Devotionals

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State of Our Heart

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead, and all kinds of filth.” Matthew 23:27 (NRSV)

It was a custom amongst the Jews that every year in the month before Passover, the tombs of those who were buried on the hillsides or near the highways around Jerusalem, were painted white with a type of chalk. This prevented pilgrims on the way to Passover, from accidentally coming into contact with the tombs and becoming contaminated and defiled, as was the belief according to Levitical law (Numbers 19:16).

Once ‘whited’ the graves appeared beautiful, but within contained the bones and corrupting bodies of the dead. Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees to these tombs. He said their outward conduct appeared well - clean and immaculate. But their hearts were full of hypocrisy, bitterness, anger, greed, pride, lust and jealousy.

Our inner life must be cleansed first and then the purity of the exterior life will follow as a matter of course. There can be no real Godliness or righteousness unless the inward man is first renewed. Conversion of heart precedes sanctification. We may train ourselves to observe the outward show of right speech, correct conduct and virtuous behavior, but unless there is a change of heart all this is in vain.

Jesus is the transformer of our hearts (2 Cor 3:18). No good intentions or resolutions will bring about lasting, effective change to our sinful hearts; only the work of God’s Spirit. Let’s surrender to His work, so that others might witness Jesus living in us.

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