I have spent my entire ministry telling people what the Bible does say. In this series I have been telling you what it doesn’t say—that is, commonly used sayings that many have assumed were from Scripture but are not. Today we look at one that many a parent has quoted to a child, and teachers have quoted to their students. Our story in Mark 7 reveals three categories of cleanliness.

I. Cleanliness Had Become External

II. Cleanliness Was Seen as Eternal

III. Cleanliness is Really Internal

Talk with God: Prayerfully consider your relationship with the Lord. Have religious habits taken the place of an active, intimate connection?

Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer how they stay focused on the Lord when life distracts them.

Talk with kids: How does knowing that God has a plan help you face hard situations?