True religion begins in the heart of man and not in his actions. It must also be noted that true religion continues its progress in man through the avenue of his heart and not by the efforts of his habits or disciplines.
Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Our progress in religion comes through the efforts and maintenance of the heart. Solomon put it in these words:
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
It is a heart that resides in the land of peace, contentment and joy that brings forth in the life of its owner the blessed fruits of the Spirit. Our hearts are disrupted by many irritants, worry, anger, envy, and resentment are just a few of these thorns that disrupt the soul of man. It is our obligation, as the people of God, to uproot these weeds lest they corrupt our lives. Most folks have the grace and politeness to wipe their feet before they enter another’s house; we ought to also cleanse our hearts of these foul weeds before we enter into conversation and fellowship with our friends and acquaintances.
Forgive my rambling on here, but the other day I was at a boat launching site and noticed a sign that urged boat owners to wash and dry their boats so that in the process of transportation and use of them in other lakes they would not spread contaminants that their boat had picked up. This picture has much application to the chatter and gossip that often goes among us under the guise of friendly conversation.
What kind of “house-keeping” do you practice in your heart? Does it reflect a true religion?
