How does the Bible define purity?

The Bible's definition of purity is multifaceted, encompassing moral, spiritual, and ritual dimensions. To understand biblical purity, we must delve into the Scriptures and explore how purity relates to our relationship with God, our moral conduct, and our inner spiritual state. From a non-denominational Christian perspective, the concept of purity is foundational to the process of sanctification, the journey of becoming more like Christ.

At its core, biblical purity is about being set apart for God's purposes. This is evident in both the Old and New Testaments, where purity is often associated with holiness, cleanliness, and moral integrity. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for purity, "tahor," is frequently used in the context of ritual cleanliness. For example, in Leviticus 11:44-45, God commands the Israelites to be holy because He is holy, emphasizing the need for ritual and moral purity: "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."

Ritual purity in the Old Testament involved various laws and regulations concerning what was considered clean and unclean. These laws covered aspects of daily life, including food, bodily discharges, and contact with dead bodies. The purpose of these laws was to instill a sense of God's holiness and the need for His people to be distinct from the surrounding nations. However, ritual purity was not an end in itself but pointed to a deeper moral and spiritual purity. The prophet Isaiah, for example, emphasized that mere ritual observance without moral integrity was meaningless: "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats" (Isaiah 1:11).

In the New Testament, the focus shifts from ritual purity to moral and spiritual purity. Jesus Christ, in His teachings, emphasized the importance of inner purity over external observance. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Here, purity is linked to the condition of the heart, suggesting that true purity is not merely about outward actions but about an inner transformation that aligns one's thoughts, desires, and intentions with God's will.

The Greek word for purity in the New Testament is "katharos," which can mean clean, pure, or unadulterated. This concept is further expounded in passages like James 4:8, where the apostle James urges believers to "draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Purity, therefore, involves both external actions (clean hands) and internal attitudes (pure hearts).

The apostle Paul also addresses the theme of purity in his letters. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7, Paul writes, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness." Here, purity is directly linked to sanctification, the process of becoming holy and set apart for God's purposes. It involves abstaining from sinful behaviors and living in a way that honors God and respects others.

Furthermore, purity is not just about avoiding sin but also about actively pursuing righteousness. Paul encourages believers to "flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22). This pursuit of righteousness is a continuous process that requires the help of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:16-17, Paul explains, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Purity, therefore, is both a gift and a calling. It is a gift because, through faith in Jesus Christ, believers are cleansed from their sins and made pure in God's sight. As the apostle John writes, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). This cleansing is made possible by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, who "gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14).

At the same time, purity is a calling because believers are called to live out their new identity in Christ by pursuing holiness and avoiding sin. This involves a daily commitment to align one's life with God's standards and to seek His guidance through prayer, Scripture, and the fellowship of other believers. As Peter exhorts, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:14-16).

In addition to personal purity, the Bible also emphasizes the importance of communal purity within the body of Christ. The church is called to be a pure and spotless bride for Christ, as Paul describes in Ephesians 5:25-27: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish." This communal aspect of purity involves holding one another accountable, encouraging one another in the faith, and striving together to live in a way that honors God.

In summary, the Bible defines purity as a state of being set apart for God's purposes, characterized by moral integrity, inner spiritual wholeness, and a commitment to holiness. It involves both external actions and internal attitudes, and it is both a gift received through faith in Jesus Christ and a calling to be lived out in daily life. As believers, we are called to pursue purity by walking in the Spirit, avoiding sin, and seeking to reflect God's holiness in all that we do. Through this pursuit, we draw closer to God and become more like Christ, fulfilling our ultimate purpose as His redeemed and sanctified people.