Mark 7:1-23
7: Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
0 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 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.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Reflection
The heart is the true engine that drives our actions (Mark 7:20–23). Pursuing a pure life is pointless unless the heart is first renewed. This is why Jesus did not agree with the way that the religious leaders were interpreting of the law of Moses (Israel’s national contract with God). According to Jesus, the purpose of the law was distorted by those who focused on ceremonies but did not consider the state of the heart.
Our only hope for obedience is found in Jesus himself, who fulfills the Mosaic law (Matt. 5:17; Rom. 10:4; Heb. 10:16–23) and enables us to obey God’s will by purifying our hearts. We must rely upon Christ daily to obey God with a genuine heart of faith and love. This is the only kind of obedience that pleases him.
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Reflection
At the core of the good news of the gospel is what has often been called the “great exchange” or “imputation.” God has credited our sin to Christ’s account so that he is held responsible for our rebellion; his righteousness is credited to our account so that we graciously receive his righteous status (2 Cor. 5:21). He takes our sin; he gives us his righteousness. This shocking transfer lies at the heart of the Christian faith. Because of this exchange, believers are reconciled to God (vv. 18, 20) and made a new creation in Christ (v. 17). This gospel truth empowers us to serve others with the message of Christ in the hope that they might be reconciled to God (vv. 14–15, 18).
Things drastically change in light of the exchange of Christ’s righteousness for our sin. Our legal standing before God has shifted from guilty to blameless, and we are now reconciled to God. Our hope, peace, and eternity are built upon this invincible foundation.
Psalm 32:1-2
32: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
The gift of Christ’s righteousness is what gives us confidence that God’s favor is always upon us. He always sees us clothed in the perfections of his Son. Whom do you know that needs to hear this news? Begin praying that God would prepare this person and provide the opportunity for someone—perhaps you—to share the extraordinary news of the “great exchange.”