Week 10, Day 4: Sins of the Heart
Today’s Reading: Mark 9:1-10:52
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
How often do we think that we “act without thinking”? We often blame our sin on this type of impulsive action. But, the fact of the matter is that we cannot act without thinking. Our sin starts in our heart, and proceeds to actions. That is the point of what we see Jesus making in Mark 7:14-23.
The Jews had come to Jesus complaining that His disciples did not wash their hands before eating. They believed that the person would be corrupted because of this, even though it was not a part of the Law, but rather a part of the traditions of their fathers. Jesus’ teaching shows that it is not what goes into a man through his mouth that corrupts him, but rather what comes out of him. As He is completing this section, Jesus makes the point that our sins originate in our hearts, and then come forth as actions.
This is the source of all of our sins. Nothing just happens. We have to think about it before we can ever put sin into practice. Notice the examples that Jesus cites: evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness. Every one of these things starts in the heart first. Those who commit adultery or fornication do not do so without first thinking about entering the bed of one they have no right to. Those who commit murder can not do so without first thinking about taking the life of another person. Those who steal must first think about what they will steal and how they will steal it. Surely we can see how each of Jesus’ examples of sin starts in the heart.
So, what is the solution? To guard our hearts against these and all sins. We need to do our very best to keep sin out of our mind. We should fill our minds and hearts with good works. If we commit ourselves to righteousness, we will guard ourselves against unrighteousness. This should remind us of what Paul wrote to the Galatians:
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
–Galatians 5:16-26
If we focus on the “fruit of the Sprit”, we will help ourselves to avoid the sins that are “works of the flesh.” This is the manner of life that we choose to live. This is the path that we walk. That does not mean that we will never stumble, but it should define who we are. If we continue in sin, we are not walking “in the Spirit”, bur thater according to the “lust of the flesh.”
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