Our Sermon Section
By Marilyn - 29 Sep 2011
In Reference to: 9 October 1988 - WHO ARE THE LAITY OF THE CHURCH?
How does one reconcile the Bible message:
“And whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat what is set before you;”
With what we believe as vegetarians and vegans? If we go in peace, to a home, and they prepare a feast of animal flesh, how can we be Christ-like and refuse it?
I and my family, especially my son, have been wrestling with this for almost 13 years! At 5 years old, he chose, and was wholeheartedly convicted to not eating dead animals. We are to the point that we no longer eat cheese with rennet or anything with gelatin, and read labels, but we have had many, many discussions over the years about how to maintain our convictions in a peace-like manner, when meat and food with dead animal by-products are “lovingly” made for and served to us.
If we could talk with the hosts ahead of time, we would certainly do that. It is when we would go out, in Christ’s ministry, and are invited and accepted into a stranger’s home, that we are torn. I have heard that the Buddhist Monks, even though they are vegetarian, will eat meat, in small quantities, when they are guests in someone else’s home. I think we would be shaking a lot of dust from our shoes, if we were to abide by your recommendation:
“If we look and act the same way as the rest of the world, by doing what they do, participating in their sinful acts, eating the foods of suffering and death, and speaking like them, we will be like them, and not of God's kingdom.”
The difficult part is that I tend to believe your interpretation, but I question if it is Christ-like. I just don’t know.
Thank you for your time.
Marilyn