Healing a Deaf and Mute Man (Mark 7:31-37)

 

Healing a Deaf and Mute Man (Mark 7:31-37)

Who doesn’t want to be a blessed person? No one. However, not everyone becomes blessed naturally. Here, "blessing" refers to spiritual blessings from heaven, not wealth, health, or success. Heavenly spiritual blessing is eternal life. Eternal life is enjoying God’s love, joy, peace, and patience under any circumstances.

In Mark 7:31-37, people brought a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment to Jesus. Jesus took him aside, away from the crowd, looked up to heaven with a deep sigh, and said, "Ephphatha!" Immediately, his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak plainly. A blessed person is one who hears and understands God's Word and, through obedience, stores up treasures in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus Goes to Tyre, Sidon, and the Decapolis

"Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis." (Mark 7:31)

Jesus visited the regions of Tyre, Sidon, and the Decapolis. These were all Gentile territories. In the region of Tyre, he praised the faith of a Syrophoenician woman and delivered her demon-possessed daughter (Mark 7:24-30). In the region of the Decapolis, Jesus healed a man possessed by a legion of demons and told him to go and tell how much the Lord had done for him and how he had had mercy on him (Mark 5:19).

Jesus is the Christ for both Jews and the Gentiles (all peoples). This is because God is one (Romans 3:29). Just as God loves the children already in his sheep pen, he also loves those who are not yet inside. Therefore, to manifest God's love, Jesus sent his disciples out into all the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).

20 "My prayer is not for them (his disciples) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:20-23)

God reveals himself to others through those who have already received salvation. He called one man, Abraham, and credited him with righteousness through faith to show the way of salvation through faith for all people (Romans 4:23-24). He established Israel to save all people through one nation (Exodus 19:5-6). God shines his grace and love upon each of us so that it may be revealed to this world. Like the moon reflecting light in the night sky, we reflect the light of God’s love.

Bringing the Deaf and Mute Man

32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. 33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. (Mark 7:32-35)

People brought a disabled man who was deaf and could hardly talk to Jesus. He was a pitiful person who could hear nothing and could not speak properly. Jesus took him aside, away from the crowd, and healed him in a very unique way. Since the man could not hear or speak, Jesus touched his ears and his tongue.

Looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed and said, "Ephphatha (ἐφφαθά)!"—which means "Be opened." Immediately, his ears were opened, his stiff tongue was loosened, and he spoke clearly. Spiritually speaking, being deaf and mute refers to a state where one hears God's Word but does not understand it, and does not know how to come before God to share fellowship.

They Will Be Ever Hearing but Never Understanding

This is the condition of the hearts of those who stubbornly reject and do not believe in God, both in Jesus' time and today. When Jesus spoke the parable of the sower, he quoted the prophecy of Isaiah (Mark 4:12).

9 He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

In Isaiah chapter 6, the prophet was called to go to his people and speak God's Word. At that time, God's presence filled the temple, and the seraphim sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices, the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke (Isaiah 6:1-4). The God who appeared to the prophet Isaiah still exists today in glory, honor, power, and majesty (Revelation 4:11, 5:13, 7:12). God is omnipresent forever.

God told the people to go and proclaim; specifically, that the people would be ever hearing but never understanding, and ever seeing but never perceiving. At this, Isaiah asked, "For how long, Lord?" Then, the Lord God said:

11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. 13 And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.” (Isaiah 6:11-13).

Jerusalem, where God’s temple stood, has been destroyed three times in history. The temple was torn down by the Babylonian army led by King Nebuchadnezzar (587/586 BC). Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed a second time by the Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes (167 BC). Then, in AD 70, Jerusalem and the temple were thoroughly destroyed by the Roman General Titus, leaving not one stone on another. Currently, no temple of God stands in Jerusalem.

Furthermore, this day points to the day when our Lord Jesus Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords to judge this world (2 Peter 3:10-12; Isaiah 13:9). This immoral and sinful world will face the righteous judgment of God and be eternally destroyed (Matthew 12:39). However, God has left a remnant. They are those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and have been washed by His blood.

Why does God keep them from understanding and perceiving until the land is devastated? This means He does so until people repent and turn back. The blood of Jesus Christ is the atoning blood shed for all people in this world. However, the blood of Jesus becomes effective for those who repent, turn back, and believe. If there is no repentance, the gates of heaven will never open.

Repentance involves the disappearance of one’s self—that is, death. If “I” do not disappear, it is not true repentance. This is because the “me” who is in Adam is fallen and has nothing worthy of being called righteous. Therefore, our old self must die. But if we die, we put on the new self through God’s power of resurrection and gain eternal life (John 12:24).

He Looked Up to Heaven with a Deep Sigh

Jesus looked up to heaven and sighed deeply. In contrast, when Jesus performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, He looked up to heaven and gave thanks (Mark 6:41). Jesus sighed because of the stubbornness of His people who were ever hearing but never understanding, and ever seeing but never perceiving. He lamented that they could not fully enjoy the privileges of the Law, the promises, the temple, and worship, but instead fell into being deaf and mute, trapped in the traditions of the elders.

In the days of Noah, when God saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time, He regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled (Genesis 6:5-6). Because God is holy, He cannot just overlook sin and must judge it. He laments that He must judge humans who were created in His own image and likeness (Genesis 6:7).

And God commanded one righteous man who believed in Him, Noah, to build an ark of salvation (Genesis 6:14-16). Noah was a remnant who feared and obeyed God in a fallen world. He followed everything God commanded and built the ark of salvation. His ears were open to hearing God's word, and his lips said "Amen" in obedience.

Even now, God says "Ephphatha" toward this world. He has given His holy word to open the secrets of the kingdom of heaven and pour out treasures of grace. Anyone can read God's word and find comfort and strength. God reveals Himself to those who seek Him with all their heart. He opens the gates of heaven, bestows blessings, and wraps us in His eternal love, joy, peace, and patience.

Therefore, God pleads for us to open our hearts and return to the Lord (Isaiah 1:18). All day long, He holds out His arms, waiting for us to return (Isaiah 65:2; Romans 10:21). Through Christ, He wants us to enter into God, drink eternal living water, and enjoy eternal life (John 4:14). The heart of God the Father is like the father who saw his wayward son returning from a long way off, was filled with compassion for him, ran to him, threw his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20).

He Warned Them Not to Tell Anyone

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:36-37).

Jesus warned the healed person and the witnesses not to tell anyone. This was to caution against focusing solely on the healing itself. Through this, Jesus wants that person to open their eyes from spiritual darkness and truly know the Christ whom God sent.

It means not to act like a blind man touching an elephant. Until they fully know the Lord Jesus Christ, His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension must take place. Full knowledge of Jesus Christ cannot be known without seeing His entire ministry. If one focuses only on the power to heal diseases, they might misunderstand Jesus as merely a famous doctor.

Those born again in Christ are completely set free from sin and can fully enjoy the treasures of the kingdom of heaven at any time. However, it takes a considerable amount of time to fully understand and actually enjoy this amazing grace and privilege. It is a long journey that takes a lifetime. God helps us realize the truth of being born again through the pain and difficulties of daily life. Amen!

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6).

Amen!

April 12, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

The Faith of the Syrophoenician Woman (Mark 7:24-30)

 

The Faith of the Syrophoenician Woman (Mark 7:24-30)

Who is truly blessed? It isn't determined by human flesh and blood. Factors like being Jewish or Gentile, time or place, race, or wealth do not decide it. Faith that seeks God’s grace is what truly makes one blessed. Jesus blessed anyone who came to Him in faith (Mark 5:34; Matthew 8:10). However, He rebuked a lack of faith regardless of who the person was (Mark 4:40).

In Mark 7:24-30, Jesus blessed the faith of a Gentile woman—a Syrophoenician—and delivered her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus tested the faith of this woman who came seeking grace, not to reject her, but to make her faith even stronger.

He Could Not Keep His Presence Secret

"Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret." (Mark 7:24)

Tyre was a Gentile region. Jesus left Galilee and went north to a house in Tyre, wanting to remain unnoticed. Yet, His arrival could not be hidden. This signifies that the Lord reveals Himself to those who believe.

Conversely, He hides himself from those without faith. When Jesus went to His hometown, the people rejected and refused Him instead of welcoming him. As a result, he could not do any miracles there (Mark 6:5).

Even though Jesus, the Son of God, was right before their eyes, His true identity remained hidden from them. Therefore, those who believe in Jesus Christ cannot miss where He is. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) Jesus gave this same message to His disciples, adding a beautiful promise (Matthew 7:7-8).

"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11)

Jesus also gave the Great Commission to go and teach the gospel to all nations, promising to be with His disciples always, even to the end of the age. Indeed, Jesus dwells within us. This is the "glorious hope" for every believer (Colossians 1:27).

A Woman Pleads for Her Daughter

"In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter." (Mark 7:25-26)

God sent His Son to this earth to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). All people were lost in Adam, trapped under the power of sin and death, influenced by Satan. However, not everyone comes to the door of salvation. The way to salvation is narrow.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

Yet, those chosen before the creation of the world respond by believing in Jesus. This woman in Tyre was also a daughter of God, chosen before time began. Jesus was sent by God to find her, which is why He visited Tyre.

In His infinite wisdom, God places His chosen people exactly where they need to be. No one in Christ is in a certain place by accident; they are there to witness to the Father's love. This starts in the home—as husbands, wives, and children—to reflect God's light. It continues in our jobs and schools. We live "missional lives" wherever we are.

On the surface, this woman’s life seemed miserably tragic. Seeing a daughter suffer from a demon is desperate for any mother. But when she heard the news of Jesus, it was God opening the door of heaven and ringing the "Good News" in her heart.

Israel had become like sheep without a shepherd. For 400 years after Malachi, there were no prophets. People were hungry for the Word of God. The prophet Amos described this spiritual famine:

"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord." (Amos 8:11)

Finally, when the time had fully come, God sent His Christ. He opened the heavens and announced the news to shepherds:

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.'" (Luke 2:10-11)

Children’s Bread and the Dogs

"First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs." "Lord," she replied, "even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." (Mark 7:27-28)

At first glance, it might seem like Jesus was insulting her. But Jesus never rejects those who come to Him. He had deep compassion for those who were like sheep without a shepherd.

"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope." (Matthew 12:20-21)

Jesus was teaching a truth here. The "children" referred to the believers (Israel), and "dogs" referred to the Gentiles. But salvation is not by blood or flesh; it is by faith. No one "deserves" salvation. The Syrophoenician woman admitted she had no claim to grace on her own merit.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

This is what it means to be poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). She had no "self" to protect. She didn't fall into a victim mentality or anger over being slighted; she simply asked for grace. Our Lord Jesus modeled this humility on the cross. Though He was God, He did not cling to His status.

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8)

Because of this, the Father exalted Him:

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Philippians 2:9-10)

Humans naturally want to be high up and well-treated. But the riches of this world are fleeting. Jesus told a story of a rich man who wanted to build bigger barns, but God called him a fool.

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'" (Luke 12:20)

Therefore, being exalted and receiving honor does not depend on human hands. All authority and glory come from God the Father (Rom 13:1; John 19:11). God both exalts and brings low. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so he would not listen to Moses (Exod 9:12). This means He allows Pharaoh to not listen to His word.

God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble (Jas 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5). Through the cross of His Son, Jesus Christ, God shows the secret of how one is exalted. The cross is the ache and pain of dying and disappearing; it is shame and insult. The cross is being abandoned and becoming a nobody. The cross has no beauty or majesty to attract us to him (Isa 53:2).

However, if we take up the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him, there is hope in the glorious resurrection. We sit at the right hand of the heavenly throne with Christ and reign together (Eph 2:6). No cross, no resurrection. No pain, no crown. Jesus taught this secret through the parable of the seed:

"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24).

Jesus gladly accepts the faith of the Syrophoenician woman

Then he told her, "For such an answer, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone (Mark 7:29-30).

God opened the gates of heaven and bestowed spiritual blessings upon the Syrophoenician woman. When she came to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and sought grace, the Heavenly Father answered. Jesus gladly accepted her faith and strengthened it further. Coming to Jesus to seek grace while acknowledging that one has no merit aligns with the principle of the cross.

What was life like for her daughter after being healed? Everyone knows that the household would not remain perfectly peaceful without any further trouble. Anyone is exposed to illness, accidents, or disasters. Human relationships are like time bombs that could go off at any moment. We cannot help but be affected by changes in geopolitical politics and the economy.

Does this mean Jesus healing her daughter was meaningless? Not at all. Continually, whenever difficulties arise, one holds onto that same initial faith and the truth of the cross, entrusting everything to God in Christ. After that event, Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went back into the region of Galilee. There is no record in the Bible of Him going to the vicinity of Tyre again.

If so, how do we continue to come before the Lord Jesus Christ? The period Jesus spent on this earth was short. He cannot always be physically present. Therefore, God sent the Spirit of Truth into those who believe in Christ.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:16-18).

God sends His Spirit to those who believe and dwells within them forever. Therefore, in Christ, we always remain in God, and God remains in us. We can come closer to God anytime and anywhere. He is just in us and we are in Him.

Amen!

April 5, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

What Comes Out of a Person Defiles Them (Mark 7:1-23)

 

What Comes Out of a Person Defiles Them (Mark 7:1-23)

How do we keep the Word of God perfectly? It cannot be done through deeds. We obey through faith. That faith is believing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for the sins of this world, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Furthermore, it is believing that Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the throne of God to rule.

In Mark 7:1-23, Jesus taught what truly defiles a person. It is not the food we eat, but all kinds of evil that come from within the heart. In Christ Jesus, we love God with all our heart, strength, and mind, out of freedom and a willing spirit. Keeping the law means doing so without coercion or force.

The Traditions of the Elders (Matthew 15:1-20)

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” (Mark 7:1-5)

The tradition of the elders began as a means to obey God’s Law. It started with good intentions. Based on the Pentateuch of Moses, there is the Written Torah consisting of approximately 613 commandments. However, around the 2nd century BC, the Mishnah was compiled based on oral traditions, categorizing rabbinic debates, legal applications, and interpretations of the Torah.

While the Torah is considered the written Word of God, the Mishnah is a topical legal code consisting of 63 tractates covering agriculture, festivals, damages, marriage, holy offerings, and purification rites. The Torah provides general principles, while the Mishnah provides specific and practical details regarding those laws.

For example, there are 39 categories of work forbidden on the Sabbath, such as threshing, kneading, washing, hunting, writing/erasing two letters, and extinguishing/kindling a fire.

Example: On the Sabbath, if a wound is minor, one does not squeeze out the blood but gently wipes it, places ointment on it without rubbing it in, and then applies a bandage. Since one cannot turn lights on or off during the Sabbath, timers are set in advance. To prevent the internal light from turning on when opening the refrigerator, the bulb is removed beforehand or the "Sabbath mode" is set.

They washed their hands before eating, which was a ritual requirement rather than a matter of hygiene. They accused the disciples because they did not follow this regulation. "Defiled hands" meant they had not performed the ritual according to the tradition of the elders.

Honoring Me with Lips, but Hearts are Far From Me

6 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. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:6-13)

Jesus did not agree with their accusation; instead, He rebuked them. God does not look at the outward appearance but looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God sees the motivations deep within. Therefore, through the prophet Isaiah, God rebuked the people of Israel who revered Him only with words while their hearts were elsewhere.

They were preoccupied with fulfilling their own interests and greed. They pushed aside the commandments of God and instead risked their lives for human traditions. Instead of obeying God's command to honor parents and not insult them, they prioritized the tradition of Corban (קָרְבָּן).

Corban was a human tradition cleverly crafted to avoid providing financial help to parents. It was a wickedness that abused and deceived God’s holy name. In this way, they were blinded by seeking their own gain and tried to deceive the Holy God.

God’s Loving-kindness and Love are Everlasting

God’s hand is not too short, nor is He stingy; His loving-kindness, love, and grace are everlasting (Isaiah 59:1; Lamentations 3:22-23). However, the people of Israel greatly misunderstood this. When King David sinned against the Lord, God rebuked him through the prophet Nathan:

"I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more." (2 Samuel 12:8)

First, God commanded, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). However, "anyone who speaks evil of their father or mother must be put to death" (Matthew 15:4; Exodus 21:17).

Parents spare no effort or devotion to give birth to and raise their children. In one sense, a parent's love for their child closely resembles the love of God. God loved us so much that He did not spare even His own dear Son but gave Him up for us (John 3:16). Therefore, it is only right to be thankful for God’s grace and love. Those who do not know God’s love and grace are foolish (Jeremiah 4:22; Romans 1:21-22).

2 Hear me, heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” 4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. (Isaiah 1:2-4)

The Purpose of Giving the Law

The Jews created the Mishnah to obey the words of God's commandments. However, they strayed from the original purpose for which God gave the Law. If you keep the Law, you receive a blessing, but if you break it, you receive punishment. The problem is that there is no mortal flesh that can perfectly keep the Law from birth until death. God, who instituted the Law, could not possibly be unaware of this fact.

The purpose for which God gave the Law is to make us aware of sin (Rom 3:20). Because the Law is the written expression of God's holy character, it is holy and blameless. However, since no one can keep the Law, both Jews and Gentiles alike are found to be sinners before God (Rom 3:9-18). Therefore, they fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

Then, how does one keep the Law? This is an important question. This is because if you do not keep the Law, you will surely face death. Since we are weak and cannot keep the Law, the Lord Jesus Christ took the sins of this world upon Himself and was hung high on the cross. This is the righteousness of God that has been made known apart from the Law, to which the Law and the Prophets testify (Rom 3:21).

Therefore, whoever believes in and obeys the Lord Jesus Christ has been set free from the snare of the Law (Gal 5:1). Specifically, believing in Jesus means that we have died with Him, been buried, have risen again, and have ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the throne of God (Rom 6:4; Eph 2:6).

Now, in Christ, we keep God's Law perfectly through freedom and willingness (Jas 1:25; Rom 6:17). It is impossible through fearful legalism. We keep His holy Law through that very love poured out as a gift from God (John 14:15).

God commanded His people to love the LORD God with all their heart, soul, and strength (Deut 6:5). However, God first demonstrated His love by giving His beloved Son as a sacrifice while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8).

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. (1 John 5:1-3)

Food Does Not Defile a Person

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." (16) 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 "Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: "What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person." (Mark 7:14-23)

The food one eats cannot defile a person. Jesus declared all foods clean. In the regulations regarding food in Leviticus, it lists unclean animals/birds/insects that must not be eaten (Lev 11:7-8). However, this does not mean that certain things were unclean from the beginning. Everything God created was good in His sight. The food regulations were to teach His people what is unclean and what is clean.

The traditions of the elders can make a person neither unclean nor clean. What defiles a person is what comes from the heart, and this is what prevents a person from standing boldly before God. In Adam, humans are filled with the spreading toxin of sin. This cannot be healed by keeping traditions. There is no other salvation except through the merit of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Our ability to love God and keep the Law perfectly is possible because we have already received the forgiveness of sins and made new by believing in the blood of Christ. It is not that we are declared righteous after first keeping the Law. There is no flesh that can do so (Rom 3:20). God not only demands perfect obedience, but He also gives the strength and power to obey. This is faith in Christ.

We have become new people in Christ. This is because our old self has died with Christ. By the grace of God, we now love God and love our neighbors in Christ. God promised through the prophet Ezekiel to give a new spirit and a new heart.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (Ezek 36:26-27)

Amen!

March 29, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.