“‘Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.’” (v. 15)

Here’s some good news:

Your religious ritual—what you eat and how you church—is not the core issue. The rules neither save you nor sanctify you.

Your religious ritual is not the core issue.

Your repentance is.

We could probably stand to spend a little less time focusing on whose Christian rituals are better. That time would be better spent purifying our hearts, praying with repentance, and partnering in humble confession together. What’s inside is the real issue.

But! Don’t neglect the fact that what you put in tends to affect what comes out. I’m not talking about certain types of food. I’m talking about the media, language, and opinions you imbibe. If you permit defiling things into your head and your heart, then expect defiled returns.

Let’s hold repentance dearer than ritual. And let’s check the filth at the door.

— Tyler