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CLEANSING MAN’S HEART FROM ALL DEFILEMENT

TEXT:  Mark 7:14-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5       MINISTERING: PASTOR DR W. K. KUMUYI

Today’s study is a continuation of what we studied last week on the tradition of the elders, and the Pharisees’ complaint about the disciples of Christ that were not following their traditions of washing of the hands ceremonially. But Jesus Christ came to save and cleanse the hearts, and to show people that it is not the outward cleansing that matters but the inner cleansing of the heart. Jesus said, “… Hearken unto me every one of you and understand: There is nothing from without man that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.” (Mark 7:14b-15) His disciples then came to Him privately for clarification and full understanding of the parable. It is not enough to come to the Bible Study, we must understand what is taught and how to apply it. “…. Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him: Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?” (Mark 7:19). Christ was saying here that the food you eat does not enter into the heart but your belly. However, there are things that enter the heart and even the brain that might affect you, the functions of the heart and what comes out of that heart. Also, when you take in your food, part nourishes your body, mixes with your blood and veins, helps the body to function well and gives strength and power. The useless parts that will not minister to your body is purged. Jesus went on to say, “That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:20-23)

The reason Jesus explained all these to His disciples and to us is to know the way we ought to focus on our Christian lives and having cleansing, purging, purification, total freedom and the washing that is spiritual in our hearts. We are not to run after things that do not profit and making rules and regulations about what we eat and don’t eat. He says all things are given by God and they are sanctified to nourish our bodies; the nutrients are separated and the things that do not nurture the body are excreted. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.There are people who will depart from the faith and go back to the traditions of the elders. The Old Testament food laws, prohibitions and traditions are abolished, but the Pharisees were still committed to this and even went beyond to the religion of washing of the hands, but Jesus said that all that is gone. It is what comes out of your heart that matters now. The disciples did not understand this, so they came to Jesus to ask questions. It is good to ask scriptural, profitable and enlightening questions that will make you to have a better understanding and richer exposition of the word of God.

POINT 1. CONFIRMING HIS TEACHINGS TO DEVELOP HIS TRANSFORMED SERVANTS

Mark 7:14,17-19; Matthew 6:24; John 8:30-32,36; Matthew 13:36-43; Mark 10:10,1-12; John 3:7-10,14-16; Acts 8:30-39

These were disciples and servants of Christ who had voluntarily, wholeheartedly, willingly followed the Lord. They were meek, teachable and were transformed. And now you have the confirmation of the teachings of Christ to develop His transformed servants. He called the people to hearken, listen, pay attention; throw the traditions away and get the gospel truth He was presenting to them. Whatever enters a man cannot disqualify him from fellowship with God, true worship or going to Heaven because it enters not into the heart but into the belly. The point here is that the disciples came to Jesus, and it shows that they wanted to learn and understand; that they could not have two masters – Christ and the Pharisees. Thank God they chose the Lord Jesus, Master come from Heaven. You cannot have God as the Controller of your life and the Pharisees as well. You will choose Christ, and you will forsake all others; you are now following the Lord wholly as a transformed servant. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).As you have believed on the Lord and are transformed, you must not go back to traditions of the scribes and Pharisees but continue in His word and the truth shall set you free. The Lord will make you perfectly whole and free indeed.

These transformed servants did not understand, so they came to Christ for clarification. If you hear and you don’t understand, it is like you have not heard. You hear of salvation and righteousness and you don’t understand, is like you have not heard. These disciples wanted to understand. The disciples were learning something new here, that it is not everybody that goes into the Synagogue or through the doors of any church that is a child of God. There are the children of God and those of the wicked one. Because they came, they were teachable and asked questions, and you could tell that they really wanted to know. The teachable servants of Christ were the people that come to ask for clarification of what they do not understand. Nicodemus did not understand, so he asked for clarification. To be transformed and teachable, we need to ask about what we do not understand, and explanation will lead us to understanding of the subject matter. You hear, and you don’t understand, then take time to ask questions; read it again, and when you understand, pray about it, so that it will enter your heart and transform you. This was Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch, and he was able to present Jesus Christ as Saviour to him. With the understanding the eunuch had, he had faith and received Him as Lord, was saved, baptized and went with the joy of salvation. Do you understand what you have read, learnt and heard? Understanding is very important if the teaching must get into your heart.

POINT 2. CLARIFYING TRANSGRESSIONS THAT DEFILE TRESPASSING SOULS

Mark 7:20-23; Psalms 106:35,39-40; Isaiah 59:3; Ezekiel 28:12-18; Romans 1:28-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Jude 1:8,13-16; Revelations 21:8,27; 22:14-17

Here the Lord clarified the transgressions that defile the trespassing soul. “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:20-23). The Lord clarified that it is the thoughts from within – anger, hatred, evil plans and plots to get into that crime or sin that ultimately defile the soul. Actually, if the Pharisees had endeavoured to understand the Old Testament scriptures that they read, they would have known that it is the sinful things that came from within that actually defiled them. “But they mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols; which were a snare unto them.” “Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions” (Psalms 106:35, 39). They were defiled as they mingled with the heathen and learned their ways, and by the life they lived, and the things that came out of them. “For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness” (Isaiah 59:3). It was the iniquity within that later became expressed without, that brought the defilement unto Lucifer (Ezekiel 28:12-18). This was what Jesus was saying that it is not the food you eat or water you drink that defiles a man but what comes from within the heart. See the things that defile a man and show that he is not yet cleansed nor saved, but needs to come to the Lord – “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful” (Romans 1:28-31). There is unity in the word of God; what Jesus enumerated was what Paul the Apostle through the Spirit enumerated here as well. Fornication, adultery, idol worship and all these evils defile a man. Every man on earth needs cleansing, washing and purifying, and it is the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ that was shed for us that grants us that cleansing. I pray that every one of us will make proper application of this Blood of Christ that was shed for us, in Jesus’ Name. Sin, transgression, or iniquity brings defilement, and those who remain in that defilement and do not avail themselves of that cleansing in the Blood of the Lamb, if they die in that condition will not get into Heaven, for nothing defiling enters there. The teaching, explanation and the clarification of the word of God is the same that sin in all these nomenclature defiles and there must be freedom and cleansing in the Blood of the Lamb before we can get to Heaven. There is no new doctrine, just the doctrine of Christ. The murmuring, complaints from the heart through the mouth, are the things that defile. As you understand, believe and go to Him at Calvary, and allow the blood of the Lamb to purge you, the Lord will take away every defilement in your heart and life in Jesus’ Name. What will happen to churchgoers who come to study the bible but still have these defilements? “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelations 21:8). You will not be there in Jesus Name. That means you must be cleansed and purged, and once cleansed you don’t go back to them again. “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, nor maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelations 21:27). The question is, is your name written there in the Lamb’s Book of life? Have you been cleansed and washed in the blood of the Lamb? Do you have real salvation that produces righteousness? The cleansing and washing are available freely for everyone today.

POINT 3. CLEANSING FOR TRANSFORMATION TO DECLARE TRUE SALVATION

Psalms 51:2,7-10,1213; 19:12-14; 119:9-11; Isaiah 1:18; Jeremiah 33:8; Ezekiel 36:25-27,36-37; 2 Corinthians 7:2; Ephesians 5:25-27; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:22-23; Revelations 7:14-17; 19:6-9,14

The reason why Christ cleanses, purges and takes all impurities from our lives, is for transformation so that we can declare His true salvation. Those who have true salvation have been to the Lord for cleansing and have this testimony of freedom and transformation to declare to others. The cleansing is available and ready for everyone, but you must pray and call on the name of the Lord so that any form of defilement that will hinder you from getting to Heaven will be cleansed from your life in Jesus’ Name. “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalms 51:2). This is sincere and heartfelt prayer, and only after this cleansing can you teach others (Psalm 51:13). “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Psalms 19:13). After the cleansing and salvation, we need His upholding power to make us remain clean and righteous. How do you remain clean and in that righteousness of the Lord? “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalms 119:9). Hearing, understanding, taking heed, personalizing, believing and making the word show light on your path. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). The word of God will remain in your heart. Preaching it is not enough, when challenges come, you must not forget the word. Keep that word in your heart so as to have effect to make you to live a transparent and righteous life. The Lord will cleanse and purge us that our lives will become new and renewed in Jesus’ Name. “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me” (Jeremiah 33:8). The Pharisees did not take heed though they had all these promises of God to cleanse and set them free from sin; they went after their own traditions that had no value. You will not be like them. As we leave all the traditions and rigidity behind, the Lord will cleanse every heart and make you as you ought to be, in Jesus’ Name, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ezekiel 36:25). But we must ask and demand it of the Lord to do it for us (Ezekiel 36:36-37). He has given us the promise, and we are holding on, believing and praying on the basis of those promises. Let’s be willing and come to God for this cleansing today. He will purge, purify, and no iniquity will remain in Jesus’ Name. You could not do this yourself, that was why Christ came to give Himself to cleanse and purify the Church so that you will be holy and without blemish. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). Our Saviour, Substitute, Sin Bearer, and Sanctifier gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity. The Lord will not fail you, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)” (Hebrews 10:23). He is faithful, and His faithfulness will be manifested in every life here tonight, in Jesus’ name. After cleansing and freedom from sin, we must remain righteous in the Lord, and when we leave this world, we will go to be with the Lord and among the blood-washed and purged saints before the Lord. “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them” (Revelations 7:14-15). The Lord cleanses and washes the heart, soul and spirit and makes us every wit clean and whole. He will do this for you in Jesus’ Name. If He has washed away your sins, then He will wipe away all tears from your eyes. When the saints go marching in, you will be among them. We must allow Him to wash and purge us from every sin and defilement because it is only on that condition, we will be able to get to Heaven. The Lord is looking at every heart, He knows every heart and wants them cleansed from all things that defile. He wants us to present everything to Him and ensure with no shadow of doubt that the blood that purges and washes whiter than snow is applied to your heart; and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord will receive a favorable answer in Jesus Name. The Lord will cleanse and wash us. AMEN!!

                                                               Designed by Brother Jeremiah Dalama

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