Mark 7:14-23 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”
In today's scripture, Jesus declared all foods clean, but conversely, He declared certain, hidden thoughts within men and women's hearts to be very much unclean. These evil and destructive thoughts defile a person's inner being and eventually come to the surface in the form of words and actions, poisoning people and the environments around them, including how they treat others in their lives. How many homes within the Christian community are being poisoned by thoughts that originate from the evil one that are sinful and directly opposed to the purity of God and his will in this world. Words and actions that are contrary to the will and purity of God lead to destruction for oneself and for others who surround us. As Christ's followers, we cannot allow our minds to run loose, thinking thoughts that will eventually lead to evil and destructive actions. We are to be servants of God, his ambassadors of his loving kindness and tender mercy. We are not to show forth a self-willed, hedonistic attitude or to be full of thoughts of revenge and harm toward others. We are not to seek life merely for its pleasures or to seek to destroy others because we feel they have wronged us. Instead, we are to be sinless in thought and actions, forceful in doing the will of God by displaying his mercy and grace. People know us by our deeds. Jesus said, No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43-45)
Now, all of us are susceptible to a corrupt spirit under certain circumstances. But thankfully, these situations should be rare in our lives. When they do come, we should turn quickly to the Lord for strength to overcome our adversary the devil. Most of the time when our lives are normal and stable, we display the Spirit's attributes, the mind of Christ. We do the will of God rather than the will of the flesh. However, life has its times of temptation and trouble. During those times we must submit our thoughts and actions to God's will. Even when we feel life is unfair and hurtful, we must remain faithful to his words, to his expectations. We are not to venture out on our own, hurting others because we believe we have been hurt. We are not to fight flesh with flesh, destroy rather than build up. When our spirits feel malevolent, we need to let Christ come along side and tell our "hearing ear" that He is with us and knows our struggle. These times of malevolence can be times of great healing and supernatural intervention in our lives if we yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the Wonderful Guide and Counselor sent from heaven to dwell within us and to keep us strong in faith and able to withstand the snares of the enemy. The same is true with the other sins Jesus mentions to the crowd. He understood the hearts of the people: He knew that out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. Yet Jesus came to provide a new and living way of escape when these temptations of the sinful nature come to seek and to destroy, when we feel helpless to stand in our own strength. These are times when we can truly understand Jesus' mission on earth to redeem mankind from its sinfulness and despair, for Christ came to redeem, not to destroy. In describing our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Paul tells Titus, Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:13) Paul understood the grace of God and often spoke of God's strength. He wrote: That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
The Spirit's contention with us always revolves around perfecting Christ in us; conforming us to his image; bringing forth a harvest of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives; making us more loving, joyful, peaceable, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. When these attributes permeate our thoughts, words, and actions, we are a healing balm, bringing Christ to a sick and dying world. People hear the voice of Jesus, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am GENTLE AND HUMBLE in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) As the Holy Spirit guides us, we become more gentle and humble. When we take his yoke upon us, Christ in us is gentle and humble, and we will find rest for our souls. With his perfect rest, the burden of life does become easy and light, for we are no longer caught up with our selfish and hedonistic ways of living: doing evil, thinking evil, fighting evil with evil. As we walk with the Lord in the light of his love, we will combat the troubles and the trials of the world with the goodness and the strength of the Lord. When Paul described learning to depend upon the Lord in all situations and being contented with God's sufficiency, he wrote, I can do everything through him (Jesus) who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) This is our cry of hope, our anthem: Christ is our everything, our total sufficiency. We do not have to wallow in sin without any hope. We do not have to render evil for evil to free our hearts from thoughts of revenge. We are no longer captive to sinful desires that defeat us, hurting us and others. WE ARE FREE! And we know the Bible says: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36) Consequently, dear brothers and sisters, walk as free men and women, showing forth the mercy and grace of our Lord. Do not fear what you take into your body; rather, concern yourself with what comes from your mouths. Confess Christ: with your deeds and in your conversations.
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