The Law of Sin

Mk. 7:20

And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him.

Jesus totally countered what was the traditional understanding of unclean when He said, 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." I am sure they were thinking of all the ceremonial laws about being unclean that involved things on the outside of a person. But Jesus was challenging their way of thinking. He said flat out, Hear me and understand. 

Later talking to His disciples He told them that if they ate something unclean, it would go through the body and be passed out. But the evil within was an even greater unclean. And he said, "What 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." Truly the heart of man is black as can be! And without the saving grace of Jesus transforming the inner man, this blackness will continue to have its way with a person. Even with the saving grace of Jesus, I still struggle. Much like Paul said in Rom. 7, For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. There it is perfectly stated. When I want to do good, evil lies close at hand. 

Father,

This lesson is so clear, but what is amazing to me is how much of that old, black person still lives within me. Cleanse me and help me walk more each day in newness of life. 

In Jesus name,

Amen