“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

Mark 7:1-23

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark  7:6-8

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 7:1-23.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction for the entirety of the text, and for the first (of  three) division (vv1-8):

• The main idea for the entirety of the text is "Jesus calls us to trust not in our own external righteousness (legalism) but in His perfect work on our behalf." 
• "Amazingly we can have a passion for God yet not know God. We can be deceived, captured, and enslaved by the deadly lure of legalism. Tragically, those who have been raised in the church are the most susceptible to this deception. Our pride in our religious rituals, church practices, and cultural traditions blind us to both our great sinfulness and the great Savior who alone can rescue us from our sin."   
• The commentary describes how a false belief of faith, confidence in doing all the right things (particularly in our own powers) above all, is based on pride and how this leads to all other sins.  We are referred to Psalm 31:23, Proverbs 15:25, 16:18, Isaiah 13:11, Jeremiah 49:16, Luke 14:11, and James 4:6.
• "Why is God so opposed to pride? It is because human pride is in opposition to God. It thinks more of itself than it should. It thinks more of itself than God does!" 
• The title for the first division is: "Legalists Honor God with Their Lips, Resulting in False Worship." 
• "All [the Pharisees'] religious washing had a good intent, namely to remind Jews that they were unclean before God. But they were completely off base on the true source of their impurity. Their problem was not outside but inside. It wasn’t their hands but their hearts." 
• "Jesus begins with a scathing indictment, calling the Pharisees and scribes “hypocrites”! They were nothing more than religious actors and pretenders. The prophet Isaiah also condemned their hypocritical religion (Isaiah 29:13). They say the right things about God, but their hearts are still ungodly. Their religion is all words and show. The result was vain, purposeless worship—worship that God neither welcomes nor receives." 
• "Some potential examples of this legalism in the contemporary church can be found in church business meetings, deacons meetings, church discipline, and religious practices (e.g., church names, meeting times, dress, worship styles, public invitation or no invitation)." 

Of course humility is the anti-dote for pride.  There is nothing we can do to earn our favor from God - we must recognize that God alone saves and God alone moves at His discretion in all things.  Colossians 1:16-18 informs us that God created all things and He holds all things together.  God is provident over all matters and all details big and small.  He is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present - since the beginning and until the end.  We must start here and recognize that God holds our lives in His hands and it is only by and through Him that we are able to do anything (John 15:5).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves and who saves....not because of anything I've done but solely because of Your grace and mercy.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving....my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.