Mark 7:14-23
14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him,19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.
This conversation that happened in Mark 7 might have been a follow up to the encounter Jesus had with the Pharisees. When he saw what the Pharisees were doing, the Bible said that Jesus called all the people. This was a public preaching that was meant to be heard by all and not just the disciples.
When Jesus gathered the crowds, He said to them of what makes a man unclean. While the Pharisees focused on the outside (externals), Jesus was concerned with what’s inside of us.
When the crowds left, the disciples asked Him what the parable meant and Jesus explained to them how the external does not define our spiritual status – it is what is inside our hearts that tells us who we really are. Externally, we can cover up our sin, lust, idolatry and many other sins.
21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness,deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Jesus came to earth to deal with the sins of men. If you look at the list above, we would see that most of them are our sins. And we also know that no amount of religious good work could cover up our sins. That’s why Jesus came. He rescued us from what we are capable of doing. He saved us from our sin. And by His power, we are given the ability to overcome all this sin. And the way to do it is not by making a new year’s resolution but by dealing with the root – our sinful nature.
For from within – is the key phrase here. We need to be transformed from within. Because once what is within is dealt with, the heart is transformed and what comes out of us is a changed nature and changed attitude.
Lord, you know me and my innermost thoughts. I pray that you change me from within. Lord, deal what is in my heart. I want to live for your honor and glory.