In this episode of my podcast, we’re talking about personal health convictions. Because food and health are not major talking points in the New Testament, it may be difficult figuring out how to apply Biblical teachings to our diet or health decisions. The next series of episodes will focus on New Testament passages that we can apply to our diet and health.
Listen to the episode:
The Unspoken Laws of Dieting
We’ll hang out in Romans 14 to talk about personal health convictions. But before we start digging into the passage, I’d like to preface this topic with this…
I do believe there are unspoken laws of dieting, or diet principles.
One, that God designed the world, including our bodies, to function a specific way. To live apart from that design is detrimental to our health (episode 6).
Two, that God made everything to work together. Just as the weather and seasons affect our bodies, so do our choices affect our health. Nothing is random or isolated (episode 7).
Three, that God designed food (and medicine) with the knowledge of the body’s design. Therefore, the natural design of food (and medicine) is going to be better for our health than any man-made food (or medicine) (episode 8).
Four, that we are not above the consequences of our actions. We should not test God by asking Him to keep us from disease if we are not doing the hard work to prevent disease (episode 9).
You should know that these laws of dieting, or diet principles, are a work in progress. These laws have to be reformed to the Bible constantly. But I believe they are a great foundation of how we should approach our diet and health as Christians. If we decide to reject these principles, we are not sinning. But, we will be hard-pressed to have good health if we don’t let these principles guide our diet and health decisions.
Context for Romans 14
From Romans chapter 1 through 13, Paul makes the argument that we were once separated from Christ and that we have built up a debt against God that is too great for us to repay. Christ is the only One who can pay our debt. After we have submitted our lives to Christ, we now have freedom from the law.
Though we have been given freedom from the law and our sinful flesh, we are now slaves to the One who freed us. We are not to walk in our old sinful ways or begrudgingly do what God tells us to do. Rather, we are to demonstrate to those around us what God has done for us, out of a deep love for our Rescuer.
This brings us to Romans 14. Paul is now talking about the freedom we have in Christ to live out our faith without the worry of sin. However, he also says that there are those weak in faith who still live as if some actions are sinful. On the other hand, there are those who are strong in faith who don’t share those convictions.
Note here that Paul is not talking about actions involving salvation or morality. He is talking about people who disagree on how they are to worship Jesus in their everyday decisions. They disagree on the methods, not the principles. This is why this passage is perfect for applying to our diet and health decisions.
Is it Wrong to Eat Certain Food?
In Romans 14, Paul addresses the question “is it wrong to eat meat?” in verses 2 and 3. The context, here, could have been that the animals the meat came from were often sacrificed to pagan idols. Because of that, Roman Christians may have thought it wrong to eat meat. But, Paul responds with this in verse 14: “I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” Furthermore, he says in verses 22 and 23, “The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”
So, Paul is saying that the food you eat cannot make you clean or unclean. He is also saying that we each have our own personal convictions, and we are to act from faith by following them ourselves. I emphasized ourselves because Paul explicitly says in verse 14, “to him it is unclean”. He does not say “to him and his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ it is unclean”. He says only to him who believes it to be wrong is it wrong.
Therefore, we are not to confuse our personal health convictions with God’s commands. We cannot judge people based on our own personal convictions. Neither are we to have contempt for those who have personal convictions different from us. Our convictions are not rules for everyone to live by.
Judging on Personal Health Convictions
In verses 3-4, Paul says, “The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” He also says in verses 10-13, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.”
Simply put: do not judge someone for not doing something you believe is right (regarding diet and health matters).
The wrong thing that can be done here has nothing to do with you following your personal convictions. You following your convictions is the right thing to do. Whether that’s being a vegetarian, not using pharmaceuticals, or getting or not getting a vaccine, be informed on all your options and make a wise decision on what you and your family should do.
However, forcing your fellow sister in Christ to also submit to your health or diet decision, no matter how much you feel they should, is wrong. Boasting about your decision to someone you know doesn’t agree with you is wrong and divisive too. Also, pressuring someone to submit to your health or diet decision, thus making them act against their own convictions, is a sin.
Build Up Not Tear Down
Paul says this in verses 16-21… “Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing [freedom in Christ] be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.”
All this to say, however you choose to glorify God with your diet and health decisions, be fully convinced of them. Do not force your personal health convictions on others by trying to talk them into your convictions (or lack thereof). If that person wants to hear your convictions, then tell them about them. But, do not confuse your convictions with God’s word.
A good rule of thumb is this… If you can’t find God commanding it in the Bible, then you can’t demand others to follow your conviction as if it is the morally right thing to do.
An example of This…
I’m going to use my convictions as an example. I am convinced that God gave us natural tools to attain good health. There are other believers who disagree with me and are convinced that mainstream medicine is the way to good health. It would be a sin if I were to attack or tear them down for following what they are convinced is right. And vice versa. I can only give a defense for what I believe to those who want to know. If they don’t want to know or don’t agree, then that is their choice. As it is my choice to follow my convictions and depart from theirs.
A Warning to Believers in a Polarized Society
To the believers who are trying to force others to comply either with mainstream medicine or with natural medicine (thus confusing their personal health convictions with God’s commands), let’s relook at what Paul says in verses 19-21… “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of” and here is where I’d insert health instead of food. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of health. Just do for you and your family what you’re convinced of and trust that others are doing the same.
In Summary and Application
The best thing we can do is to always be reforming our convictions to the truth in the Bible. We should be testing our personal health convictions and rooting out any that are based on faulty or foolish premises. We should always be growing in our faith by bringing every area of our lives under Christ’s dominion, including our health and diet. And we can encourage others to do the same, without judgment or contempt, and without confusing our convictions with God’s commands.
Other Resources
Want to learn more about how to eat and live according to God’s design? Subscribe to my podcast on Podbean, Apple, Google, or Stitcher.
Ready to let the Bible guide your health and diet decisions but don’t know where to start? Consider working with me, then, and I will help you do just that!