10/ He summoned the crowd and said to them, "Hear and understand.
11/ It is not what enters one's mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one."
Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts.
Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we should not be troubled at it.
The disciples ask to be better taught as to this matter. Where a weak head doubts concerning any word of Christ, an upright heart and a willing mind seek for instruction.
It is the heart that is desperately wicked, Jer 17:9, for there is no sin in word or deed, which was not first in the heart. They all come out of the man, and are fruits of that wickedness which is in the heart, and is wrought there. When Christ teaches, he will show men the deceitfulness and wickedness of their own hearts; he will teach them to humble themselves, and to seek to be cleansed in the Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness.
There are several cross references to the above (MARK 7; LUKE 11: ACTS 10; 1 TIMOTHY 4; JAMES 3); the general message is that we are not to place a stumbling block before anyone, concerning matters of this world, such as what to eat, and other which proved as snares for the ancients, or for the purpose of puffing them up, as they convinced themselves that they were in *GOD'S* favour by mere actions; yet their hearts were as insincere, untrue, and obstinate as they could be! It should also be noted that this, in the early Church referred to accepting others into the fold, void of bias, prejudice, and other negatives!!!
CHRIST JESUS SHOWED us a BETTER way of living in HIS WILL, and WHY the past Laws did not work for the people, though they DO IN TRUTH! HE TAUGHT us that it is better to worry about what is WITHIN us, than to be bound to what is without! HE gave us THE WAY to build UP THE CHURCH, not to hinder it, divide it, or destroy it!!!
In the early Churches, as even today, there are silly debates, angry arguments, and worse concerning matters such as these, ranging from muzic in WORSHIP, all the way through the layers of human condition, perception, and precepts! The point IS to develop from the spirit outwardly, because THIS is the proof of allegiance to THE LORD *GOD*, and HIS WILL!!!
I have my distaste for pork, yet, that others like it, has NOTHING to do with my spiritual being! It isn't worth creating dissension over in the Church, LORD KNOWS there is enough of that going on! That one person doesn't eat this, or that, and that others do, should NOT allow the Church, the comm'UNITY' of CHRIST to suffer. It is for the PEACE of the Church that CHRIST showed us a BETTER way, and for the sense of grasping what is TRULY important, OVER what is not! The evil one has had his way with us, concerning many areas of TRUTH, and has blinded us so, that THE LORD determined to bring us to a BETTER understanding, and WAY, that perhaps, we might begin to SEE the oppression involved therein!!!
Other references to this matter are found in GENESIS 1: 29; GENESIS 9: 3; ROMANS 14: 6; 1 CORINTHIANS 10: 30; COLOSSIANS 2: 16 & 23! We can only gain knowledge, and understanding through studying, considering, and absorbing THE WORD of *GOD*!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2014
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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