“And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.” (Mark 7:20 KJV)
Jesus moved the problem from outside to inside: it is not what goes into a person that defiles, but what comes out of the heart. That is bad news for self-improvement and good news for the gospel — God promises a new heart, not a cleaner mask.
What the Bible says
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”Psalm 51:10 · KJV
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”1 John 1:9 · KJV
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”Ezekiel 36:26 · KJV
3 steps
- Pray Psalm 51:10 by name: “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
- Confess specifically what came out of your heart today (1 John 1:9).
- Fill the heart: read one chapter of John each day.
Follow the daily Short
Questions
What defiles a person according to Jesus?
Mark 7:21–23 lists evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
Can I clean my own heart?
No. God promises: “A new heart also will I give you” (Ezekiel 36:26). It is His work through Jesus.
What if I keep falling?
Keep confessing. “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).