”And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.” | Leviticus 11: 1-4

When God told Noah to fill up the ark with animals, He distinguished between the “clean and unclean.”

Clean animals were designated as those which “parteth the hoof… and cheweth the cud”

There were some animals which had cloven (parted) hooves but did not chew the cud, and there were some which chewed the cud but did not have the parted hooves.

These were declared unclean.

Why these distinctions and what are their significance?

When God creates a “new creature in Christ”; when He makes him “holy, righteous… CLEAN”, that new person then exhibits two characteristics: he parteth from his sin and cheweth on the gospel.

Repentance and faith is what I am talking about.

Every regenerated person has been given both repentance and faith; every one born of God repents and believes.

If not, he or she is not clean.

There is no true conversion without a “turning to God… “turning from sin” and “believing on the Son”… belief of the Truth.

Repentance and faith (parting and chewing) are lifelong characteristics.

Also, most of the “unclean” animals were FLESH EATING.

The new creature in Christ, the child of God, the true circumcision… “puts no confidence in the flesh.”

Brother Nibert said of the Raven which never returned to the ark, “it represents the religious man who… is satisfied with the dead, rotting works of the flesh.”

But the believer is only satisfied with Christ and His Gospel!

When he hears the gospel of Christ, he feeds on that gospel, he feeds on Christ Himself, and then chews upon it as a cow chews his cud, over and over, the same blessed gospel, which gets better the more you chew on it.

What about you?

Do you desire to part with your sin and do you love to chew upon the gospel?

~ Pastor Paul Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Salvation By Covenant Mercies”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 3 April, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia