Purity

‘It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart’. Mark 7:15

People are quick to quote scripture out of context for their own personal gain. Jesus describes this as ‘skillfully sidestepping God’s law in order to hold on to our own tradition’ [Read Mark 7:1-23]. So you find people in an attempt to justify bad habits such as drinking alcohol quoting this scripture because after all Jesus was the one who said It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart’. And sometimes it is people who have been wondering whether to indulge in a sinful craving that go into scripture searching for a ‘word’ to back up their actions. Some say, ‘the only thing it does is make you misbehave but the Bible says it does not defile because it goes through the mouth’. There are a lot of vices that come through the mouth, are we to also cover them with this blanket and believe that they are acceptable? Was that what Jesus was saying? Of course not, Jesus was responding to the question about washing of hands – an age-old tradition. You cannot take the Word out of context and say that after all Jesus says that everything that comes through the mouth does not defile. Alcohol they say destroys your liver and like people have rightly mentioned, it also makes you misbehave. You are a Christian; a child of the Most High God and your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Destroying your liver amounts to destroying your body and scriptures state that ‘he that destroys his temple, him will he also destroy’. That’s what the word of God says. Besides misbehaving totally hampers your witnessing Jesus or is it possible to marry the two? If a man walks up to you quoting the Bible, witnessing Jesus but reeking of alcohol – be truthful if you were not a believer will you give the man audience or allow him lead you to Christ? Again the Bible says you cannot be filled with Holy Spirit and wine at the same time. So you choose. If it influences how you behave negatively, is it still okay? If God is God then serve Him. Serving God means deferring to Him in all things, even your desires. What pleases God?

Prayer [song]: As we gather in this place today Holy Spirit come and have Your way, have Your way. As we lay aside our own desires, sweep across our hearts with holy fire, have Your way. This is Your house, Your home. We welcome You… today.