Tag: defilement
The ‘heart’ of man’s problem!
Scripture reading for January 21: Matthew 15
“And He said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”” Matthew 15:16-20
The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day had set up many rules for worship of God and often majored on these man-made rules and taught them as God’s doctrine. One such rule was on the washing of one’s hands in order to be clean when eating. Now this was a good rule for cleanliness, but Jesus taught that this was not the major cause of someone being unclean. It went deeper than surface dirt on the hands or face!
Jesus revealed that the human heart was a greater source of uncleanness. This uncleanness is revealed in words, thoughts and actions that break God’s law and bring sin’s defilement which leads to death. Murder, theft, adultery, immorality and lying, all dealt with in God’s Ten Commandments, spring from the heart of sinful man. Because of Adam’s sin, we are born with a sin nature and it comes ‘naturally’! In order to remedy this, the human heart must be cleansed of sin through repentance. Repentance comes from a humble confession of sin and a willingness to turn from it. The heart is willingly surrendered to Christ Jesus as our new “Master” instead of our sin nature. This is understanding that leads to cleansing!
Are you following human rules and effort in order to be a ‘good’ person? Have you humbly encountered Jesus’ teaching about where true defilement comes from? Have you confessed your defilement and by faith received a heart-cleansing?
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for the many ways that I have defiled my own soul through evil thoughts, hatred, lust and greed leading to idolatry. I receive Your cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
Sin that makes earth vomit!
Scripture Reading for February 7th: Leviticus 18-20
God talks about sex and all it’s perverted variations in these chapters of Leviticus. He tells his people that they are not to have sexual relations like the nation of Egypt where they were enslaved. God’s people are to live differently from the world. God’s laws about sexual conduct are designed to bring about a holy people who have children who will be blessed by God with His presence and power through a relationship with Him.
Honor is important in sexual relations. Incest dishonors your father or mother and you if you initiate it. God also states that it is wickedness. (Leviticus 18:17) Sex with close relatives (incest) is wrong and dishonors the family. Sex with another man’s wife (adultery) defiles you! (Leviticus 18:20) Sex with the same sex is “detestable” to God. (Leviticus 18:22) Sex with an animal (bestiality) is perverted! (Leviticus 18:23) God has designed man for one woman for life and has promised to bless that relationship. (Genesis 2:24) Are you pursuing His blessing?
When you commit any of these sexual sins, God says that you defile the land where you live. God states that this defilement causes that land to “vomit” out people who do these sins! (Leviticus 18:24-28) In fact, this is why and how God has destroyed many of the great civilizations in history! Many people living in America are committing sins of incest, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and bestiality. We may appear to get by but the consequences of sin always find us out. (Numbers 32:23) God’s people are to be markedly different! They are to be holy because God is holy. (Leviticus 19:2) This holiness is to be walked out in love and respect for God’s laws and in our conduct towards others.
America today needs our prayer and intercession. We are a nation who knows too much and applies too little. These sins are prevalent in the church as well as in the nation we live in. Take time today to repent and pray for God’s mercy. The earth may be ready to vomit!
“And if you defile the land,(with these sexual sins) it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.” Leviticus 18:28