Maintaining Purity in the Local Church and Community
Purity in the local church and community involves both individual conduct and corporate responsibility, reflecting a separation from worldly defilement and an alignment with God's standards. The concept of purity is deeply rooted in biblical texts, extending from Old Testament ceremonial laws to New Testament ethical injunctions.
In the Old Testament, purity often referred to a state of ritual cleanness necessary for participation in worship and community life. The Levitical law detailed processes for purification, allowing individuals who were ceremonially unclean to be restored to the sanctuary and festivals [3]. For instance, regulations concerning leprosy or bodily discharges ensured that the Israelites maintained a state of ritual purity, emphasizing their identity as a theocracy under God [6, 10]. This included keeping all vessels and utensils for sacred service clean and neat [4]. These laws drew constant attention to Israel's identity as God's people, requiring them to be holy and set apart [10]. Modern Westerners may find these ritual purity laws difficult to understand, often viewing them through a lens of health and hygiene, but the primary Old Testament concern was guarding against defilement [6].
The New Testament expands on this understanding, emphasizing moral and spiritual purity alongside ritual aspects. James 1:27 defines "pure and undefiled religion" as caring for orphans and widows and keeping oneself "from being polluted by the world" [2]. This highlights an active engagement in compassionate service combined with a personal separation from worldly corruption. The Psalmist asks, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word" (Psalm 119:9 NASB) [1], underscoring the role of God's word in guiding individuals toward purity.
For the local church, maintaining purity involves addressing sin within the community. The apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthian church to "purge out the old leaven" (1 Corinthians 5:7), referring to the removal of a "wicked person" from their midst [5]. This instruction implies that Christian churches should be "pure and holy" and not tolerate "corrupt and scandalous members," viewing such individuals as a "heterogeneous mixture to sour and corrupt them" [5]. This corporate responsibility for purity is also seen in Jesus' teaching on church discipline in Matthew 18:17, where an unrepentant person is to be considered "a pagan or a corrupt tax collector" [8]. Church discipline, including excommunication, is rooted in the conviction that God's people are to be holy and that sin corrupts fellowship with both people and God. The ultimate goal of such discipline is not vindictive retribution but the restoration of the wayward to holiness and fellowship [8].
Individual purity is also crucial. The apostle Paul encourages believers to "purge himself from these" (2 Timothy 2:21), referring to those who hold to defiling principles or engage in immoral practices [9]. By doing so, an individual becomes "a vessel unto honour" [9]. This personal purification involves shunning "defiling company" and "polluting principles," standing firm in faith, and departing from iniquity [9].
The concept of purity also involves an internal dimension. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for being scrupulously clean on the outside while neglecting inner righteousness, stating, "cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also" (Matthew 23:25) [7]. This implies that true purity begins with an honest and just inner life, free from extortion, oppression, luxury, and intemperance [7].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 119:9 (NASB) — How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.”
- James “James 1:27 (BSB) — Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Purification — The process by which a person unclean, according to the Levitical law, and thereby cut off from the sanctuary and the festivals, was restored to the enjoyment of all these privileges. The great annual purification of the people was on the Day of Atonement (q.v.). But in the details of daily life there were special causes of cermonial uncleanness which were severally provided for by ceremonial laws enacted for each separate case. For example, the case of the leper (Lev. 13, 14), and of the house defiled by leprosy (14:49-53; see also Matt. 8:2-4). Uncle”
- 1 Chronicles (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Chronicles 23:28: Purifying of all holy things - Keeping all the vessels and utensils belonging to the sacred service clean and neat.”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 5:7: Here the apostle exhorts them to purity, by purging out the old leaven. In this observe, I. The advice itself, addressed either, 1. To the church in general; and so purging out the old leaven, that they might be a new lump, refers to the putting away from themselves that wicked person, Co1 5:13. Note, Christian churches should be pure and holy, and not bear such corrupt and scandalous members. They are to be unleavened, and should endure no such heterogeneous mixture to sour and corrupt them. Or, 2. To each particular member of the church. And so it implies ”
- Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 5:1: 5:1–10:10 These legal matters were to ensure the purity of the Israelites, their priesthood, and the Tabernacle. Such regulations drew constant attention to ancient Israel’s identity as a theocracy of which Moses was the primary spokesman. 5:1-31 These laws concern purity, restitution, and marital faithfulness. 5:1-4 Modern Westerners find the need for ceremonial or ritual purity difficult to understand. Westerners view skin diseases, bodily discharge, and contact with corpses as concerns of health and hygiene, but the primary issue in the Old Testament is guardin”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 23:25: Thou blind Pharisee,.... Well might Christ call such an one a blind Pharisee, who was so scrupulously careful to cleanse his cup and platter; and yet made no conscience of filling them with what was gotten in an unjust way, and so defiled himself and them: cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also: get food and drink in an honest way, remove all extortion and oppression out of thine hands, and luxury and intemperance from thy table; and so shall the outward cleanness of thy cup and dish, be no reproach unto ”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 18:17: 18:17 The church is the local Christian community. • The unrepentant person is to be considered a pagan or a corrupt tax collector, a wicked transgressor of the law. Church discipline by exclusion (excommunication; see Acts 5:1-6; Rom 16:17; 1 Cor 5:1-13; 2 Cor 6:14-18; Gal 5:7-12; 2 Thes 3:14-15) is rooted in the conviction that God’s people are to be holy and that sin corrupts fellowship, both between people and between the people and God. The goal is neither vindictive retribution nor a public display of power, but restoration of the wayward to holiness and f”
- 2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 2:21: If a man therefore purge himself from these,.... That is, if a man clears himself, and keeps himself clear from such men as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who are comparable to wooden and earthen vessels, and are dishonourable ones; if he shuns their defiling company, and polluting principles; if he keeps clear of their heresies, and is not carried away with the errors of these wicked men, and is not drawn aside by them into immoral practices, but stands fast in the faith, and departs from iniquity: he shall be a vessel unto honour; he will be made manifest, and appear ”
- Leviticus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Leviticus 15:31: Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness--The divine wisdom was manifested in inspiring the Israelites with a profound reverence for holy things; and nothing was more suited to this purpose than to debar from the tabernacle all who were polluted by any kind of uncleanness, ceremonial as well as natural, mental as well as physical. The better to mark out that people as His family, His servants and priests, dwelling in the camp as in a holy place, consecrated by His presence and His tabernacle, He required of them complete”