Focusing on Your Inner Self - Matthew 15:1-20

How many of you know it is not required of you to wear khaki pants or a skirt with a collared shirt and to carry a Bible around to get saved? The pharisees reminded us today of our tendency to look at the outward appearance of man when we gage their, or our own, spirituality. The pharisees were disappointed that the disciples had neglected to perform the tradition of cleansing their hands (A tradition that consisted of little washing, only running a little bit of water of your hands). This tradition was a part of an "oral law" that many Jews believed had been given to Moses at Mt. Sinai and was passed down verbally through their generations. This oral law was to be adhered to in addition to the written law. Did a red flag go up in your mind? The Jews had created traditions through their history that were added to the law.

Christ rebuked the pharisees for their disobedience to God through the keeping of their man-made traditions. In verses 4-6 Jesus used the "corban" gift as an example of their faulty traditions. The tradition allowed the pharisees to give everything they had to the religious establishment, making them look like spiritual giants. However, they were the religious establishment and therefore all the possessions donated went right back to them. After it was given, the money was ruled off limits for any other uses, even caring for their own elderly parents. This was a transgression against God (vs. 3). Proverbs 11:1 says "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord." What are we weighing ourselves against? Are we endeavoring to be more like Christ? Or are we trying to make sure we are better than everyone else, just like the pharisees did?

Remember, the sin that comes out from within us shows our uncleanness. If you are a born again believer today, you have control over the sin that once enslaved you! Lets remember to clean up the inner man first, so that the outer man will be pure as a result. It will not work the other way around! If we only give effort toward the outer man, we will achieve nothing more than obtaining false respect and admiration, which will ultimately be judged with a correct balance.