xjwsforChrist

Greetings One and All: May you have Peace.

Interesting article in the Fox News today:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/10/2 ... -heat.html

--Armand

This is one topic I avoided researching until this case came up. Frankly, I gotta say how appalled I am at myself to have ever bought into what this is: an interpretation and a very much going beyond what is written.

Point #1: Israelites were permitted to eat unbled meat if the animal was found already dead. (Lev 17:13-16) Why? Because blood congeals. It would be nearly impossible to bleed an animal already found dead.

Point #2: The injunction against eating blood had to do with dead animals, not live ones. Blood transfusions come from live donors.

Point #3: The purpose of not eating blood was because, not only was the life in the blood, but it is the blood that makes atonement. (Lev 17:8-12) This is no longer the case. Only Christs' blood makes atonement "once for all time." (Heb 7:27,28)

Point #4: Christ tells us to drink his blood. (John 6:56). Of course, this is figurative, but it shows that the atoning value of his blood is vastly different than the atoning value of the blood of birds and animals.

So, then, why the repetition of avoiding blood in Acts 15? I can't answer that. Speculatively, it would be so as to not cause further offense to the Jews by the Gentiles. The Jews would naturally avoid eating blood because of the law. The Gentiles, not so much. But, eating blood would like be just as offensive as not being circumcised, the request to avoid blood was included. It seems it was unnecessary to mention not lying, not murdering, not stealing, as those are issues of normal morality. But, eating blood was more of a cultural issue. That's my speculation, at least. I can't prove it any more than WT can prove that transfusion is the same as eating.

This is the simple, direct overview of what I've been able to glean on the subject.

"For the LIFE [of every creature] is in the BLOOD..." - Leviticus 17:11

"No one has GREATER LOVE than that he should give HIS LIFE in behalf of his friends." - John 15:13

"There is NO LAW AGAINST... (LOVE)..." - Galatians 5:23

So what does it mean to "abstain from blood"? It means, dear LQ (peace to you, dear brother!) not eating/drinking the blood of an animal/human merely for sake of attempting to "capture" the strength or SPIRIT... of such animal/human... so as to "consume" and have coursing [i]within oneself the life... or ESSENCE of such "creature" (created one).

Many ancient peoples believed that if you drank/ate the blood of a particularly strong/victorius animal or human, you took the life... and so the essence and so STRENGTH of such one into oneself. Hence, the heart, liver, kidney, etc., eaten immediately after being ripped (and so still "pumping," quivering... or ALIVE...) from the animal/human. Moreso before the animal/human has actually died.

Whatever "strength"... and not just physical strength... the creature possesed... was believed to become a part of the one who consumed it. Then strengthening the CONSUMER.

This consumption, however, disregarded the fact that such life essence... or SPIRIT... belonged to JAH. For which reason it was, under the OLD Law, to be poured out and returned. To the ground... which yielded it to JAH.

Under the NEW Law (of love), however, the Old Law"s requirement of giving the blood back to the EARTH... could be SURPASSED... indeed, covered OVER... by LOVE. Because love... is the Law's FULFILLMENT

If, then, one is giving their blood... LIFE... so that another might LIVE... there can BE no law AGAINST it. In the same vein, one who takes hiven blood... NOT so as to have the strength... life essence... of the one who gave it but perhaps so as to sustain their OWN life... if such blood was not TAKEN, but was given FREELY... then one can RETURN THE LOVE... by graciously, humbly, and most appreciatively ACCEPTING the GIFT.

JAH is merciful. He PARDONS error and does not, where love is involved... "keep account of the injury."

I hope that helps and as always, peace to you and your dear household!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shel