“You are no more intelligent than the others,” Jesus said to them. “Don’t you understand? Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can really make him unclean.”
Mark 7:18
I remember being in the midst of a group of people who discussed what should be eaten or not. Some of them called pigs, snails, and some other animals unclean because of what they’ve been taught. So, to remain pure, they abstain from a certain food.
Like the Pharisees, some abstain from meat that was used for sacrifice, and some from animals they classify as unclean. In verse 19 of that passage, Jesus explains why what a man eats does not defile him: “Because it does not go into his heart but into his stomach and then goes on out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared that all foods are fit to be eaten.)”
Reading further in that passage, we see that what comes out of the inside of man defiles him. “And he went on to say, “It is what comes out of a person that makes him unclean. For from the inside, from a person’s heart, come the evil ideas which lead him to do immoral things: to rob, kill, commit adultery, be greedy, and do all sorts of evil things; deceit, indecency, jealousy, slander, pride, and folly — all these evil things come from inside a person and make him unclean.” Mark 7: 20-23
Do you want to be purified and remain pure? Seek the sanctification of your soul. Sanctification is the act of purification. When your heart is purified by the blood of Jesus Christ, then whatever will come out of you will be pure. A purified heart does not curse with his mouth; if anyone does that, he defiles himself, as we read above.
Beloved, as you guard your stomach, guard your heart more. Remember that what comes out of us has the power to defile us; therefore, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.” Prov. 4:23.
Finally, be mindful of your thoughts, words, and actions. They have the power to keep you purified or defiled.
Prayer
1) Lord Jesus, help me to guard my heart against the evil things of this world.
2) Sanctify my heart, oh Lord, and help me stay purified and undefiled.
3) I receive the grace to discern when making decisions.
4) Bridle my tongue and order my steps, Oh Lord.
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