The Bible addresses what enters and leaves a person in Matthew 15:11 and Matthew 15:17–19 (as well as Mark 7:20):
- What goes into the body does not defile it: Jesus taught that physical food and drink go into the stomach and then pass out of the body, meaning external or dietary things do not make a person spiritually unclean.
- What comes out of the heart and mouth defiles a person: Jesus explained that evil thoughts, words, and actions originate from the heart—including anger, slander, deceit, and malice. What you speak or produce reveals what is already inside you.
Where the “What Goes In Stays” Idea Comes From
People often mix up this teaching with modern applications of guarding the mind:
- Input vs. Output: Many teachers use the idea that the mind acts like a sponge or a computer—what you watch, read, and listen to influences your thoughts and character (“garbage in, garbage out”).
- Guarding the Heart: Scriptures like Proverbs 4:23 (“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life”) emphasize being careful about what you allow to influence your inner life.
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