What does the Bible say about food and eating?
Whether meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, etc. All food is more than a source of energy. It is a blessing from the Lord. When Scripture talks about food it’s not always talking about the physical. Sometimes it is talking about the spiritual and the spiritual food is something that most people neglect and that is why many are not healthy.
Christian quotes about food
“A man can eat his dinner without understanding exactly how food nourishes him.” C.S. Lewis
“If we will not learn to eat the only food that the universe grows, then we must starve eternally.” C.S. Lewis
“The deepest need of men is not food and clothing and shelter, important as they are. It is God.”
“Eating is a necessity but cooking is an art.“
“Two of the central ingredients to our family are food and faith, so sitting down together and thanking God for the food He’s provided means everything to us. Prayer is a natural part of our lives – not only around the dinner table, but all day long.”
“I say grace. I’m a big believer in grace. I happen to believe in a God that made all the food and so I’m pretty grateful for that and I thank him for that. But I’m also thankful for the people that put the food on the table.”
“Even though the world is in chaos right now, I have to thank God that I’ve a house, food, water, warmth and love. Thank you for blessing me.”
“May God provide food, clothing and shelter for all humankind.”
“Although drunkenness is a widespread sin in the nonChristian culture of today, I do not detect that it is a major problem among Christians. But gluttony surely is. Most of us have a tendency to overindulge in the food which God has so graciously provided for us. We allow the sensual part of our God-given appetite to range out of control and lead us into sin. We need to remember that even our eating and drinking is to be done to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).” Jerry Bridges
God has given both believers and unbelievers food to eat.
1. Psalm 146:7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,
2. Genesis 9:3 Every living creature will be food for you; as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything.
3. Genesis 1:29 God said, “I have given you every plant with seeds on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seeds. This will be your food.
God provides food to all of His creation.
4. Genesis 1:30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground–everything that has the breath of life in it–I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
5. Psalm 145:15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
6. Psalm 136:25 He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.
Food was used as a blessing by the Lord.
7. Exodus 16:12 “I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'”
8. Exodus 16:8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.”‘
Spiritually starving
Some people eat their plate of food, but are still starving. They are starving spiritually. With Jesus you will never hunger and thirst. Our next breath comes from Christ. We are able to enjoy meals because of Christ. Salvation is only found in Christ. It’s all about Him, He is all that you need, and He is all that you have.
9. John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
10. John 6:27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
11. John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
12. John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
The Bible as our spiritual food
There is a food that nourishes us unlike physical food that is only found in the Word of God.
13. Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Praise the Lord for every meal
Some people have nothing. Some people are eating mud pies. We must always be thankful for the food that the Lord has provided us with. No matter what it is.
14. 1 Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Glorify God with food
Do this by drinking water and giving thanks. Do this by giving food to the needy. Do this by inviting people over to eat. Give God all the glory.
15. 1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Can Christians eat pork?
Can Christians eat shrimp? Can Christians eat shellfish? We have all heard these questions and the answer is all food is permissible.
16. Romans 14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
17. 1 Corinthians 8:8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
We shouldn’t call anything unclean that God has made clean.
18. Acts 10:15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
19. 1 Corinthians 10:25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience.
Jesus fulfilled the laws regarding impure food.
20. Mark 7:19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
21. Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Scripture warns us about is the amount of food we eat.
Gluttony is a sin. If you can’t control your appetite, you will not be able to control anything else.
22. Proverbs 23:2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.
23. Proverbs 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
24. Proverbs 25:27 It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
God will always provide food for you.
Sometimes we worry so much and God is just trying to calm us down and tell us to put our mind on Him. Trust in Him. He will never fail you.
25. Matthew 6:25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Jesus was never empty
Why you ask? He was never empty because He was always doing the will of His Father. Let’s imitate Him.
John 4:32-34 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.