In Mark 7, there is a narrative that occurs while Jesus and his disciples were enjoying a meal. Those who were religious leaders came and raised objections over the behavior of the disciples. Apparently, these disciples were not obeying the rules of the religious leaders. It is important that as believers we submit to leadership. However, we should be following leaders who follow Christ.
There are some leaders who follow a religious spirit. The people who follow them also become carriers of the same religious spirit. Mark chapter 7 shows some of the characteristics of a religious spirit that does not honor God.
“He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. ” (Mark 7:6, NIV84) A religious spirit will say all the right words. They will use lingo that is used in the church. However their words are intellectual only and they do not truly believe what they say. They may speak of repentance, but they themselves have never wept before the Lord with tears of repentance over their own personal sin. They may speak of loving people, but they themselves will only “Love” those people who benefit them. They may speak of giving generously, but they themselves are generous only when people are watching. They may speak about the importance of prayer and may lead a prayer meeting with long eloquent prayers, but they neglect spending time alone with God and asking God to search their hearts.
Those whose lives are following God from tradition and not because God is the passion of their hearts worship in vain (Mark 7:7). What they teach to those who gather around them are their own ideas designed to maintain the status quo (Mark 7:7) and they fail to teach the heart and compassion of God.
The response of Jesus to the religious spirits was to share examples of their religious hypocrisy. He pointed out places where they turned the love of God into a tool for their own gain and security. He then shared the principle of heart. “Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.'” ” (Mark 7:14–15, NIV84) “He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ ” ” (Mark 7:20–23, NIV84)
Where man looks on our performance and on our accomplishments, God looks inward. A religious spirit looks at how many times you go to church. God cares about why you went to church. A religious spirit looks at how long you prayed. God looks at the desperation of the prayer. A religious spirit will say they care about you but in the time of testing will seek out its own self-preservation. God looks if we will lay our lives down for one another. Jesus taught that God desires inward holiness that changes our outside actions. The religious spirits teach that following their outside actions will make you holy.
How is the condition of your heart? Are you able to go before God and allow Him to examine you with the Light of His Word? God will in Love ask you about “evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” (Mark 7:21:22) What do you think about? Are your thoughts consumed by worry and fear or do you think about the goodness and greatness of God? Is there hidden anger against someone? Have you lied to cover over your mistakes? Do you compare yourself to the successes of others? Do you ever think you could be a better teacher or leader than the Pastor or leadership God has placed in the church? Have you ever said anything against another believer? Have you ever just said or done foolish things? These are the inward things that Christ came to forgive and empower you to change.
In the Light of God’s holiness, we all fall short. In the arms of Christ’s love and compassion we find mercy. Through a relationship with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we find inward transformation. Inward transformation always will lead to outward change. To the depths that you allow Christ to change you on the inside will be the degree of influence you will have on the outside.
You are called to be a history maker and to transform the world. It begins with laying aside every religious spirit and allowing the deep inward transformation to take place. In the place of inward surrender and transformation we become Christians. Our worship is true. Our teaching is true because we have allowed the teaching to transform us.
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