Mark 7:18-23, Deceitful and Desperately Wicked (4)

We began this study by quoting Jer. 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?  As we come to the end of the passage, Jesus very clearly teaches the incredible sinfulness of the heart born once, in sin, and not born again by the Spirit of God! 

Jesus made a profound statement when He said that what entered a man was not what defiled the man.  At the end of v19 is a phrase, thus purifying all foods.  Either Jesus said this (my NKJV has this in red indicating Jesus said it) or it could have been added by Mark under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  What this does say is that the issue of “clean and unclean” foods in the OT (Lev. 11) was not a concern in the Kingdom of Christ.  This is profound, not just because it made a change for the Jews.  It is profound for what it said about Jesus Himself: He was able to make such a pronouncement because He was and is the source of all truth.  He did not teach on this at this point; it is a New Testament truth (e.g. 1 Tim. 4:1-5).

But Jesus specified the kinds of things that come out of a man, that come from the heart of a regular, normal, average human being.  Meditate on the list!

Evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications

Murders, thefts, covetousness

Wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye

Blasphemy, pride, foolishness

All these evil things come from within and defile a man.

We have often heard people talk about “cheap grace,” that we make light of the grace of God when we accept and trust in His forgiveness for repeated sins.  You can think about that.  His forgiveness for repeated sins is actually proof of the greatness of His grace.  If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).  I would suggest that we cheapen the grace of God when we make light of the sinfulness of our sins.  The Pharisee praying in the temple did this: I thank you that I am not like other men (Lk. 18:10-14).  The older brother to the prodigal did this: Many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time (Lk. 15:21).  The rich ruler did it: All these things I have kept from my youth (Mk. 10:17-22).  But Jesus reproved the Pharisee and commended the immoral woman, saying she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little (Lk. 7:36-50).

God promised to Israel, and fulfilled the promise through His Son, to give them a heart to know that “I am the LORD” (Jer. 24:7).  In Christ, we have been born again.  We are new creations.  All things are new (2 Cor. 5:17).  By God’s Spirit and His grace, may we keep our heart out of which are the issues of life (Pr. 4:23).