Mark 7:1-23
Rebecca Lightfoot
N Mark7:1-23,Jesus draws from everyday “life stuff” to unpack a lesson of the heart I need to soak in for a while.A group of Pharisees r bothered by some of the disciples not ceremonially cleaning themselves after being among a bunch of Gentiles and some Jews that didn’t adhere to Jewish Traditions!This ceremonial cleaning was something conjured up by the religious leaders,& not w/in the precepts of God’s Word(The Truth)!People had added to what God says(diluting&tainting what God does say!),& the result was that these people defiled themselves by how their lives had changed n ways that were far from what is RIGHT&TRUE as described by God.By teaching such things that are not from God’s Heart,followers of these teachings were allowing their hearts to become defiled(desecrate or profane something sacred).So,what they taught & the way they lived profaned the “proclamation” of their faith,i.e.,their claim to be followers of God!We r constantly bombarded by things that will dilute &/or taint our heart.This is why all things need to be “filtered”/discerned by God’s Word(The Truth)so we can identify those things that we need to “demolish” from our lives so we may bring our minds/hearts/lives in line w Christ(2Cor10:5 “We demolish arguments & every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God(revealed through God’s Word&Spirit),& we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”).Anything that challenges what God has revealed about Himself;what HE has done;His principles&precepts...is aiming directly at the heart of man&woman for the purpose of defiling not only God’s Word&Truth,but especially the PURPOSE for God’s Word&Truth n the heart of man&woman(Cor5:21 says,”God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us,so that we might become the righteousness of God.”).The PURPOSE of God’s Word&Truth is for us to be saved from sin AND to be made righteous by Christ!Being made righteous “happens” as I live my life according to God’s Heart as revealed through Christ (NJohn14:6 Jesus says,”I am the WAY & THE TRUTH & THE LIFE,no one comes to the Father except through me.”).Anything that taints;dilutes;or attempts to “change” what God says...is “setting itself up against the knowledge of God” in my life!Dear Jesus,I have many ideas/thoughts that set themselves up wrongly n my life...Please open my eyes to know these...and help me remove these and replace them with YOU!