Christ looks at the heart!

In our women's Bible study at church we are going through the book of Matthew. A common theme that runs through this book is Christ's desire for the heart of the man to be clean, rather than just having an outward appearance of holiness. Christ confronts the Pharisees and Scribes for their hard heartedness and their willingness to break the commandments of God for the traditions of man.

We just read an example of this last Tuesday in Matthew 15. The Pharisees and Scribes came to Jesus in this passage of Scripture, and complained that the disciples break the tradition of men by not washing their hands before they eat. Apparently this was a big deal to them and was cause for scorn. I just LOVE Christ's response to this in verse 3 "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'honor your father and your mother,' and, 'whoever reviels father or mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, what you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the Word of God. You hypocrites!..." So instead of giving out of their abundance to help out their father or mother, they claim that their money is dedicated to God, and therefore they don't have to honor their parents by providing for them. This is not what God's Word teaches! However, for the Pharisees, as long as outwardly they look like they are really doing a service to God by dedicating their money to God, then they are in the clear. They look pious and therefore they ingnore the commandment of God! It is truly amazing how hard our hearts can be (because we are just like the Pharisees ourselves).

Christ's whole point is that our outward piety will never gain any pleasure from God, no matter how hard we try! We need Christ to transform our hearts, so that we no longer desire the applause of man, but the pleasure of Christ. Of course as Christians we know this, but how often do we forget? I forget too often, and even as a believer in the saving work of Christ I act as though I must work to remain in favor with God. Sure I believe that because of Christ's work I am saved, but then I act as though I need to work to impress God to remain in God's favor! But just as Christ saves us, he also sustains us! We are found in Him and His righteousness and thus can never loose favor with God! What an amazing truth that we can hold dear! I am so thankful for Christ. So THANKFUL!

"Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the HEART, and this defiles a person. For ourt of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone." vv 17-20.