laws. These were understood by the apostles to be dividing
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