More Evil Practices from the Heart - Mark 7:22

Mark wrote when Jesus, “was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable” about what defiles a man. “And he said unto them, Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him. Because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats?And he said, That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-two of his book, Mark wrote Jesus continued His list of evil practices that proceed from “the heart” where we read:

Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

The verse reads, “Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, ...” Mark began with the word, “thefts” which means “stealing”, “covetousness” or “greedy desire to have more or avarice”, “wickedness” which refers to “iniquity, depravity, malice, evil purposes and desires”, “deceit” or “craft, trick, guile and subtlety”, “lasciviousness” which means “wantonness, filthiness, outrageousness, shamelessness, unbridled lust, excess and insolence”. Mark shared how Jesus added, “stealing, avarice, evil purposes and desires, guile and unbridled lust” to His list of the “sinful behaviors” that “proceed” from the “heart” of people.

The verse goes on to say, “... an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:” Mark continued with the words, “an evil eye” which means “a wicked, bad, diseased and blind eye of the mind or faculty of knowing”, “blasphemy” or “slander, detractions, injurious speech to another's good name, impious and reproachful speech injurious to diving majesty”, “pride” which means “haughtiness, arrogance and the character of person who with a swollen estimate of their own powers or merits who looks down on others and even treats them with insolence”, “foolishness” or “folly, senselessness, thoughtlessness and recklessness”. Mark shared how Jesus added “a wicked way of seeing things, reproachful speech to divine majesty, haughtiness and folly” to His list of “things which defile” a person from within.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus covered many more “sinful” behaviors which are produced from the “souls” of people. People steal, are greedy, think of evil purposes and desires, use guile and are filled with wantonness and filthiness”. They have “minds that do not know what God desires of them, are impious to God, haughty, senseless and reckless”. God knew all these thoughts, traits and behaviors were within people and without a “Savior”, they would all die from their “sins”. God want to “save” people through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him in humbleness and repentance because of their “corrupt hearts”, He not only will forgive their sins, but will also “cleanse” them from their “wicked ways”. May all who read these words examine their “hearts” and yield to Jesus who alone can “save”.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus said, “all these evil things come from within”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".