BLOOD
God forbade the eating of blood (Leviticus 7:26-27, Leviticus 17:10, 12-14, Acts 15:29) because of the life/soul contained within blood (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:11). Note that Yahweh owns all life/souls (Psalms 24:1, Psalms 115:1, Ezekiel 18:4, 1 Corinthians 10:26). Although we are not to eat blood, Yahweh still allows us to eat meat (Genesis 9:3-4). However, we are to take as much blood as possible out of the meat (Leviticus 17:13). Some people think the bible gives a provision of allowing the consumption of meat that isn't bled because of the scripture at Leviticus 17:15, which reads: Although some believe this is saying that eating unbled meat will simply make you unclean until evening, it is notable that this scripture does not say that the meat went unbled. Realize that immediately before this verse it states that anyone eating blood would be cut off from God's people. Therefore the people would know to bleed the meat first, thus it wasn't necessary to repeat that rule so soon. The idea of being unclean until evening isn't referring to the eating of meat that isn't bled, it is referring to the touching and handling of a dead body according to the law that was given earlier at Leviticus 11:39-40. Centuries later, when the Christian congregation was being formed, the scriptures continue to tell us to abstain from things strangled and from blood (Acts 15:20, 29, Acts 21:25). We must remember that blood poured out from a slaughtered animal was to flow into the soil (Deuteronomy 12:16), therefore, an animal slaughtered by strangulation would not have been drained according to God's command. Since the blood contains the life that belongs to Him, we would have no right to eat it. It's very simple, really. Some groups consider this command against blood to be more than just a dietary restriction. These people interpret the passages at Acts 15:22-29 and Acts 21:25 to include abstaining from blood transfusions as well. Is this interpretation correct? We do not believe so, and this is why: The only instruction the bible gives concerning blood is that it must be poured out onto earth, and is only in reference towards killed or dead beings. The implication is that we should not be using the blood/life from a dead creature. This is because when a creature is finished "using" its life, its life is to be returned to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7), for it belongs to God who is the giver of life (Psalms 24:1, Isaiah 42:5, 1 Corinthians 10:26). This is why we are to pour the blood into the dirt. Parallel with this is the fact that God demands that we deeply respect life, and that we do nothing to cause a person's death if we can avoid it (Exodus 20:13, Matthew 5:21). This is supported throughout scripture, in that He commanded the Israelites to install safety devices when erecting buildings (Deuteronomy 22:8) and that those who deliberately caused the death of another person were to pay for that death by losing their own lives (Genesis 9:6, Numbers 35:30-32, 2 Samuel 4:11). The matter all boils down to bloodguilt: Are we bloodguilty before God if we donate blood and accept transfusions, or are we bloodguilty if we refuse to save a life through donation/transfusion? What does the bible state regarding bloodguilt? Here are some scriptures (New World Translation quotes): Exodus 22:2-3 If a thief should be found in the act of breaking in and he does get struck and die, there is no bloodguilt for him. 3 If the sun has shone forth upon him, there is bloodguilt for him. Leviticus 17:3-4 As for any man of the house of Israel who slaughters a bull or a young ram or a goat in the camp or who slaughters it outside the camp 4 and does not actually bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to Jehovah before the tabernacle of Jehovah, bloodguilt will be counted to that man. He has shed blood, and that man must be cut off from among his people. Deuteronomy 19:10 that no innocent blood may be spilled in the midst of your land that Jehovah your God is giving you as an inheritance, and no bloodguilt has to be upon you Deuteronomy 22:8 In case you build a new house, you must also make a parapet for your roof, that you may not place bloodguilt upon your house because someone falling might fall from it. These are just a few of many. The common thread amongst all the scriptures is this: Bloodguilt always has to do with causing a death, it never has to do with prolonging a life. Since abstaining from blood donations/transfusions would mean deliberately contributing to another's death, this would be in direct opposition to Yahweh's view on the sanctity of life. Jesus Christ himself tells us that Yahweh isn't looking for sacrifice, He's looking for mercy (Matthew 9:13). In fact, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for putting interpretation of law ahead of mercy (Matthew 23:23). To interpret Acts 15:22-29 and 21:25 as commands against lifesaving treatment flies in in the face of all the other scriptures which command us to refrain from causing death (Exodus 20:13, 21:12, 23, 28-29, Numbers 35:31, Leviticus 20:2, Deuteronomy 19:21, Mark 3:4, ). It also flies in the face of scriptures commanding us to be merciful (Matthew 5:7, Luke 6:36, 14:5). Doctrine that is against blood transfusions paints God as contradictory and confusing, as such teaching states He would demand life-keeping conduct while at the same time demanding that we refrain from giving a lifesaving medical treatment. Since God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), we need to abide by His laws governing mercy and the sanctity of life, not the erroneous traditions of men (Mark 7:9, 13, Acts 5:29, Colossians 2:8). Therefore, we do not agree with the doctrine forbidding the use of blood transfusions. We believe it is a mistaken interpretation of scripture that needs to be discarded in favor of God's merciful and loving law.
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