Is vegetarianism biblical?

In the New Testament period, there was a debate about whether people should eat animals that had been offered to idols by pagans before being butchered for the marketplace.

Paul advised Christians to ask “no questions for conscience’ sake” (1 Corinthians 10:25). But if their conscience bothered them, they could just eat vegetables. It had nothing to do with the benefits of a vegetable diet over a meat diet; it concerned whether or not the meat had been offered to idols.

Salvation is the most important thing here, but in the New Testament, many ceremonial dietary issues got mixed up in the Jews’ minds as being moral issues. The apostle Paul advised all believers to be careful not to judge other believers in this regard (Romans 14:3).

While we should never say a person has to be a vegetarian to be saved, the optimal diet should be no surprise. If you want to see God’s original intention, you only need look at the creation: “I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food” (Genesis 1:29).

But eventually people developed other appetites—and throughout history, we see that God sometimes allows things, because of man’s narrow-minded insistence, that are not the best choice.

Science has clearly proven that the original vegetarian diet is far healthier. People tend to live longer on a vegetarian diet; they tend to avoid the diet-related diseases that plague our world. There is also plenty of strength produced from a plant-based diet; many athletes are vegetarians—even some endurance athletes who compete in grueling triathlons.

The original menu God gave humanity will be our diet again when we get to the kingdom. But “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Key Bible Texts

For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. (Romans 14:2 KJV)