“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 7:21-23
In the above passage Jesus was talking to his disciples and explaining that the things we consume do not defile us. The Pharisees were complaining to Jesus concerning the disciples failing to wash their hands before they ate, which was ritual law, and Jesus didn’t object to their ridged devotion to the law but objected to the Pharisees emphasis of outward ritual verse internal virtue. Jesus answered them by explaining that the things we consume, including what’s on our unwashed hands, cannot defile us because it all goes through our digestive tract and is processed by our bodies and then extruded into the toilet (draught).
“Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?” Mark 7:15
The things that defile us are the things that come from our hearts and minds. As fallen (corrupted by sin) people in a fallen world we are determined to sin. Those who are Christian, sin because of poor choices and lapses of good judgement. Those that are non-Christian sin because they have to – they have no choice – they are slaves to their sin.
With these truths in mind, I find it appalling that Christians are following the world in fornication and adultery in ever increasing numbers. I’ve been told that girls that like to “hook-up” or perform random sex for pleasure without obligation, are now becoming one of the popular groups of girls. They used to be ostracized, but now they’re praised. I’ve also been told that some of these girls profess to be Christian. What kind of pseudo-Christianity are they practicing? Does this behavior honor our Lord? Could God ever smile down on them during this lascivious behavior (demonstrating sexual desire or behavior especially that is considered indecent or obscene)?
No! Jesus clearly states that this type of behavior defiles us from the inside out, from the evil heart of our fallen humanity.
There is no excuse for a Christian to behave like this. I know that all Christians have lapses of judgement and give into temptation, including myself. When I was younger, I committed fornication, but it felt wrong and I was disgusted with myself, and I repented. If you make a mistake as a Christian, you should feel almost instant remorse for your sinful behavior and try to never let it happen again. I have it on good authority that these girls and women feel little or no remorse, the non-Christians simply feel that that’s just how our current society works, so they conform to our society. The Christians apparently have little or no remorse because they feel that God is a loving God that has forgiven all their sins, so why not just sin some more, or they feel pressured to conform to our society. Either way, Christians are not following the teachings of Jesus.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
Sexual immorality is rampant in our society. If you profess to be Christian, and you are fornicating or committing adultery, I ask you to reconsider your situation. Please remember it is your situation, from your sinful, errant and fallible mind. Don’t call on your thoughts, call on God’s thoughts, from His Holy Word, the Bible. They are always true and correct. Choose sanctification (called out of this world’s culture by God) and righteousness (morally correct according to God’s Word).
The difference between a professing Christian and a living example of Christianity is, professing Christians rarely show remorse and live in harmony with our sinful society, but true Christians have profound remorse when they sin, repent from that sin and try to never do it again, while living outside of our current society as a peculiar person, obedient to Jesus Christ alone.
The apostle Peter said to his fellow Christians:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” 1 Peter 2:9