“Holy Water” and “Saying Grace”

The Bible doesn’t say anything about “holy water,” but the concept would apply to anything we consume to live — which would include what we drink — and is relative to this passage:

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

This reveals the purpose of “saying grace,” which is:

To thank our Creator for the food & drink à la Matthew 15:36 & 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.
To consecrate it by the word of God & prayer.

‘Consecrate’ means to “set apart as sacred” or “make holy” — i.e. purify — which explains the English Standard Version’s translation of the text:

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (ESV)

So by speaking the word of God & praying over what you consume — that is, blessing it — you are by faith purging any potential impurities. Say, for instance, a restaurant is inadvertently serving contaminated food and everyone gets sick who ate that particular food except the believers who prayed over their vittles and actually believed. Another example would be if someone poisoned your food or beverage, like a guy slipping a knock-out drug in a woman’s drink.

This explains how a believer walking in faith could unknowingly drink poison and not be hurt by it (Mark 16:18).

Does this mean you have to pray over all foods & drinks just before partaking, including every little snack? You can, if your faith requires it (see Romans 14:23). Not to mention it’s a good idea to do so when you eat with others, especially publicly, for the sake of the other believers present, if not yourself. However, if you already have your “shield of faith” up you’re good to go as is, although you can certainly “say grace” to express thanks and as a positive confession or courtesy. To explain, consider when Paul was bit by a venomous snake:

After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. ²The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. ³When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Acts 28:1-6

Paul was already walking in a state of faith — and therefore had his “shield of faith” up — and, as such, suffered no ill effects when the viper bit him. Notice he didn’t drop everything and say a prayer or speak in faith. Why not? Because he was already walking in faith. It’s the same principle with partaking of food & drink: If the believer is already walking in faith he or she is covered when partaking of vittles and thus any impurities will not harm him/her.

Beware of the Legalistic “Saying Grace” Police

About a dozen years ago I was at a Christian assembly where I innocently picked up a cupcake in the lobby and proceeded to take a bite. A woman was nearby and she rebuked me for eating the cupcake without technically “saying grace.” This was a cheerless woman who always insisted on being called “Apostle Such-&-Such” (even though she wasn’t an apostle in the remotest sense). She was not aware that (1) I was already walking in faith and thus my shield of faith was “up,” (2) the pastor had already prayed over the snacks earlier when the woman wasn’t present and (3) I was thankful for the cupcake even if I didn’t verbally express it on this particular occasion.

This shows that giving thanks & praying over foods/drinks can devolve into a Pharisaical custom wherein staunch legalists judge and condemn accordingly.

It goes without saying that we need to be careful to not allow the wonderful practice of giving thanks & praying over foods to become an eye-rolling legalistic ritual.

The Six Basic Doctrines of Christianity

Can Christians Drink Alcoholic Beverages?

The Issue of Eating Meat Sacrificed to Idols

Legalism — Understanding its Many Forms