Chew the meat and spit out the bones...Really?!
“Chew the meat and spit out the bones” ~ Popular saying
I have heard people who I love, admire and respect (even leaders) say this in the context of consuming Christian content i.e. teachings, sermons and the like. I have never understood why some see this as an accurate statement and the older I get the more I see how dangerous it is.
The only drop of truth I vaguely see in this statement (which is hanging on a very loose thread) is that it somewhat highlights the need for God’s people to always exercise biblical discernment but honestly it is a far cry, a very far one. Yes we MUST discern but this statement is often used to limit criticism and avoid one rightly dividing the word. It is used to justify knowing something is fundamentally off but yet still allowing ones self to consume it.
This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump ~Galatians 5:8-9
Meat consumption is typically for the mature (see 1 Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:12-14) and the more one grows in the right way, the more ones acceptance of truth is streamlined to the narrow path God has set before us.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it ~Matthew 7:13-14
If you are a seasoned believer who has stayed consistent and yielded to God, you would have found this on your journey. Somethings you believed and held on to some time ago when you were in the milk and puréed food consumption phase are no longer part of your belief system. They were likely half-truths but at the time you didn’t know and frankly speaking that was ok for where you were. You didn’t know better but when we know better we are expected to do better. This therefore means that for those who are mature, it is not ok to consciously and continuously take the approach of chewing the meat and spitting out the bones. Amongst other things this will affect one’s growth and can have destiny impacting implications.
The caveat I will make here is that this is not to suggest that one will agree with every single thing a teacher or preacher says or does but there are some core fundamentals that must align. For example, if a preacher likes a certain style of worship music which is different to what one likes, it doesn’t mean that they are teaching half-truths, it has just got to do with a personal preference. On the flip side, if somebody has a very liberal view on sin or says some aspects of the Word are not true, I am personally staying well clear. I don’t care how popular or likeable they are because I understand that such views are usually sponsored by seducing and lying spirits and in my experience I have watched it play out time and time again. Moreover, a man’s ministry may still appear to thrive here on earth even with signs and wonders but may have ended in heaven ages ago, it is all a matter of time and sometimes it takes years for this to be known.
'Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ~Matthew 7:22-23
All in all, we must allow the Holy Spirit and not popularity or sentiment to lead us accordingly into what is for us and what is not, either based on the measure of truth or where we are at a certain point in our lives. The scriptures also serves as a plumb-line in helping us navigate this. Jesus is and should always be our standard.
Sadly, a lot of believers actively subscribe to this concept of ‘chewing the meat and spitting out the bones’. Some of the core problems with this are outlined below:
If the bones are contaminated, the meat is more than likely to be infected too. This is true even in practical terms of meat production
Spitting out the bones doesn’t guarantee you are not going to swallow some of the bones. More broadly, the question is why would one go through the trouble of willingly putting something in their mouth which they don’t exactly want to eat and then go through the process of trying to separate it. Do we not have enough good meat?
If we feel the need to spit out the bones, what is the state of the meat we have chosen to consume? Is it actually safe?
The deboning process is pretty complex so it not as simple as disregarding some of what one hears. What one picks up especially in a spiritual context goes beyond what the natural ears hear. In other words chewing meat from infected bones can give unseen i.e. subconscious access to one’s soul
As far as I know, there is no solid scriptural basis for this. Every scripture presented to try and justify this argument is almost always taken out of context. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 is usually referenced as a justification for this but the text presented here is regarding prophecy and judging it accurately which 100% the right thing to do
It is not a plausible justification as in most settings where this plays out, it is usually not just a one off. Consequently, people who adopt this approach constantly expose themselves to bad theology and doctrine albeit in small doses (the bones) but over time this adds up and skews ones judgement and ability to discern accurately
On a whole, it is grounds for mixture which is a big no, no
It is one thing to not know that what one is consuming is not good but it is another for one to keep consuming something one knows is not right for them especially after the Holy Spirit continuously highlights this. This gets even more dangerous as we are likely to quench the Spirit ( 1 Thessalonians 5:19) by taking on this posture.
We are in the days where deception is majorly sophisticated so what we consume is important and we must guard it. May God help us to be constantly discerning and courageous.
Prophetic Word: Prophetically speaking, some who are reading this are continuing to drink from contaminated wells. In some cases, the wells have stopped serving them so is now being detrimental and stifling their growth. The Holy Spirit has highlighted this those in question you but due to convenience, sentiment and fear of the unknown they continue to ignore His prompting. The Word for you today is that there is grace to move forward; the fields in front of you are so vast but you cannot see this until you step out in faith and make the next move. Let go of what God is releasing you from. There is grace available.
Scripture Meditation: Isaiah 43:18-19
Selah