From the Heart
What Defiles a Man?
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 15:1-2 NKJV - (1) Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, (2) "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
OBSERVATION:
What corrupts a person? Is it what they consume, wear, connect with, or do? Each of these can influence us either positively or negatively, but do they truly "defile” us?
If I choose to eat only ice cream for a week, I will definitely face adverse effects by the end of the first day. On the other hand, eating healthily for a week—though less enjoyable (I’d prefer ice cream)—will yield positive results. Both choices and actions have consequences, but the fundamental question remains: What truly defiles a person?
The religious leaders believed it was about eating without washing hands. Jesus sharply rebuked this idea, emphasizing that we should pay attention to what truly matters.
Matthew 15:3 NKJV - (3) He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
Matthew 15:7-9 NKJV - (7) "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: (8) 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (9) And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"
In their misguided zeal to remain pure, they became hypocrites whose hearts were far from God, only respecting Him with their words.
This is not where I want to be. So, the question remains: what truly defiles a person?
In my desire to stay pure, I must be vigilant about attitudes and actions that reveal hypocrisy. You and I can be just as mistaken as the religious leaders in believing that outward behaviors determine whether we are pure or impure. The truth is, no matter how hard we try, we cannot make ourselves pure. Why is this? Jesus gives us the answer.
Matthew 15:11, 16-20 NKJV – (11) “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” … (16) So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? (17) “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? (18) “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. (19) “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. (20) “These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
In the words of the Prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 17:9 NLT - (9) "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
APPLICATION:
Jeremiah's answer to this question is Jesus. He understands our hearts and loves us anyway.
We often believe that only good things come from the heart. We hear phrases like “it’s from the heart” or “they have a good heart,” and these can be true. However, the reality is that our hearts can be wicked, and from them come everything that defiles us. Our flesh is still alive and needs to be dealt with. Only Jesus has the power to transform us from the inside out, not just by appearing to be righteous outwardly.
1 John 1:9 NLT - (9) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
If you are like me and wish to see good things flow from your heart, confess your sins, allow God to work within you, and avoid merely honoring God with words like a hypocrite.
Remember what comes from the heart. Turn to Jesus for forgiveness and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your heart. In this way, we can honor God not only with our words but also with what truly comes from our hearts.
PRAYER:
Jesus, forgive me for the defilement that comes from my heart. Change my heart through the power of the Holy Spirit, so I can honor You not just with my words, but with what truly comes from my heart.
Matthew 15:1-2 NKJV - (1) Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, (2) "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
OBSERVATION:
What corrupts a person? Is it what they consume, wear, connect with, or do? Each of these can influence us either positively or negatively, but do they truly "defile” us?
If I choose to eat only ice cream for a week, I will definitely face adverse effects by the end of the first day. On the other hand, eating healthily for a week—though less enjoyable (I’d prefer ice cream)—will yield positive results. Both choices and actions have consequences, but the fundamental question remains: What truly defiles a person?
The religious leaders believed it was about eating without washing hands. Jesus sharply rebuked this idea, emphasizing that we should pay attention to what truly matters.
Matthew 15:3 NKJV - (3) He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
Matthew 15:7-9 NKJV - (7) "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: (8) 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (9) And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"
In their misguided zeal to remain pure, they became hypocrites whose hearts were far from God, only respecting Him with their words.
This is not where I want to be. So, the question remains: what truly defiles a person?
In my desire to stay pure, I must be vigilant about attitudes and actions that reveal hypocrisy. You and I can be just as mistaken as the religious leaders in believing that outward behaviors determine whether we are pure or impure. The truth is, no matter how hard we try, we cannot make ourselves pure. Why is this? Jesus gives us the answer.
Matthew 15:11, 16-20 NKJV – (11) “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” … (16) So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? (17) “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? (18) “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. (19) “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. (20) “These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
In the words of the Prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 17:9 NLT - (9) "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
APPLICATION:
Jeremiah's answer to this question is Jesus. He understands our hearts and loves us anyway.
We often believe that only good things come from the heart. We hear phrases like “it’s from the heart” or “they have a good heart,” and these can be true. However, the reality is that our hearts can be wicked, and from them come everything that defiles us. Our flesh is still alive and needs to be dealt with. Only Jesus has the power to transform us from the inside out, not just by appearing to be righteous outwardly.
1 John 1:9 NLT - (9) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
If you are like me and wish to see good things flow from your heart, confess your sins, allow God to work within you, and avoid merely honoring God with words like a hypocrite.
Remember what comes from the heart. Turn to Jesus for forgiveness and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your heart. In this way, we can honor God not only with our words but also with what truly comes from our hearts.
PRAYER:
Jesus, forgive me for the defilement that comes from my heart. Change my heart through the power of the Holy Spirit, so I can honor You not just with my words, but with what truly comes from my heart.
From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Posted in Matthew
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