Devotional Part 4

16 Mar 2021

Mark 7:6-23

Left to his own devices, Man always attempts to worship God out of his own flesh, which always ends up as nothing other than self worship.

In setting up doctrines of his own making, Man also creates the god to whom these doctrines are directed and supposed to appease.

In his flesh, Man creates god, then out of his flesh brings worship, praise, devotion, and sacrifice, making an offering in order to give meaning to his life, on his own terms, while simultaneously justifying and appeasing his own wounded conscience, his own sin.

This does nothing but put all of the Mans focus on himself, in what he can gain from ‘serving’ this god. He will flagellate himself on account of his sin in order to appease his own conscience while, out of the other side of his mouth, justify his own greed by virtue of his own self righteousness.

All of this is an exercise in self, in fulfilling the desires of the flesh. In truth it is even worse than this. In his creating, Man only ever creates god in his own image. Man becomes the god of god, and in the end becomes god unto himself.

This is the flesh. It is rebellious idolatry. It is the part of us that declares “Though shalt have no other god but me.” 

It is a stench in the nostrils of the true and living God who created us in His image.