External Holiness & Internal Holiness

July 4th, 2024

In a religious mindset, many tend to give utmost importance to external holiness and neglect internal holiness. Most of the time, we are held back from going closer to God because of religion. Religion meaning the brand name the world gives, the man made ways of pleasing God.

Let us take a look into Mark 7:1-8
(1)The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus
(2) and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
(3) (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.
We see the Pharisees who are men of religion gathering around Jesus. Men like them do not come to attain anything from God; rather, the religious mindset only wants to find fault and criticise. And we see how the Pharisees found fault in the disciples not washing their hands. This was not a hygiene issue. The Pharisees and the Jews generally give their hands a ceremonial washing according to the tradition of the elders.
Maintaining your hygiene and washing is encouraged. When you turn this washing into a ceremonial tradition, it is frowned upon!
(4) When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[a])
(5) So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
We see how the Pharisees are quick to point out the faults. They did not gather around Jesus to receive anything but only to criticise Him. And through Jesus’ answer, we can see His view on holiness.
(6) He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honour me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me.
(7) They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’[b]
Religion brings in a pseudo satisfaction to the self. They honour God with their lips but not from their hearts. God is looking at our heart's attitude! God does not fall for the deception of people, He looks deep inside.
(8) You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

Let us jump to Mark 7:13-15
(13) Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (14) Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. (15) Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
It is not what happens on the outside that makes a person unholy. It is what happens on the inside that makes one unholy.

DO NOT BE HAPPY WITH THE OUTSIDE, HAPPINESS COMES ONLY FROM INSIDE!

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