Waters of Life

Biblical Studies in Multiple Languages

Search in "English":
Home -- English -- Matthew - 143 (Evil Thoughts out of the Heart)
This page in: -- Arabic -- Armenian -- Azeri -- Bulgarian -- Chinese -- ENGLISH -- French -- Georgian -- Hausa -- Hebrew -- Hungarian? -- Igbo -- Indonesian -- Javanese -- Latin? -- Peul? -- Polish -- Russian -- Somali -- Spanish? -- Telugu -- Uzbek -- Yiddish -- Yoruba

Previous Lesson -- Next Lesson

MATTHEW - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Matthew
PART 2 - Christ teaches and Ministers in Galilee (Matthew 5:1 - 18:35)
D - The Unbelieving Jews and Their Enmity to Jesus (Matthew 11:2 - 18:35)
3. Jesus' Ministry and Traveling (Matthew 14:1 - 17:27)

f) Out of the Heart Proceed Evil Thoughts (Matthew 15:10-20)


MATTHEW 15:10-20
10 He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand. 11 That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” 12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?” 13 But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? 17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? 18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
(Genesis 8:21, Mark 7:1-13, Acts 5:38; 10:15, Romans 2:19, Titus 1:15)

Hypocrites claim that eating and drinking certain kinds of food and drink is a great and unforgivable sin. By this poor judgment, they show that they have not yet understood the impurity of their hearts.

Alcohol is, undoubtedly, an enemy to man. Nicotine is one of the great causes of cancer. Television helps in spreading adultery and lies. Pork is said to be harmful to health. Yet Christ declares to us that all these things do not defile a man.

Christ tells us that it is not the kind or quality of our food, or the condition of our hands that affects the soul with moral pollution and defilement. “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking” (Romans 14:17). Instead, it is sin that defiles a man and makes him guilty before God. The unrepentant are rendered offensive to Him and unfitted for communion with Him. What we eat, if we eat reasonably and moderately, does not defile us. “To the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1:15).

We are polluted, not by the meat we eat with unwashed hands, but by the words we speak from an unsanctified heart; thus it is “your mouth that causes your flesh to sin” (Ecclesiastes 5:6).

The believer, even after being renewed and sanctified, finds in his heart affection to disobedience, mutiny, temptation and impurity. He wants money to provide for his living or to avoid his brothers and friends. Seeking such things may lead him into problems and faults. He finds himself being convicted by his conscience, moaning and crying with Paul, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

The godly should repent first, and recognize the depth of the impurity in them that they may become humble in Christ, broken-hearted, and poor in spirit. Then they would continuously seek forgiveness through the shed blood of Christ, and obtain perfect sanctification offered to those of a good conscience. But, unfortunately, many do not rely on daily forgiveness, or on their spiritual sanctification that will overcome pride. Instead, they obstruct, by their shallow judgments and hard traditions, those that seek salvation at the hand of Christ. They discourage people from coming to Him in spite of the many revival meetings.

Man is neither saved nor sanctified by keeping the law, but by faith in Christ’s blood only. God is satisfied with a broken and contrite spirit. The Holy Spirit prompts us to humble acts of love, like cleaning the house of our sick neighbor, and paying his debts without his knowledge and without telling anyone about our good deeds.

What defiles a person is that which comes from within. It comes from the heart, the source of all sin. It is the heart that is so desperately wicked, for there is no sin in a word or deed, which was not first in the heart. There, in the heart, is the root of bitterness, which “bears poisonous fruit and wormwood” (Deuteronomy 29:18). It is the inward part of a sinner that is the seat of wickedness. All evil words come forth from the depth of a heart. From a corrupt heart comes corrupt communication.

Dear friend, do you know that your heart is very deceitful? It is the source of your impure dreams, cunning words, and bad deeds. Do you remember your past sins? They are a result of your corrupt character. Know yourself and recognize the source of the impurity dwelling in you. Present yourself to Jesus that He may heal and deliver you and clean you of your sin. You are in a spiritual struggle, do not give up. Watch and pray that you may not fall into temptation, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

The greatest temptation to the godly is hypocrisy based on false thinking. You cannot be more holy than God. The Holy Spirit will preserve you so that you will not fall to such a temptation.

PRAYER: Merciful Lord Jesus, You are more aware of my soul and of my past than I am. Save my soul from hypocrisy and from always thinking of myself. Deliver me into the deliverance of God’s children that I may be sanctified by faith through Your precious blood, to serve the needy with joy. Sanctify me to the uttermost that my heart may not remain a fountain of evil, but a source of love, chastity, and obedience.

QUESTION:

  1. What are the evil thoughts and deeds flowing out of the heart, and what is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

QUIZ

Dear reader,
having read our comments on the Gospel of Christ according to Matthew in this booklet, you are now able to answer the following questions. If you answer 90% of the questions stated below, we will send you the next parts of this series for your edification. Please do not forget to include writing your full name and address clearly on the answer sheet.

  1. Why did the teachers of the law sentence Christ to death?
  2. What was Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus in chapter 42:1-4?
  3. Why did the leaders of the Jews accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the chief of the demons?
  4. What did you understand about hell and Christ’s victory over Satan?
  5. How are we protected from the sin against the Holy Spirit?
  6. Who are the brood of vipers? And who is a good man?
  7. Who belongs to the wicked and adulterous generation?
  8. Why is an evil spirit able to come back with seven other spirits to a man from whom he had been cast out of?
  9. What is the difference between the apostate and the member of God’s family?
  10. Write the rule for spiritual increase and decrease, and then explain it.
  11. What are the obstacles against spiritual growth? And what is the unbelievers’ rule of hardening?
  12. What are the four kinds of the gospel auditors?
  13. How does God’s harvesting take place?
  14. What do we learn from the parable of the mustard seed and of the leaven?
  15. Why is Christ the most valuable treasure in our world?
  16. Who are those that Christ wants you to win to His kingdom?
  17. What does the parable of the net teach us?
  18. What are the names of Jesus’ brothers, and what is the number of His sisters according to the text of the gospel written by Matthew?
  19. What was the reason for John’s death?
  20. How did Jesus create bread for the five thousand?
  21. What does the statement, “It is I” signify in the Holy Bible?
  22. Why did the apostles confess that Jesus is the Son of God?
  23. Why were some believers, who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, made perfectly well?
  24. What was the sin of the Jewish hypocrites?
  25. What are the evil thoughts and deeds flowing out of the heart, and what is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

We encourage you to complete with us the examination of Christ and his Gospel that you may receive an everlasting treasure. We are awaiting your answers and praying for you. Our address is:

Waters of Life
P.O.Box 600 513
70305 Stuttgart
Germany

Internet: www.waters-of-life.net
Internet: www.waters-of-life.org
e-mail: info@waters-of-life.net

www.Waters-of-Life.net

Page last modified on March 08, 2022, at 07:32 AM | powered by PmWiki (pmwiki-2.3.3)