And He called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And He said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone. Matthew 15: 10-20
What is the overarching principle here? The blind leading the blind and their eventual place being in a pit. So… my question becomes how can you tell when someone is blind like the Pharisees were, which Jesus obviously was pointing out?
Many people are trapped in cultural, religious, educational, societal, and accepted traditions. Can we be so dogmatic in our ways that the Spirit of God is shut out from our minds? How have you been ‘brainwashed’? What lies have you naively agreed with, and taken as fact or the truth? Who are you listening to? What block is it that keeps us from accepting the truth that the Holy Spirit is presenting to us? I guess first the issue is whether or not you can even recognize the Holy Spirit within you and what He is directly and explicitly telling you. If you can … in the slightest recognize Him in you – don’t you think developing that relationship and conversation with Him should be your number one priority? Wouldn’t His advice and instructions trump ALL other voices and instructions in your perspective? If He really is the Voice of God within you … that should be pretty important… correct? Our main problem is most likely the inability to clarify and discern Him within us. It is SO much easier to adopt religious formulas, steps, and rituals than having a living and vibrant on going daily, moment by moment, conversation with Him. This is what the Pharisees did. The Pharisees were so set in their religious traditions, and human iniquity roots (pride, fear, and lust) that they couldn’t accept the Truth who was standing right before them. This happened over and over, first with Jesus, then with Steven, then with Peter and John, then with Paul, and the list goes on.
If you follow the Voice and instructions of the Holy Spirit within you, you will be hated.
If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19
If you follow the Holy Spirit, you will be called all sorts of things. A liar. Demonically possessed. A crazy person. A mentally deficient person. Racist. And all sorts of other slurs. Are you easily offended? Then following the Holy Spirit will be very difficult for you. The Holy Spirit will first offend you by pointing out your sin. Then if you have learned to accept the Truth from Him and agree with Him – if you speak that Truth to anyone else – the first reaction will most likely be an offense to them. Everything you do and say will be offensive to someone else if it is the Truth.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
The prophets understand this ‘offense’ issue with great personal experience if they have EVER had to obey the instructions of God. When are the prophets accepted with ‘joy’ and gladness? What they usually have to bring is ‘correction’ and the hard direct Truth. Do you have anyone like that in your life? You know they love you – but what they say to you often seems ‘offensive’ or even emotionally hurts? Eventually …if you just can’t accept what they have to say, you will just put them out of your life, and stop listening to anything they say. So many do this also with the still small Voice of the Holy Spirit within them. Why? People just don’t want to deal with their ‘sin’. They like their excuses, and they think their excuses are valid.
Are you ignorantly blind?
Have you ever asked the Holy Spirit in what areas you are currently blind to His Truth?
First, He will show you your hidden sin, those things hidden way far away in that dark closet of your soul – no one but you know. Are you willing to go there with Him and allow Him to deal with it?
How spiritually mature are you? Do you want to grow in your relationship with God? Learn how to discern and listen to the Holy Spirit’s Voice within you.