“And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 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 7:14-23)

Having rebuked the Pharisees, Christ turned to the people to instruct them. The Lord wanted the citizens of Israel to hear and to understand the great issues involved in His rebuke of the religious leaders. In particular the Lord pressed home the point that moral defilement in the sight of God does not come from external sources but from internal corruption.

In the sight of God human defilement does not come because hands get soiled with the activities of life. Rather, defilement comes when thoughts and affections, words and actions are expressed contrary to a good conscience. Therefore, it is the heart that needs purifying not hands and not pots and pans. Unfortunately, there is much potential in the human heart for evil as Jesus plainly taught. A category of sins is set forth for consideration.

Evil thoughts. This sin is listed at the outset because this is the source of all distortions of the soul. Before a vile deed is done, it is thought upon.

Adulteries. This refers to illicit sensual activity between among those who are married. David committed adultery when he took the wife of Uriah the Hittite for himself and Bathsheba committed adultery against her noble husband Uriah when she allowed herself to be taken to the palace bed.

Fornications. (lit. pornia) This is a general word and refers to every kind of activity in sexual vice including bestiality, homosexuality, child molestation, general pornography, and promiscuous relationships.

Murders. Murder involves the killing of the body and the killing of the soul as well by words that wound. Wounding words are words of a negative critical nature. They destroy the soul.

Thefts. (klopai) In the Greek there are two words for a robber—kleptes and lestes. Lestes is a bandit; Barabbas was a lestes (John 18:40), and a bandit can be a very brave and popular person though an out law.

In contrast, kleptes is a thief; Judas was a kleptes when he stole money from the treasury (John 12:6). A kleptes is a mean, deceitful, dishonorable individual with no redeeming qualities.

Covetousness. This sin refers to the immoderate desire of more of the wealth of the world, and the gratification of the senses. There is an incessant cry for “More! More!”

When Henry Ford was asked how much money it would take to make a person happy he wisely replied, “Just a little bit more.”  The covetous person snatches for that which belongs to others.

Plato said, “The desire of man is like a sieve or pierced vessel which he ever tries to, and can never fill.”

Wickedness (evil deeds). The word in the original refers to malice, hatred, ill will, and a desire to do wrong while delighting in evil. There are those who, from their youth, are inclined to inflict harm on others. There are individuals who are deliberate in their behavior, and without regret.

Deceit. The reference is to a wickedness that is covered and disguised. The word was used of a mousetrap for instance. One of the great stories of deceit in the ancient world involved the besiege of Troy. When the Greeks sent the Trojans the present of a great wooden horse, it was received as a token of good will. The Trojans opened their gates and took it in. But the horse was filled with Greeks who in the night broke out and brought death and destruction to the city. That is what dolos is. It is crafty, cunning, deceitful, clever treachery.

Lasciviousness. (wanton wickedness, aselegeia) Unwholesome and foolish talking is bound up in this word in which the heart is full of adultery and wanton passions. There is a spirit of the heart that acknowledges no restraints and engages in any and every insolence of the soul.  Jezebel illustrates this word when she built a pagan shrine in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

An Evil Eye. The Envious Eye and the Covetous Eye is an Evil Eye in that what others receive is begrudged them. The Envious Eye looks on the success and happiness of others and would cast an evil spell upon them if possible.  This was the sin of Saul towards David when the king heard the citizens of Israel sing David’s military exploits.

Blasphemy. There are many forms of blasphemy or speaking ill of God and to God. Later, Jesus would teach that the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost is the one sin which cannot be forgiven (Matt. 12:31).

Pride. Self-promotion and the exalting of ones-self and opinions while looking down upon others with contempt is to come as close to being like the Devil as anything.

Foolishness. Mental and moral impurities, inconsiderate acts, rash speaking and activity which is the cause of harm to self and others, these are sins of omission, these are sins of foolishness.

Here then are thirteen sins of the soul from which a life must turn from in order to have a clear conscience.

Practical Application from Mark 7:1-23

The sin of the Pharisees is still present today. There are modern-day practices that have surpassed the Scriptures.

The Teaching: Certain meats are not to be eaten on certain days.

The Scriptures: All meat is to be received with thanksgiving (1 Tim. 4:15).

The Teaching: There are many mediators between man and God, such as Mary.

The Scriptures: There is one Mediator between men and God, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).

The Teaching: There is a Vicar of Christ on earth who is the head of the Church

The Scriptures: There is only one foundation, which is Christ (1 Cor. 3:11).

The Teaching: Foot washing is a doctrinal ordinance

Musical instruments are not to be used in worship.

Baptism is united with a denominational membership and is to be repeated to meet this requirement.

Comprehension of spiritual truth is not easy. It was not easy for the disciples (Mark 7:18) and it is not easy for you or I. We need divine illumination in order to fully comprehend spiritual truth.

Christ makes no distinction between those who are His disciples and those who are not. The sins of the soul are not unique to the unconverted or unknown to the Christian. Fallen humanity is fallen humanity. The corruption of the heart is present in every person.

The Church teaches the doctrine of human depravity and then is amazed when there is proof of it. There is a disconnect between the rhetoric and the reality.

Religion will never replace the need for regeneration. Man does not need moral reformation but a total rebirth by the power of Almighty God. A heart, which has been defiled by sin, will make a man want to avoid communion with God. A mere formal worshipping of God with the lips is meaningless (Mark 7:6).

The bowed head and the bended knee,
the grave face and the rigid posture,
the regular response and the formal amen,
all these together do not make up spiritual worship.

The eye of God looks further and deeper.
He requires the worship of the heart.
“My Son” He says to every one of us,
“Give me your heart.

~Bishop J.C. Ryle

There is a constant tendency of men to supplant God’s Word. Three times we find this specific charge against the Pharisees.

Verse 7         teaching for doctrine the commandment of men

Verse 9         that ye may keep your tradition

Verse 13       making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition

The natural inclination to self-destructive and other destructive behavior is not considered by modern society. The evil which men do is attributed to

• Bad example
• Poor parenting
• Bad company
• Unique temptations
• The snares of the devil

The truth of the matter is that “We need no bad company to teach us, and no devil to tempt us, in order to run into sin. We have within us the beginning of every sin under heaven” (Bishop J.C. Ryle)

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isa. 64:6).

In grace God has established boundaries in His moral universe to arrest the natural corruption of the heart:

• fear of consequences
• restraint due to public opinion
• dread of discovery
• a desire to be thought respectable
• the grace of God.

 Only the gospel can provide a cleansing for the soul.

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

When the corruption of the heart is made manifest, and there is a longing to be different, that is the time to draw near the Cross. If you are weary of sin come to Christ. He will love you and the Church will love you as well in His name. There is no sin too great for the grace of God.