Blessed be the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome as we reflect once again on the Scriptures today.<\/p>\n
There is great confusion in Christianity regarding food. Some believe that certain foods are unclean, while others believe that all foods are lawful to eat\u2014leading to endless disputes.<\/p>\n
If we read the Scriptures carefully, we will see that food cannot defile a person. However, this does not mean that everything is beneficial. Certainly not! You cannot eat wood, iron, poison, or alcohol and say they are suitable\u2014they destroy the body rather than build it.<\/p>\n
\n1 Corinthians 10:23
\u201cAll things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nTherefore, if you are certain that what you are eating does not harm your body, then eat\u2014it is not a sin. But if you know it is harmful, do not eat it. Likewise, if you have doubts or uncertainty about whether it may harm you, it is better not to eat it at all, because abstaining is not a sin.<\/p>\n
\nRomans 14:22\u201323
\u201cThe faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nToday we will not focus deeply on the subject of food. If you would like a teaching on that topic, you may let us know. Instead, we will learn how to avoid defilement through the following well-known passage.<\/p>\n
Let us read:<\/p>\n
\nMark 7:5, 14\u201316
\u201cThen the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, \u2018Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?\u2019
And He called the people to Him again and said to them, \u2018Hear Me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nOur Lord Jesus spoke these words to a crowd that may have numbered in the hundreds or even thousands. Among them were His twelve disciples, and together they heard that nothing entering a person defiles them, but what comes out does.<\/p>\n
After saying this, the Lord did not continue explaining, so everyone left with their own interpretation. Many likely thought that what enters a person is food, and what comes out is vomit, feces, or urine\u2014and that these are what defile a person. The entire crowd dispersed believing they had understood the Lord, yet in truth they had not understood Him at all.<\/p>\n
Later, the disciples realized there was something they had not grasped, so they approached Him privately and asked for clarification.<\/p>\n
Let us read:<\/p>\n
\nMark 7:17\u201323
\u201cAnd when He had entered the house and left the people, His disciples asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, \u2018Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?\u2019 (Thus He declared all foods clean.)
And He said, \u2018What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nDo you see that? The disciples received the explanation clearly\u2014but the crowd did not. The crowd left thinking defilement meant sweat, vomit, or bodily waste. But that is not so! Defiling things are those that come from the heart, not the body.<\/p>\n
When you walk down the street and accidentally hear someone using insults, those words enter your ears and are stored in your memory\u2014yet that does not defile you. But when you later become angry, open that storehouse, and use those same insults against someone else, that is when you become defiled.<\/p>\n
If you witness a wrongdoing such as abortion that you did not commit, the event is stored in your heart\u2014but you are not defiled. However, if one day you become pregnant and choose abortion, or advise another person to do so, then you have become defiled. The same principle applies to many other sins.<\/p>\n
A defiled person before God is spiritually unclean. In the Old Testament, an unclean person was not allowed to enter the assembly of God but was separated until they were purified. Even today, defilement still exists. If you are a drunkard, sexually immoral, an adulterer, a murderer, abusive in speech, practicing homosexuality, addicted to pornography, a gossip, and so on\u2014you are defiled before God. It does not matter how many years you have called yourself a Christian; you still need repentance and must separate yourself from such things.<\/p>\n
\nTitus 1:15\u201316
\u201cTo the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nIf you are not yet saved, Christ loves you and died for us. Salvation is freely available today. What you should do right where you are is kneel down personally and repent sincerely before Him. If you truly mean it when you say \u201cAmen,\u201d He has already heard you and forgiven you. You will experience a remarkable peace entering your heart.<\/p>\n
After that, seek proper biblical baptism\u2014baptism in much water:<\/p>\n
\nJohn 3:23
\u201cJohn also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nAnd be baptized in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ\u2014the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:<\/p>\n
\nMatthew 28:19
\u201cGo therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\nActs 2:38
\u201cAnd Peter said to them, \u2018Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nBy obeying these few and simple commands, you assure heaven that you have truly turned to God, and He will honor you. The true cleansing of Christ will come into your life.<\/p>\n
May the Lord bless you.<\/p>\n
If you are saved, do not forget to pray daily for the Church, for all Christians, and for the servants of God.<\/p>\n
Maranatha!<\/p>\n