Exodus 33 & 34, Mark 7: 1-30, Psalm 34: 1-10
Mark 7: 20-23 (ESV)
“And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles
him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual
immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality,
envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and
they defile a person.”
In verses 20 through 23 from Mark 7, we read how Jesus
responded to the Pharisees when they questioned him about why his disciples did
not observe the ceremonial washing rituals before they ate food. Christ tells
us that God is more concerned with what comes out of a person, then what comes
into him through food. Christ tells us that food or unclean hands do not defile
us. We are already defiled by our sinful nature. Christ then gives us a list of
13 evil things that live in our hearts. William Barclay wrote in his book The
Gospel of Mark that “Every outward act of sin is preceded by an inward act
of choice; therefore Jesus begins with the evil thought from which the evil
action comes.” I like Barclay’s theory that every outward act of sin is only
made because we made an inward act of choice. Every sin known to man can be
connected to the list of 13 evil things that Christ said lives in our hearts. It
is only with the help of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, can we hope to
overcome these 13 evil things that Christ said lives within us and live a live
of peace and righteousness.
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