He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” — Mark 7:20-23
This week we have looked at how things ended up on your plate, filling you but leaving you unfulfilled. We talked about how it happened slowly, how to keep repentance at the forefront of your mind, how to avoid covetousness, how to come to God with anger and disappointment, and how to focus on your love for God over what you do for God.
Today we look at one more reason you may put the wrong things on your plate. Simply put, it is because of plain old sin.
Before Adam and Eve took the bite of forbidden fruit, humankind was without sin. The couple enjoyed a loving relationship with God. Then Satan slithered in as a snake and tempted them. He got them thinking that God had been holding out on them by not letting them eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If they just ate the fruit from that tree, they would not have to obey God. They could know good and evil for themselves. They could be self-sufficient and could call the shots for themselves instead of depending on God.
Since then, human hearts have been sinful, divided, and tempted. Though God loves us unconditionally, it is impossible in our current state to love Him unconditionally. We will always have sin in us.
This explanation is not meant to give you an excuse. When you see sin in your life, you are commanded to repent. When you realize your life is out of balance and you have made success your god, or have gotten too busy and pushed God aside, or think your worth is in what you possess…put these things back into their rightful place. There will always be tension and temptation, but each person must take responsibility for his or her own sin.
To Think/Pray About Today
It is overwhelming sometimes to look at the depth and breadth of our sin. But take heart—God already knows our struggle. It is not about perfection, but faithfulness. Are you faithful in your desire to love God and to keep worldly things as second-place in your life?
Prayer Focus: Grace Baptist Church
Cedarville United Presbyterian Church 