Keep Your Heart Clean
“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, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 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.”” Mark 7:18-23
Lots of folks today, for good reason, are disinfecting their hands so not to get sick. It's a wise thing to do. But there's something way more important for us to keep clean that many today are not paying attention to; the heart. I'm not talking about your physical heart but the inner part of you where thoughts, emotions, and desires spring from. To those who were hung up on washing their physical hands, but we’re not paying attention to their hearts, Jesus explained, “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.”
When we are saved through faith in the finished work of Christ, God gives us a new heart. The Spirit of God works in our spirit to give us a new identity and awareness that we are children of God with new desires and affections for God and the things of God (Romans 8:14-16). Although God gives us a new heart, we must keep and guard it from becoming defiled (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus said that unwashed hands don’t defile a person, “since it enters not his heart” (Matthew 7:19a). But there are things that could enter the heart, like the filth of pornography, which we must not expose our hearts and minds to. We must not give our hearts to drinking or drugs or anything that would defile our hearts (Proverbs 23:29-33). We must not open our hearts to things that would stir the wrong desires. When our hearts are defiled, we will not be able to taste and see the goodness of God (1 Peter 2:1-3).
Because of the sinful nature that remains in us and the corrupt world around us, our hearts can become defiled. Therefore, like we regularly wash our hands, we must continuously cleanse our hearts by drawing near to God through worship based prayer, through the word of God, and confession of sin (John 15:3; 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 6:1-8). If our hearts and minds are not being renewed daily, we will be conformed to this corrupt and perverse world (Romans 12:1-3). Our hearts and minds will entertain evil thoughts which will stir up wicked desires that will lead us astray (Romans 8:5).
Have you been given a new heart in Christ? Guard it and keep it clean. If you know your heart has been defiled and it's leading you astray, pray as David did, “create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). O child of God, cleanse your heart and keep it clean day by day. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8
Blessings,
Pastor Marco
Lots of folks today, for good reason, are disinfecting their hands so not to get sick. It's a wise thing to do. But there's something way more important for us to keep clean that many today are not paying attention to; the heart. I'm not talking about your physical heart but the inner part of you where thoughts, emotions, and desires spring from. To those who were hung up on washing their physical hands, but we’re not paying attention to their hearts, Jesus explained, “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.”
When we are saved through faith in the finished work of Christ, God gives us a new heart. The Spirit of God works in our spirit to give us a new identity and awareness that we are children of God with new desires and affections for God and the things of God (Romans 8:14-16). Although God gives us a new heart, we must keep and guard it from becoming defiled (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus said that unwashed hands don’t defile a person, “since it enters not his heart” (Matthew 7:19a). But there are things that could enter the heart, like the filth of pornography, which we must not expose our hearts and minds to. We must not give our hearts to drinking or drugs or anything that would defile our hearts (Proverbs 23:29-33). We must not open our hearts to things that would stir the wrong desires. When our hearts are defiled, we will not be able to taste and see the goodness of God (1 Peter 2:1-3).
Because of the sinful nature that remains in us and the corrupt world around us, our hearts can become defiled. Therefore, like we regularly wash our hands, we must continuously cleanse our hearts by drawing near to God through worship based prayer, through the word of God, and confession of sin (John 15:3; 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 6:1-8). If our hearts and minds are not being renewed daily, we will be conformed to this corrupt and perverse world (Romans 12:1-3). Our hearts and minds will entertain evil thoughts which will stir up wicked desires that will lead us astray (Romans 8:5).
Have you been given a new heart in Christ? Guard it and keep it clean. If you know your heart has been defiled and it's leading you astray, pray as David did, “create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). O child of God, cleanse your heart and keep it clean day by day. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8
Blessings,
Pastor Marco