(Mark 7:14-23 ESV)
How can a person be defiled by what is in them?
And then I went "DOH"... it's the sin that resides within us that defiles us.
Sometimes I feel so slow.
But you know.. it's easy to focus on the externals. To say don't do this, do eat that, don't watch that video, don't play that game, don't hang out with those people and such like.
It's much harder to watch the internals.
To realize the internal stuff we do shows up in the externals things we say and do. Those things show our defilement.
When Jesus taught the people they simply didn't get it, and the disciples asked him to explain it to them better. What we eat or drink doesn't touch our hearts. It only goes into our bellies and is expelled. Food cannot defile us. But our hearts... they show our defilement.
Out of our hearts comes
- evil thoughts
- sexual immorality
- theft
- murder
- adultery
- coveting
- wickedness
- deciet
- sensuality
- envy
- slander
- pride
- foolishness
ALL evil things come from within us. They are what defile us.
So we need to pay attention. Watch what we fill our hearts with. Watch and fight against the defilement that resides within.
Live for the LORD!