Pastor John, we have a podcast on fasting, which is proven to be quite popular, and which

is titled, What is the Purpose of Fasting, episode number 72.

But in this podcast series, we have not talked much more about food more generally.

Food is such a big part of our lives, and Pastor John, what is the Bible instruct us

about the right and wrong ways to think about food?

Well, as I thought about this, Tony, what seemed to be helpful here would be to just

take five passages of scripture and bullet them as a kind of primer on a theology of

food, which will function then as a kind of protection against idolatries of the misuse

of foods, of foods proper and improper place in our lives, growing out of these texts.

So this is very insipient.

What I hope people will do is just take these and think with me, rather than thinking,

this is the end of thought here, this is really the beginning.

So I think I've got five passages, and I'll just mention them in a comment or two.

Number one, 1st Timothy, 4, 4, and 5, everything created by God is good.

And nothing is to be rejected if it is received with Thanksgiving for it is made holy by the

Word of God in prayer.

And he's talking there about food and sex.

So food is God's idea, both its nutritional value and its taste.

We'll see that in more in a minute.

It is for believers, not just the world in general, God made food for his children.

It is not automatically honoring to God.

I say it's not automatic because Paul says you need to sanctify it by the Word of God

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