In a restaurant, one puzzled customer said to another, “Why do you take one sip of hot coffee, and then one sip of cold juice?” He said, “Both go inside and get mixed and digested, so I mix it in the mouth itself.” What goes inside gets digested mostly, except for those who are sick. The Lord Jesus Christ taught, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” (Matthew 15:11)
Pollution or defilement: Most cultures have the concept of what is good, beautiful, clean, and pure, and also bad, ugly, unclean, and impure. It could be religious belief or traditional practices.
Birth: Social hierarchical status is determined by birth in India. Some are considered higher caste, while others are called lower caste or even Dalits. In some parts of the world, some people are called the servant or slave class. Discrimination begins at birth. In some cultures, children born out of wedlock are discriminated against. A child is a gift of God.
Work: In some cultures, a person’s work, job, or profession determines their status in society. Those who work with the skins of animals are considered the lowest rung of the ladder. Interestingly, Peter stayed with Simon the tanner in Joppa when God revealed to him that he could not discriminate against any human. (Acts 9:43) God sent William Carey, who was a cobbler and worked with skins of animals as a missionary to India, and is called the Father of Modern Missions.
Religion: Some radical religious people and cult groups consider people following other religions to be dirt, animals, and even annihilating them.
National pride: There are some nations that teach their citizens that their neighboring nations are enemies. A nation’s dignity is upheld by degrading other nations.
Repentance: The Lord warned against the indwelling sin that afflicts the heart, mind, and inner being, which is evidenced in the behavior. God calls all to repent and be reconciled with God.
Do I understand how to overcome sin?