It is a matter of the heart

Why is Jesus different from any other teacher ? Why is Christ different from any other preacher ?
Apart from a host of other reasons, there is something that He preached.

In Matthew 15:17-20, after the teachers of the Law came and accused Jesus’ disciples of not washing hands before eating bread and thus “transgressing” the tradition of the elders, Jesus explains to the disciples what the heart of the matter is.

He explains thus:
..Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Just because we say the right things at the right time or learn moral science in school-which is all about “doing” the right thing, we are not set right with God. Because the heart is still filthy.
God is a “discerner” of thoughts- he judges even the thoughts of man. Who can escape ?

When Jesus came, He struck at the heart of the matter which was the heart itself.
Check out Matthew 5 :21 - 30
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
We have all been educated to know enough that murder is wrong. We are civilized.
But did we even imagine, didn’t anyone teach us that anger in the heart was as bad, as wrong as murder itself ?

Again..
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery.’
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”
We all ‘know’ adultery is wrong. Did anyone tell us lusting in the heart, lusting with the eye IS adultery?

“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
These are the things which defile a man” -Matt. 15:19,20
God checks if you are defiled by checking what’s in your heart, not by our good manners, courtesy, hospitality, charity, going to church every Sunday or even the offerings we give.
So what do we do ??

Paul tells in Galatians 5:16-26 as a remedy ,
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Like the passage says, God’s Spirit yearns jealously for us. Because we are His creation, made after His image by Him to walk and love Him and we go after the passions of the flesh (even though we do not wish to and vice versa “so that you do not do the things that you wish.” )
We in flesh are victims to the work of the flesh.

But when we are led and walk with God-His Spirit, we bear fruit of the Holy Spirit- which is mind you, not the world’s love, peace or joy just as the world could not show us what anger and adultery really were.
Let us ask God to change our heart and lead us by His Spirit that we too may produce fruit within our heart- of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.