So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
The Lord Jesus has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is. So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person. Don’t allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil.
God’s kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God’s kingdom consists of God’s approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives. The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
So let’s pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other. Don’t ruin God’s work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it’s wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts. The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts.
So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn’t feel guilty. He is blessed. But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn’t act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin. (Romans 14:13-23 GW)
Are you a vegan, or are you into a paleo diet? Are you concerned about what you eat? Do you try to eat organic, non-GMO, local sourced, gluten-free, wild caught, free range food?
We Americans are especially focused on the quality and cost of food. Fast-food restaurants are even adopting "healthier options." This may be good, but more important concerns ought to occupy followers of Jesus.
As Jesus said, it's not what goes into a body that defiles a person, but what comes out of the heart (Matt 15:11). Paul reminds us that the Kingdom of God isn't about what we eat or drink, but our relationship with the Lord and one another.
We have freedom to eat or drink whatever we choose, but not at the cost of others and their consciences. As said nowadays, "it's not about you." Nor is it about the food.
We need to live with a clear conscience before the Lord and without intentionally hurting the conscience of others. When we have doubts about all this, we're not living in the freedom of true faith. ©Word-Strong_2016