I am happy to say that Jesus has made it safe to eat literally ANYTHING without harm, so long as you are a believer.
That’s awesome!!

I’ve always wondered what rat poison tastes like!!
Now I can find out without worry!!
Tide pods? That’s amateur stuff.
I’m going straight for the strychnine, and I’ll chase it with some hemlock and rhubarb leaves, and I’ll wash it down with some Drano clog remover…  Mmmm, delicious, right?

Why would I say such absurd things?
Anyone with a brain knows what would happen.
Certain death, right?

Where do I get my confidence to consume these things?
Why do I think I can ingest these awful substances [that are not meant to be eaten] and remain unharmed?
Because my Christian friends pointed this out to me:
Matthew 15:10-11 [words of Jesus]
¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

No matter what I put in my mouth, I will not be defiled.
Woo hoo!!
Eat up!!
Have all the household cleaners you like!
Invite your friends to join in as well.

I don’t recommend “doubting” the things that Messiah said, but in this case, I think a bit more study might be required of us.
I don’t feel like dying a miserable death today, so being absolutely sure about this is quite important.

Here is the whole story in context.
Matthew 15:1-20
15 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ² “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
³ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’;  and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶ then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
⁸ ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
⁹ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
¹⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
¹⁶ So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Verses 1 and 2 tell us the subject matter of this story in scripture.
— The Pharisees question Yeshua Messiah as to why His disciples are violating the traditions of men.
— Instead of answering them, Yeshua turns the question back upon them, as He often does.  He asked them why they transgress the commandments of Yehova BECAUSE of their traditions?

Verses 8 and 9 tell us what Messiah thinks of this situation.
— These men say things that sound good, but their hearts are far from Yeshuah.
— This part is incredibly important!!  Messiah says they worship Him in vain. Why?
Because they teach that the “commandments of men” are official doctrine!!

In verse 11, Yeshua finally answers their question:
— With regard to the original subject matter [eating bread with unwashed hands] he says that what enters the man does not defile him [bread and possibly dirt/germs]
— This has nothing to do with changing dietary food laws.  In no way, shape or form is Messiah telling us to eat pork and shellfish!!  He is answering a question about eating bread with unclean hands, in violation of the traditions of men, who [in blasphemy] claim this to be official doctrine commanded by God!!

Things get harsh in verses 13 and 14!!!
— Messiah says that the Pharisees and anyone who follows their teachings will NOT be in the kingdom of heaven!!  He refers to them as the blind leading the blind — in other words, idiots.
— Does He say to chase after them, debate them, engage them in unending discussions, trying to change their minds?
— Nope.  He says, “Let them alone.”
— If you want to understand His response better, read my teaching about Evangelism.  Does it seem right that Jesus would not care about these people and how they choose to live?  Here is a clickable link to it:  What Is Evangelism?

In verses 16-19, Yeshua goes on to explain this concept to His disciples.  He makes the distinction between the physical and the spiritual.
— He explains that what goes into the stomach [bread, food, dirt, germs] passes through the physical body and gets eliminated.
— Then He explains what will defile a man spiritually.

Messiah finishes this lesson in verse 20.
— He goes back to the very specific subject matter again:  He states that eating with unwashed hands is not sinful.

Absolutely nowhere in this discussion does Messiah say it is ok to eat prohibited animals.

As I’ve shown with scripture in many of my other articles, the Word of Yehova DOES NOT EVER CHANGE.
God NEVER CHANGES.
God DOES NOT LIE.
God NEVER  CHANGES HIS MIND.
Read Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8 and many others to confirm this is true.

If we are told in scripture that certain animals are not food, that never changes.
In fact, we see this regarding future times, AFTER MESSIAH RETURNS:

Isaiah 65:4-7
…Who eat swine’s flesh,
And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
⁵ Who say, ‘Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!’
These are smoke in My nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
⁶ “Behold, it is written before Me:
I will not keep silence, but will repay—
Even repay into their bosom—
⁷ Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,”
Says the Lord,

According to this prophecy in Isaiah 65, Yehova will be very displeased with people eating unclean animals, and in particular, pork/swine, and they will pay dearly for it.

We see this with regard to the Millennial Reign of Christ, AFTER His return, the second coming:

Isaiah 66:14-17
The Reign and Indignation of God
¹⁴ When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies.
¹⁵ For behold, the Lord will come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
¹⁶ For by fire and by His sword
The Lord will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
¹⁷ “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens
After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.

Do you see that?
Those eating swine, and other abominations and unclean animals will be destroyed by Yeshua Messiah!!
This is AFTER He returns and sets up His kingdom during the 1000 Year Reign!!
Scripture tells us what animals are food, and what animals are not food (clean vs. unclean).
Nowhere in scripture are these instructions rescinded.
Scripture regarding the future return of our Savior says that those who are violating the clean/unclean dietary instructions will be DESTROYED.

This is not my idea or my thoughts.
Scripture literally says that those eating unclean during the Millennial Reign will be destroyed!!
“Are you kidding me?
Isn’t that kind of harsh, just for eating bacon?”
Answer me this, Batman…
Why would our Messiah, our Savior, be willing to destroy those who eat pork?
Because those who eat swine do not love their Savior.
Why would I say such a thing?
Not me…
Yeshua Messiah, Jesus, is the one who said this:

John 14:15
 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 14:21
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.
John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua Messiah.
Revelation 22:14-15
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ¹⁵ But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

The Test of Knowing Yehova
1John 2:3-6
³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Messiah tells us over and over and over again to keep the commandments of Yehova (God).
He says that doing so is how He will know if we love Him.
Here’s the thing:  eating what He said to eat, and not eating what He said is not food is one of the simplest, easiest ways to obey His commands.
This is WAY easier than just about anything else.
If someone rejects one of the easiest things He said to do, then does that person love the Messiah, in the way Jesus defined loving Him?

If you don’t love Him they way He says to love Him, then why should you be included in His kingdom?  If you can’t follow one basic, easy command — to not eat bacon (and other unclean animals) — simply because He said so, then why would He include you in His kingdom?

He doesn’t.
Refer again to Isaiah 65 and 66 above, speaking of the time AFTER Messiah’s return…
THINGS WILL GO VERY BAD FOR YOU IF YOU IGNORE THE THINGS MESSIAH SAYS, IN FAVOR OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR TEACHES.

Do you eat pork?
Do you eat shellfish?
Do you eat other unclean animals?
Will you be DESTROYED by the one you believe is going to SAVE you?

So back to Matthew 15:11
¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

If you believe this verse is Messiah telling you it’s ok to eat pork and shellfish, then it is also ok for you to eat rat poison, and transmission fluid, and metal shavings, and broken glass, and whatever else you can put in your mouth.
Do you want some of that for dinner too?

It is time to stop playing games with scripture, in order to do whatever you feel like doing.
Understand the things your Messiah says.
Listen to His voice.
Follow Him.
Obey Him.