Religious legalism, a persistent challenge since biblical times, manifests when people believe they can earn or maintain God's favor through strict adherence to rules and traditions. Jesus directly addressed this issue when confronting the Pharisees about their obsession with external rituals like hand washing while neglecting genuine heart transformation.Jesus teaches that true defilement originates from within the heart, not from external factors. He identifies issues like evil thoughts, greed, deceit, and pride as the real sources of spiritual corruption. Instead of focusing on man-made traditions and external behaviors, Jesus offers a different path - one of complete forgiveness, perfect righteousness, and freedom from the burden of trying to earn God's favor.The solution lies not in behavioral modification but in genuine heart transformation. While not all religious traditions are inherently negative, they must be evaluated based on whether they encourage genuine faithfulness to God and align with Scripture. The ultimate goal is developing a heart that naturally desires to follow God out of love rather than obligation.