Cleanliness and worrying or not about purity

One of the subjects spoken of yesterday at the Sunday service was how people let a little friend in their home standing in front of them showing all sorts of pictures and saying or shouting awful words. In case it would be one of the close friends saying such things or showing such naughty pictures objection would be shown straight ahead. But that other one who many can not miss, may ‘blur’ all day, sometimes from early in the morning until late at night.

Today we hear so many people who do find everybody has to take a shower every day, and has to spray deodorant every few hours. People do find they have to go regularly to the sauna or to the wellness centre to cleanse themselves and to keep them fit. Physical cleanliness is all important these days.

But what about the spiritual purity and cleanliness?

Moral cleanliness counts for little. A few years ago when there was some scandal in high places, such as in business practice or politics: then the law was applied. Today those who use others money do not worry they loose it all, whilst they themselves fill their pocket. The white collar criminals are not penalised any more and they feel free to continue their malicious practices. Respect for other human beings, animals or plants is not shown any more.

In the Old times, the Jews had strict laws to ensure cleanliness; Moses laid these down under God’s direction. In some ways these had become, in the time of Jesus, a ritual they tried to apply in every possible situation. However, the cleanliness fundamentals in these laws were ignored by the world until less than 200 years ago; illness and death were high as a result. Only in the 1850’s did doctors start to learn the need to practice cleanliness and not transfer diseases between patients. However there was one good thing in those days – moral cleanliness was high – a state of things caused by the widespread reading of and respect for the Bible.

How many people still take some time daily to read the Bible? How many are willing to ponder on the Word of God?

How many dare to discuss the Word of God?

In this world we may find several Christians who say they give Christ honour. Perhaps they may do that with lips, but their heart is far from him, and even further from the real God. There may also be still a few who still go every Sunday to their church for Sunday mass or Sunday service. Is their worship to any purpose? In many of the churches today, like a few and many years ago, we can see that not so much time is given to the Word of God, but more attention is given to their teaching the rules of men.

Today there are still people who come near to God with their mouths, and give honour to Him with their lips, but their heart is far from The Elohim Hashem Jehovah. In case they show some fear, this is also many times not real but false, a rule given them by the teaching of men.

” (13) And יהוה (Jehovah) says, “Because this people has drawn near with its mouth, and with its lips they have esteemed Me, and it has kept its heart far from Me, and their fear of Me has become a command of men that is taught{1}! {Footnote: 1Mt. 15:8-9, Mk. 7:6-7}. (Isaiah 29:13 The Scriptures 1998+)

Jesus referred to this writing in Isaiah when he spoke about the tradition of the Elders and about external washing that could not keep the Pharisees (or anyone else) spiritually clean.

Jesus scolded the leaders:

” (7) “Hypocrites! Yeshayahu rightly prophesied about you, saying, (8) ‘This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (9) ‘But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’ ”{1} {Footnote: 1Isa. 29:13, Mk. 7:7, 2 Ki. 17:19.} (Matthew 15:7-9 The Scriptures 1998+)

We should remember how God told His people the importance to listen to Him, to take His words at heart, but also to be careful what would go out of their heart and their mouth. Jesus remembers them what goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’.

Today we live in a world where we can see that this people’s heart is waxed gross, their heart is callous, and their ears are dull of hearing, whilst they have shut their eyes. Their eyes they have closed; lest, haply they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn again, so that they could be healed, knowing that salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles.

” (26) saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “Hearing you shall hear but by no means understand, and seeing you shall see but by no means perceive, (27) for the heart of this people has become thickened, and with their ears they heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn back, and I should heal them.” ’{1} {Footnote: 1See Mt. 13:15}. (28) “Therefore let it be known to you that the deliverance of Elohim has been sent to the gentiles, and they shall hear!”” (Acts 28:26-28 The Scriptures 1998+)

Jesus summoned the crowd and told a parable (Matthew 15:11) about how defilement is caused by what comes out of human mouths. This caused Peter to say, “explain the parable to us” and Jesus replies,

” (17) “Do you not understand that whatever enters into the mouth goes into the stomach, and is cast out in the sewer? (18) “But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and these defile the man. (19) “For out of the heart come forth wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, whorings, thefts, false witnessings, slanders. (20) “These defile the man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”” (Matthew 15:17-20 The Scriptures 1998+)

The world is full of defilement today; indeed, it is often highlighted in movies and TV shows. The ‘close friend’ being allowed to bring what ever it wants in the living room of many, is the television and for many also the laptop or computer with so much to read and to see on the internet. It is remarkable that so many “enjoy” being defiled in this way.
We will soon read in Jeremiah how the people of his day were morally defiled and which God caused him to condemn in the strongest words and forecast the collapse of the nation.

In the Christadelphian Bible Education Centre there was an occasion when the Christadelphians encouraged a 16 year old lass waiting for the adjoining shop to open to come and join us in reading the Bible. They came across the word ‘adultery’ and she asked what it meant! She had never heard the word! Her ignorance is symbolic of the spiritual darkness that is stifling our world!

Let us absorb God’s words into our hearts as an “injection” to help prevent our defilement.

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Daily Bible Verse: Matthew 15:1-20 (planetsellas.wordpress.com)
why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
Today’s Sabbath Message / Cut Down Without Ever Given A Chance (owprince.wordpress.com)
The Bible teaches us that we can judge a tree by the fruit it bears. The Bible was not talking about trees. It is speaking of people.
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We as children of God need to learn to look deep into the root of a tree before determining that the tree is rotten and is of no worth and is therefore eligible for chopping down. We should not rush to judgment before we try to show nurturing love and caring compassion toward that tree; giving it every opportunity to thrive and produce. (Ref. 1 Samuel 16:7)
Which of the moral rules in the Old Testament are still binding on Christians? (winteryknight.wordpress.com)
Only God’s moral law is applicable to us today. The ceremonial and judicial laws of ancient Israel are not. Galatians 2:1-3; 5:1-11; 6:11-16; 1 Corinthians 7:17-20; Colossians 2:8-12; Phillipians 3:1-3 all indicate that the covenant of circumcision has now been done away with. What counts now is, in a manner of speaking, a circumcision of heart — which takes the form of faith in Christ and repentance from our sin.I think his argument squares with Jesus’ constant dismissing of ceremonial laws and customs, and his focus instead on moral obligations.
07.04.14 What defiles a man (bfaithfullyfit.wordpress.com)
We all need to make a conscious effort to take note of what we say before we say it. Our actions represent The Lord, but so do our words. Are our words kind and gentle? Do they build others up rather than tear them down? Do they reflect biblical truth and align with our actions and with God’s will? Often times, those words will quickly tear down a person’s morale and sense of being more so than a physical beating. Think about it before you speak it.
Things That Defile a Man (travismikhailblog.wordpress.com)
Real defilement is spiritual and moral, not ceremonial. The scribes and Pharisees unduly emphasized external ceremonies and compromised the true spirit of Israel’s religion. Real defilement stems from evil intentions within and is manifest through sinful deeds (5:28). Jesus stresses the need for inner purity of heart, not ritual purity of the body (CCC 2517).
Grandmom’s Bible, #1 (stomson2001.wordpress.com)
There are many things that are assumed to be spiritually true and Biblical, yet in reality they are no where to be found in the Word of God and they are actually unscriptural.
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”Cleanliness is Godliness.” It is a well known fact that some misguided people attempt to wash sin from their lives through prolonged showers and baths. This strategy, of course, does not work. Good hygiene and cleanliness is a positive attribute, especially when in a car pool or one who has limited office space and works with a lot of people in close quarters. However, immoral pagans can be clean as a whistle while some blessed saint can lack the knowledge and follow through of good hygiene.
Clean Hands, Dirty Heart – Summer with the Savior- Day 5 (jayopsisdevos.wordpress.com)
My grandmother used to say, ‘If you look hard enough, you will always find the bad in men.” And these Pharisees see a problem…. the disciples of Jesus were not trained in the ceremonial washing that the oral law has prescribed… the number of times And the technique.
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There is a gospel road of living that sits in between 2 ditches of legalism and licentiousness.
Evangelical Alliance responds to Simon Peter’s dangerous sermon in Acts 11 (patheos.com)
the laws of clean and unclean were designed by God and that we must not dare to call anything clean that God has called unclean and who have therefore chosen to be circumcised and to never allow anything impure or unclean to enter their mouths.
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‘God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean’
I would point to Acts 10:1 – Acts 11:18 as a compelling argument that followers of Christ must not “call anyone profane or unclean.” This story teaches us that appealing to biblical law in order to declare another person or group of people as “profane or unclean” is not legitimate, even if we think we can make a strong case for interpreting the law in this way. The biblical laws regarding circumcision were not ambiguous or optional, yet such clear commandments regarding Other People’s Genitals were not to be allowed to exclude the uncircumcised from being baptized.
Worship (revjosuelopez.com)
I was intrigued by the way the Seraphims praised and worshipped The Lord. These burning angels didn’t burn from a natural fire but from a fire and zeal for The Lord, to worship and praise him. A true worshiper burns with with the desire to give God all the glory and honor and praise! God’s glory filled the temple just as it fills the room and our hearts when we praise him. We are temple of the Holy Spirit. They cried Holy, Holy, Holy in recognition of God’s holiness and had no problem doing so. Have you ever seen how people have a problem opening their mouths to give God the glory and honor and praise? God deserves all the glory and praise yet unlike these celestial beings we hold back from giving God His due. When we praise God we shake the very foundations of the earth, we shake loose the bondage of sin and break the chains that have us bound.
Islam teaches cleanliness, so why do so many Muslims smell bad? (rayhano.com)
Islam teaches cleanliness and consideration for others, yet British and Arab Muslim populations are often a visible example of undesirable, noisy neighbours who do not keep their surroundings or themselves clean, tidy and free of offensive smells. Yes, that is your body odour that all those people around you are turning their heads away from.