'For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: an exposition on Paul's words in 1 Timothy 4:1-5

LESSON 9

FOR EVERY CREATURE OF GOD IS GOOD, AND NOTHING TO BE REFUSED, IF IT BE RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING: AN EXPOSITION ON PAUL'S WORDS IN 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-5

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on How to Prosper in Health. The topic for this study is: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving": an exposition on Paul's words in 1 Timothy 4:1-5. The complete message in this passage reads: "4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."

(1 Timothy 4:1-5) Many in Christendom today use this passage to justify their use of the unclean animal species as food. Some even go on to the extent of viewing other Christians who uphold the distinctions that God has placed in His Word regarding flesh food (see Leviticus 11:1-47; Deuteronomy 14:2-21) as hypocrites who have departed from the faith.

Beloved, the focus of this study is not to search out for a group of people to whom Paul was referring to in this passage. However, if anyone will want to start such a search, then the two identifying characteristics mentioned in the passage are as follows:

1. Such a group should forbid marriage among its members (see 1 Timothy 4:3).

2. Such a group should command her members to abstain from meats (foods) that God has given to His children of His own freewill (see 1 Timothy 4:3).

Even though such a group may exist within Christendom, the focus of this study is not to fish out that group, but rather to ascertain the deeper meaning of the message which Paul wanted to convey to the young pastor Timothy. To achieve this objective, we will be analysing some key words and phrases in the passage of 1 Timothy 4:1-5 in four sub-sections as follows:

1) EVERY CREATURE OF GOD IS GOOD

1 Timothy 4:4 tells us that "EVERY CREATURE OF GOD IS GOOD, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving" (Capital Emphasis Added).

Friends, it is a true fact that every creature of God is good. From Genesis 1, we learn that everything that God created was good (see Genesis 1:4; Genesis 1:10; Genesis 1:12; Genesis 1:18; Genesis 1:21; Genesis 1:25). In fact, in Genesis 1:31, we read about how God saw that everything that He has made was very good. It is important to note that this expression of goodness that God Himself made in regard to the things He created also applied to the fishes, birds, fowls, insects, creeping things, beasts and all other moving organisms.

Beloved, a critical point that we need to note at this stage is that even though God had pronounced all the animal species as good, He did not add them to the food list of our first parents (see Genesis 1:29). From this point, it is clear that God viewed all the creatures He made as good in the sense that each of them was to serve a specific purpose as far as the perfection and harmony of our world is concerned.

From the context of Genesis 1, it is clear that the depiction of something as good does not necessary mean that such a thing has to be eaten. The understanding we gain from this point becomes clearer when we realize that just before the flood in Genesis 7, even though God knew that all the animals and fowls He has created were good, He still gave a command to Noah to categorize them into two classes of clean and unclean (see Genesis 7:1-3; Genesis 8:20). Moreover, from Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, we learn about how God wanted His children to use only the clean animals, fowls, fishes and birds as food even though He had pronounced all these animal species to be good in the very beginning of creation.

Friends, what am I trying to say here? You see, I am only trying to make the biblical point, that the phrase "every creature of God is good" does not necessarily mean that all the creatures of God are good for consumption. From this point, we will continue to examine the next important phrase "and nothing to be refused" which is usually pointed out by many to justify their use of unclean flesh food.

2) AND NOTHING TO BE REFUSED IF IT BE RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING

After the opening phrase "For every creature of God is good" in 1 Timothy 4:4, we are given additional information in the same verse that reads: "AND NOTHING TO BE REFUSED IF IT BE RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING".

Many in Christendom today make use of this phrase to justify their consumption of the unclean animal species. However, from Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, we learn about how God instructed His chosen children in relation to the kind of animal species that they could use as food and those that they could not use as food. Beloved, for the kind of meats (foods) that God allowed His children to partake of in biblical times, the child of God may also receive them as from the Lord, showing appreciation for this gift in the form of thanksgiving in prayer.

But what about the unclean foods or meats which God instructed His children in biblical times not to use as food? Can God's children today "receive them", so to speak, and thank God in prayer for such foods? Well, I thought one could only receive of something which has been given out of the owner's freewill.

Beloved, the fact that we must receive these meats (foods) spoken of in 1 Timothy 4:1-5, suggests that God has given such foods to us out of His own freewill. We therefore receive such foods and thank Him for His generous provision. Nevertheless, with respect to the meats (foods) that God has not given to us, we cannot receive them of His hand, because He has not given them to us in the first place. To use such meats (foods) which God has expressly forbidden His children not to partake of will be similar to taking such meat (food) by force or wrenching it out of His hand. This action will not be a process of RECEIVING, but rather, that of ROBBERY.

At this point, I want us to consider this scenario: I snatch your smart phone from your hand and then look at you in the face, warmly thanking you for the phone. Now, if I do this, you might initially consider it a joke. However, if you realise I'm serious in keeping the phone, you are likely to express your dissatisfaction about my behaviour because you did not give me the phone out of your own freewill. My action will actually be robbery and not receiving. In fact, I don't think such a practice will be acceptable anywhere in the world. However, when it comes to God's Word in 1 Timothy 4:1-5, many in Christendom today think that this practice is acceptable.

3) SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER

The verse 5 of 1 Timothy 4 presents some powerful words that bring out the clear meaning of the entire passage. 1 Timothy 4:5 reads: "For it is SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER" (Capital Emphasis Added). Beloved, this is the thrust of Paul's message to Timothy. This verse actually reinforces the point I have been trying hard to make; which is, the meats (foods) that the people of God must receive with thanksgiving must first be sanctified by the Word of God. In other words, the Word of God must first approve of such foods. And sure enough, there are some foods that God's Word approves of (see Genesis 1:29; Genesis 3:18; Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14).

Now, after God's Word has given the green light concerning the eating of particular foods, such foods must also be sanctified by prayer. The need for prayer is quite evident. This is because meats (foods) that God have approved for our consumption may as well contain poisonous contaminations from our sinful environment. Thus, a prayer of faith upon such foods is necessary. For such prayer upon a clean food, which actually follows obedience to what God has allowed, I believe God will definitely honour. However, I don't think that God will honour our prayers, if we knowingly partake of meats (foods) that He has clearly forbidden in His Word.

4) Beloved, from the scriptural passages we have reviewed so far, it is clear that the passage in 1 Timothy 4:1-5 cannot be used in anyway to justify the use of the unclean animal species as food. As we have already noted in this study, all meats (foods) that a child of God can partake of must first be sanctified by God's Word.

Exhortation: " For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee" (Psalms 84:11-12). In our next study, we will consider the topic: Bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper: exposing the debilitating effects of alcohol and drugs. The Bible study references for this study are Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:29-32, Galatians 5:19-21, John 2:1-10, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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