Keeping Free from, and Purifying Ourselves from Things that Defile

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AA15

We are to keep free from, and purify ourselves from, things that defile.

We are to keep free from things that defile

We are to purify ourselves from things that defile

Category: Godliness, Holiness & Righteousness

Type: Positive

Form: Explicit

Source dataset: New Testament

Uniqueness: Not unique

Classical commandment: No

New Covenant Literal Application

Applies to Person Categories: Everyone

Mandated

Jewish

K'rov Yisrael

Gentile

mandated for Gentile female, Gentile male, Jewish female, Jewish male, K'rovat Yisrael female, K'rov Yisrael male

More explanation about the icons and New Covenant Literal Application

The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.

Each card above groups one application level such as mandated or optional. The three people icons show whether that application is meant for Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, or Gentile believers, and the male or female symbols show whether it applies to men, women, or both.

Jewish

Used for instruction directed to Jewish believers.

K'rov Yisrael

Used for non-Jewish believers living closely with Israel and Torah practice.

Gentile

Used for instruction presented as applying to Gentile believers more broadly.

Male and female symbols

These show whether the instruction is directed to men, women, or both.

This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. The icon view is only a visual summary; the detailed codes and source explanation remain available below for careful study.

Read the full explanation from the source

Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

Colossians 3:5
2 Corinthians 7:1
Ephesians 4:19
Ephesians 5:5
1 John 3:3
1 Peter 1:22
2 Timothy 2:21

Supportive NT Scriptures

2 Corinthians 6:6
2 Corinthians 12:21
Ephesians 5:3
James 3:17
Philippians 1:10

Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent

Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

People and things can be defiled. When something is defiled, it is made impure or unclean, and therefore unsuitable for its intended use. In Scripture, its meaning is to make a thing or a person unclean and unholy, i.e., unsuitable for ministry or for entering the Tabernacle (later the Temple). In Scripture, the defilement of a person occurs when a person either sins or comes into contact with an unclean or prohibited object or substance. There are, however, exceptions. In the Mosaic Covenant, a woman was made unclean for a short time after giving birth – presumably due to its association with blood and the temporary unhealed condition of her body. She was not, however, referred to as defiled. Similarly, a person with bodily sores was considered unclean but not defiled. For purposes of this Mitzvah (and in the New Covenant), defilement is understood to be the result of sin. We are therefore commanded not to sin in the first place, to repent when we do, and to keep away from people, things, and situations that would tempt us to spiritual uncleanliness.

Related Law of Messiah commandments

Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

Volume 1 & 2 | Volume 3

License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0

Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3

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