The Heart of the Problem

How easy it is to trade outward observance for reality. Conforming to a religious code is far from having a cleansed and renewed heart before God. Setting ourselves apart from others by ticking certain religious boxes means that, like the Pharisees, we may appear to honor God with our lips but in fact have hearts that are far from God.

Pharisaic religion never went deep enough. It puts its confidence in the superficial observance of human traditions rather than obeying God from the heart. Often the tradition was a clever way of avoiding and nullifying the command of God. Jesus did not come to tinker around the edges of our humanity as if all we needed was a few little tweaks and adjustments. He loved us too much to leave us deceived about the true nature of our problem - our need for a purified and renewed heart!