Reflection from my reading in Mark 7:14-37 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Like Breathing

A lot of popular philosophies today tell you to “follow your heart” or “look within” but Jesus says that our sin comes from within! The Bible teaches that because of Adam and Eve’s sin each of us is born with a propensity to sin. It comes natural to us, like breathing!

To Eat or Not To Eat?

In this context, Jesus just finished telling the religious leaders that the man made tradition of ceremonial hand washing was not as important as keeping clear Biblical commands. Jesus then moved on to the issue of eating clean and unclean food. Here’s what 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.” Mark 7:20–23

Our Sin Comes From Within

Jesus is clearly teaching that the source of our sin is ourselves not from outside influences. Contrary to popular belief, we are not “basically good” and corrupted by the world. We are sinful from the inside and when we are sinning we are being true to ourselves.

That’s why we need Jesus come into our lives and give us a new heart that desires to do the right thing! 

Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and if we receive him as Lord and Savior he promises to change our hearts and give us his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us desires the please God and battles against our natural sinful inclinations.

Heart Surgery

If you have given your life to Jesus he is giving you open heart surgery. He has already given you a new heart and will help you to line your desires with his! The goal of spiritual growth is shaping the desires of your heart to look more like God’s!

Next time you sin, don’t blame it on your surroundings. Take the blame, repent, and ask yourself what evil desire caused me to do that?

The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart! 

I pray that God transform my heart to desire more and more what Jesus desires, and that my desire to sin will decrease! For a great book on this subject get “Enemies of the Heart” by Andy Stanley

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