Traditions and Commandments, Part 2
In part 1 we learn that religious conformity is not enough to justify us if we are spiritually indifferent. As fastidious as we are in obeying the law, it will all be in vain if it is not accompanied by a heart that genuinely loves God. The problem, though, is this can make us think that as long as our hearts are in the right place, our obedience will be meritorious. After all, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their hypocrisy not their performance. Don’t perform your duties out of obligation (like the Pharisees), perform them out of sincerity. That seems simple enough but it’s far from the truth.
In Jesus’ subsequent teaching, he will reveal a fundamental truth that must shape our understanding of religious conformity, Pharisaic or not. It challenges the worldview that sees the division between clean and unclean as one that can be definitively identified and overcome. What drives this is the assumption that this division is external in nature. In other words, the problem is out there. But Jesus will show us that, in fact, the problem is on the inside.
Sin is not on the outside waiting to come in
Mark 7:14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”
The fundamental mistake undergirding the Pharisees is not merely their lack of genuine devotion. Sincerity of the heart is a poor litmus test for authentic spirituality, since we know some of the most dangerous religious fanatics often are the most committed. Where the difference lie, is in their worldview, which sees the world in black and white and the job of religion to filter the good from the bad and never the twain shall meet. The clean must be protected from the unclean. It is this tendency to define the world along visibly demarcated lines, where people are reduced down to a particular set of identifiers, which Jesus challenges.
Sin is not on the outside waiting to come in. It is misguided to think that evil is outside of ourselves, whether it’s those types of people or these kinds of behaviours or that way of thinking. And since the problem is out there, the solution often boils down to practical truisms – vote the Christian party, enrol in Christian schools, listen to Christian music. None of these things are wrong in and of themselves. But they become unhelpful when it is subsumed within a supposed culture war, where any deviation is seen as somehow a betrayal of our shared identity.
As long as we continue to see the world through an us-versus-them perspective, we will struggle with the permissiveness of certain behaviours and the need to regulate them. Notice that Jesus never explicitly addressed the question of whether hand washing is mandatory as a ritual. Instead, he highlights the fallacy which says the problem is out there. On the contrary, the problem is much closer to home.
Sin is on the inside dying to get out
Mark 7:20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
What Jesus describes in these verses transcend race, religion, and culture. Not even the passage of time can mitigate them since they are as prevalent today as it was back then. We might have even gotten more proficient in them. Such is the shared experience and undeniable reality of human nature. Sin is on the inside dying to get out.
It’s foolish for anyone to deny the depths of human wickedness. A cursory look in any history textbook will quickly put to rest any doubts. What defence we might cling to is the notion that at least we’re not as bad as some are. It seems Hitler, despite all his evil deeds, is the saviour of many who find comfort if the standard of measure were Nazism.
But consider for a moment that a hen lays two eggs. One just so happens to fall beyond the reach of the hen which dutifully incubates the other. Over time one hatches while the other stagnates. But isn’t it true that were it not for happenstance, both would have hatched? In fact, if the eggs were swapped, that which is now incubated will hatch. It is in their nature. All the necessary ingredients are already present. We don’t diminish the “egg-ness” of that which didn’t hatch. Likewise, in every single human being lie the seeds of evil. Out of the heart of man, Jesus says. It is the height of pride which excoriates Hitler and at the same time exonerates oneself from any taint of corruption. We must realise that were it not for circumstances largely beyond our control, through the restraining grace of God, we are entirely capable of the same atrocities as Hitler. It’s foolish to think otherwise because inside every human heart sin is dying to get out.
Some personal observations
There is a narrative within Christian circles that says the world is diametrically opposed to everything we hold dear. For the record, I’m not denying the veracity of John 15 for example, where Jesus warns His disciples beforehand of the world’s hatred of them. Certainly, in many parts of the world this is a confronting reality. But for those of us in western democratic societies who enjoy relative freedom of expression and religion? I have my doubts. Not of the truth of the matter, but the extent.
Consider as an example the standardized curriculum taught in schools across Australia. Much has been said about the introduction of gender identity issues, with Christians rightly balking at the notion that gender reassignment is morally acceptable behaviour. But it does not necessarily follow that public schools with a liberal slant are a plague to be avoided. Nor is the notion that somehow this is evidence that the world is sliding further into the pits. It is just as likely that this is motivated by a genuine, however misplaced, concern for kids in society. Many parents simply just want to do whatever they can to ensure their child flourishes in society. We discredit Christianity when we gloss over ambiguities and approach every contentious issue by drawing up lines separating what is godly and what isn’t, what is clean and what is unclean.
What got me thinking about all this was a men’s breakfast event at a church I was on mission with. Whether it was a question or a comment I can’t remember exactly, but the conversation revolved around the need for Christian men to stand up for what is right. To lead by example in a world that increasingly rejects God. The concern of the particular individual, and some others judging by their vociferous nodding along in agreement, was how the Covid pandemic has given society/government/the world the excuse to infringe on our Christian beliefs. Mandatory check-ins, masks, and especially the ban on church gatherings are all seen as an attack on our religious liberties. Some even questioned the wisdom of allowing themselves and their families to be vaccinated without an absolute guarantee of its safety. After all, we shouldn’t be so quick to accept things from the world since as Christians we are called to be not of this world.
Our passage in Mark 7:1-23 serves as a timely corrective. It reminds us that simplistic characterizations of the Christian life in a non-Christian world are unhelpful at best, or worse, incorrect. It’s not unimaginable that there are godly Christians serving within government bodies advising on public health issues, or in pharmaceutical companies working around the clock developing a vaccine. Ponder for a moment how many people around the world are suffering as a direct result of the pandemic. Instead of bristling at the thought of subjecting ourselves to an untested vaccine, would it not speak more of grace if Christians were the first to volunteer themselves as test subjects? After all, our eternal life is secured, and death holds no power over us. Far from being true to the gospel, this overall narrative of us-versus-them serves to discredit Christianity. There is a better way.
The Gospel’s Power
If we are to be faithful to God in how we live, we have to think beyond regulating behaviours. Remembering that religious conformity is not enough to justify us if we are spiritually indifferent to the realities of individual circumstance. Doing so will only produce legalistic rituals. Because sin is not on the outside waiting to get in, but on the inside dying to get out, what we need is not to change the world in God’s name but change our hearts by God’s grace. That is the radical nature of what Jesus offers.