Whole Bible Applications: Clean and Unclean

One of the things that infuriated God about Israel was the failure of her priests to teach His Word properly. Especially the differences between clean and unclean.

26"Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. (Ezekiel 22:26 NASB95)

It's fashionable in the church nowadays to ignore the differences between clean and unclean also. Most teach the "cosmic eraser" of Jesus - that we can do pretty much anything we want because Jesus cleans everything. This is biblically false. Not the idea that Jesus cleans, but that believers don't still have to pay attention to all of God's Words, especially those on clean and unclean.

Jesus eliminated the penalty for disobedience to God's Laws (death) but that does not mean God eliminated the Law. We still wash our hands before we prepare food. Ignorance is not bliss.

Another huge point is the fact that WE HAVE TO BE TOLD WHAT IT IS. We don't naturally know the difference between clean and unclean. If clean was a snake it could bite us on the nose and we still would have a hard time figuring it out. Like Moses in Exodus 3:5, God has to inform us of something as simple as taking off our shoes when on holy ground. We are supposed to have a knowledge of good and evil (from eating of the wrong tree), yet we have to be commanded to do the simplest things.

15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (Titus 1:15-16 ESV)

It is one thing to have His blood and quite another to wallow in filth again, physically or spiritually. If we presume on God's grace by ignoring His instructions, we can't just keep going back and taking a bath in the Blood. This is worse than lip service (Hebrews 10:26-30). We can be clean and yet still have to be cleansed every now and again, much like the washing of the feet Jesus did for the disciples (John 13:5-15). Here's an interesting side question for those who think everything has been declared 'clean.' Why in Revelation 18:2 is fallen Babylon said to be the dwelling place of "demons and a prison of every unclean spirit" and "every unclean and hateful bird?" Obviously because clean and unclean doesn't get dismissed just so some can eat their pork and shellfish.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:9 NASB.)

For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.