Mark 7.23 lists things that make us unfit for God.

The list God gives, which is partial and not exhaustive, for the things that we think in our hearts and minds which cause us to become unfit for God are lust, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride seems to be part of our daily human nature.

This measurement by God of our soul instead of our external actions alone is what separates Christianity from the other religions and condemns each of us as unfit for God. We like to think of ourselves as good people, at least better than most yet having these attitudes in our hearts that God condemns makes us no better than the person who acts them out against their fellow man.

We chaff at this notion thinking that God should pardon us since we exerted self-control in not doing what we were thinking but God demands purity both from within and from without. This predicament we all find ourselves explains why we all need a Savior.

It is why Scripture declares all are evil and none are good and so all must confess their sins before God, repent from doing them any longer and focus now and forever upon the doing of His will.

Our normal state of ‘stinkin thinkin’ will continue as long as we live in these bodies but will diminish as we take-in daily the reading, studying, and doing of God’s words recorded in the Bible.

As we give ourselves over to new attitudes and actions we grow in godliness and usefulness to our God.

Jesus lived to teach us of God’s love for us and willingness to pardon us for our evil thoughts, words and deeds then died in our place as punishment for those every things.

To receive pardon for the past we must repent today then seek God for His power to please Him tomorrow.