Personal Hygiene for Born Again Believers in NT
The New Testament does not explicitly detail personal hygiene practices for "born again believers" in the same way the Old Testament law prescribed ritual cleansing. However, the Old Testament provides a foundational understanding of physical washing in relation to spiritual purity, which informs later Christian thought [1, 2, 4, 5].
In the Old Testament, physical washing was frequently commanded in contexts of ritual purity and preparation for divine encounter. For instance, before receiving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, the Israelites were instructed to "sanctify themselves" by washing their garments, which Abraham Ibn Ezra interprets as also involving bathing their bodies [5]. Similarly, priests were required to wash their hands and feet at the bronze laver before ministering in the tabernacle, a practice Adam Clarke views as an "emblematical washing" signifying the purity of their entire conduct—their works and their "goings" [1]. John Gill also notes that this laver was for Aaron and his sons to wash at before their ministry, symbolizing the necessity of purity for priestly service [2].
Beyond priestly duties, various situations in the Old Testament law necessitated washing to remove ritual impurity. Touching a dead body, for example, rendered a person unclean and required purification on the third and seventh days, which included washing [9]. Similarly, contact with certain bodily discharges or with objects touched by an unclean person mandated washing clothes and bathing in water, sometimes a specific amount of water (forty seahs or pecks) to ensure full immersion [7]. Even in cases of leprosy, a person being cleansed had to wash their clothes and shave off all their hair [8]. These instances highlight a consistent link between physical cleanliness and ritual readiness or restoration to the community.
The Old Testament also contains examples where physical cleansing was associated with preparation for significant events or roles. Esther 2:12 describes a twelve-month purification process for virgins preparing to meet King Ahasuerus, involving six months with oil of myrrh and six months with other perfumes and cosmetics [6]. Adam Clarke suggests this extensive purification was partly to address body odor, especially for those from lower classes who might have had less refined diets and hygiene practices [6]. This demonstrates an understanding that physical presentation, including cleanliness, was important in certain cultural and ceremonial contexts.
While the New Testament does not issue specific commands for daily hygiene, it builds upon the Old Testament's spiritual understanding of purity. The concept of "washing" takes on a deeper, spiritual meaning, often referring to baptism or spiritual cleansing from sin. For instance, the apostle Paul discusses "baptism for the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:29, which John Gill notes is a difficult passage to interpret but clearly refers to some form of baptism, whether Jewish or Christian, literal or figurative [3]. This suggests a shift from purely physical ritual washing to a symbolic act representing spiritual transformation.
The New Testament emphasizes inner purity and holiness, which is often metaphorically linked to cleansing. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), and this holiness is primarily understood as moral and spiritual, rather than strictly ritualistic. While physical cleanliness is generally understood as a practical good, it is not presented as a condition for salvation or spiritual standing in the New Covenant in the same way ritual purity was under the Mosaic Law. The focus shifts from external washings to the internal cleansing of the heart by faith and the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5, Hebrews 10:22).
Therefore, while the New Testament does not provide a detailed code for personal hygiene, the Old Testament background establishes a principle where physical cleanliness was often a prerequisite or symbol for spiritual or ritual purity. This historical context informs the understanding that while external washing is not salvific, a life of holiness for a believer would naturally encompass a reasonable standard of personal care, reflecting an ordered and respectful approach to one's body as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Sources
- Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 30:20: They shall wash with water, that they die not - This was certainly an emblematical washing; and as the hands and the feet are particularly mentioned, it must refer to the purity of their whole conduct. Their hands - all their works, their feet - all their goings, must be washed - must be holiness unto the Lord. And this washing must be repeated every time they entered into the tabernacle, or when they came near to the altar to minister. This washing was needful because the priests all ministered barefoot; but it was equally so because of the guilt they might have c”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 30:18: Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal,.... For Aaron, and his sons, and the priests in succession, to wash at before their entrance on their ministry; and denotes in general the necessity of purity, in order to minister in the priestly office; and which was in its perfection in Christ, who being holy and harmless, was an high priest becoming us, and suitable to us, qualified to offer himself without spot to God, and to take away sin; of which purity his baptism in water might be a symbol, which he submitted to before he ent”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:27: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead,.... The apostle here returns to his subject, and makes use of new arguments to prove the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and reasons for it from the baptism of some persons; but what is his sense, is not easy to be understood, or what rite and custom, or thing, or action he refers to; which must, be either Jewish baptism, or Christian baptism literally taken, or baptism in a figurative and metaphorical sense. Some think that he refers to some one or other of the divers baptisms of the Jews; see”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 35:2: AND PURIFY YOURSELVES. Wash your bodies.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 19:10: [AND SANCTIFY THEM.] By washing in water. This is indicated by and let them wash their garments. 101 Which follows. As their garments were sanctified by washing, so were they sanctified by washing themselves. Our verse is to be interpreted after the manner of But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh (Lev. 17:16). Moses therefore said, starting from now, come not near a woman (v. 15) so that they would be sanctified and not be unclean. One who drew near to a women should sanctify himself, 102 By bathing. as in for she was purified 103 By bathing. See II Sam”
- Esther (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Esther 2:12: Six months with oil of myrrh - See on Est 2:3 (note). The reason of this purification seems not to be apprehended by any writer I have seen. The most beautiful of all the young virgins of all the provinces of Babylon were to be selected; and these were taken out of all classes of the people, indiscriminately; consequently there must have been many who were brought up in low life. Now we know that those who feed on coarse strong food, which is not easily digested, have generally a copious perspiration, which is strongly odorous; and in many, though in every respect a”
- Leviticus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Leviticus 15:26: And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean,.... Her bed and seat; the Septuagint version is, "that toucheth her", see Lev 15:19, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even; let it be observed, that in all the above passages, where it is said, "he shall bathe himself in water", the Targum of Jonathan adds, in forty seahs or pecks of water; for this was done by dipping the body all over.”
- Leviticus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Leviticus 14:8: And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes,.... That there may be no remains of the infection in them, and that they might not convey an ill scent to others: so the conversation garments of the saints are to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, Rev 7:14, and shave off all his hair; what is here expressed in general is more particularly declared in Lev 14:9; the hair of his head, beard, and eyebrows; according to Gersom, this was done by the priest, and so Maimonides says (g), that none but a priest might shave him; and yet the text seems plainly to ascri”
- Numbers (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Numbers 31:17: And do ye abide without the camp seven days..... Which was the time that anyone that touched a dead body remained unclean, Num 19:11, whosoever hath killed any person; as most of them if not all must have done; all the males of Midian that fell into their hands being slain by them, that were men grown: and whosoever hath touched any slain; as they must to strip them of their garments, and take their spoil from them: purify both yourselves and your captives, on the third and on the seventh day; which were the days appointed for the purification of such that wer”