March 31, 2022

Due to some recent and wonderful interaction with people who are Muslims, I am more sensitized to the concept of religious defilement (specifically related to food) than I ever have been. What follows are some reflections about what Jesus said to His followers about defilement (food and otherwise), divided into Part 1 and Part 2.

Part 1 concerns defilement as it relates to “clean” and “unclean” foods.

My new Muslim friends are very concerned to eat only halal food, just as our Jewish friends eat only kosher food.

The foods that make it on to the list of halal (Islamic) or kosher (Jewish) are different, of course. But both halal and kosher refer to the kinds of food that may and may not be eaten (especially meat), how it is prepared, and even how the animal to be eaten is killed.

Jesus spoke to His disciples about this clean and unclean food issue, and we can be glad that He did. To many of us, it might not seem to be such a big deal. But it was a very big deal to the Jews of Jesus’ day, and it is a very big deal to lots of people – Jews and Muslims and others – in our world today.

The Lord’s view of defilement by food was revolutionary. He broke with long-standing Jewish tradition regarding kosher when He said that it was not the food that goes into our bodies that defiles us.

Alone with His disciples, He said, [Mark 7:18] “Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, [19] because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?”

Mark goes on to write, “Thereby He declared all foods clean.”

In other words, Jesus teaches that, of all the foods in the world, there are no foods we could eat that would morally pollute us. Some foods might not taste good to us, and the foods of one culture may not set well with another culture’s taste buds. But, according to Jesus, eating this or that food is all a matter of no consequence to God.

Our friends from other faiths are constrained in their consciences, believing that they would be morally polluted if they ate something “unclean” (against halal or against kosher). But we who follow Jesus understand that we are free to eat all kinds of food.

Can you imagine how my new Muslim friends would react if I told them, “Hey, I’ve got great news for you. You don’t have to keep halal anymore. Jesus has declared all foods clean.”

I suspect that they would be shocked. They would probably push back and disagree. They might even tell me, “This is why we object to Christianity. You don’t care about defilement!”

And this is where I would move from Part 1 to Part 2, because the fact is that Jesus cares a great deal about defilement.

In that same conversation with His disciples, Jesus followed up His comment about freedom to eat anything without defilement with a “gotcha” comment about defilement.

[Mark 7:20] And He was saying, “That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. [21] For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, [22] deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. [23] All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”

What we take in by way of food doesn’t defile or dirty us. How we live, though, could very well leave us dirty.

The list Jesus gave (above) is long. It could no doubt be longer, but it is long enough to highlight that sinful behavior reveals what is in the heart. When we allow the sinful passions of our heart to rule and reign, the result will be filthified lives.

Jesus couldn’t care less about what foods we eat. He does, though, care desperately that we not defile ourselves by harming others, by behaving sinfully, by living wickedly.

He calls us who have believed in Him to pursue purity for all we’re worth, speak only what is edifying, do only what is God-honoring, lead lives that are holy and clean.

THIS is our high and holy calling. And THIS is God’s grace…

…that when we do stumble and fall into unclean living – and we will – He offers a way forward into cleansing. He invites us to confess our sins, agree with Him that we’ve stepped into moral mud, and ask Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness / defilement. (1 John 1:9)

This is an appropriate meditation so close to Easter, since on the last night He had with His disciples, Jesus washed their feet, telling them that if they have bathed (been saved), they will only ever have to get their feet washed. (John 13:5-11)

Our Savior liberates us to eat all kinds of food without defilement, urges us to put away all defilement of behavior, provides a way of cleansing after we fall into defilement, and then, having removed the dirt from our feet calls us, again, to flee defilement!

Yours…His,

Dave