Mark 7:1-23
Things that Lead Us Astray
1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16]
17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
The heart is the Spiritual Center of one's being...The Bible uses the term "heart" to refer to one's inner self, encompassing our thoughts, emotions, and desires...However, it often warns against following our hearts because our hearts can be deceitful and lead us astray (Jeremiah 17:9)...So we should follow Jesus to keep us on the straight path...Praying to Him helps us against the deceitful things and ways that lead us astray...Jesus is acknowledging that physical desires can tempt us to make choices that go against God's will...Following Jesus is about aligning your heart with God's Will...This involves seeking God's guidance through prayer, studying scripture, and living a life according to His teachings...
Our heart's desire should be aligned with God...If your heart's desires are for good, kindness, and living a Christ-like life, then following your heart can be a positive force...Our hearts can also be influenced by our sinful nature...Following Jesus involves learning to control our desires and align them with God's Will...
Jesus teachings are from Heaven...Here are some teachings of Jesus that can guide how we live: Love God and Love Others...The two most important commandments according to Jesus are to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:29-31)...Jesus calls His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24)...This involves putting God's will before our own desires...Our heart should be aligned with the Fruits of the Holy Spirit...The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are the right thing to do in our lives...Following Jesus involves cultivating the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)...
We should following God's Will as revealed in scripture...Seeking God's guidance through prayer is essential...The heart is the center of our moral compass...It's where our decisions are made, and it's crucial to align our hearts with Jesus' teachings...Transforming our heart and desires to be more Christ-like is the Way, the Jesus Way...When we use Him as our example to live our lives, we are reaching our potential and the potential way to live our lives on earth...