Impurity

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,” Galatians 5:19

Impurity – Yesterday we talked about the “poison apple” list.  Here is part of that list.  But this word might surprise you.  It’s not what you think.

The Greek is akatharsia.  This word comes from kathairo (we derive the English “catharsis”).  Here Paul makes it a negative, so the meaning is “not cleansed”.    The background of katharos is ritual cleansing.  It is not the same word that is used for the purity before God.  That word is hagnos (it comes from a word meaning “to stand in awe”).   Why would Paul speak of ritual cleansing rather than purity of heart?  This doesn’t seem to make sense.  If he wanted to talk about purity, why wouldn’t he choose hagnos rather than katharos?

The answer lies in the Old Testament background of the word katharos.  The equivalent Hebrew word for “cleanse” is taher.  It is used more than 200 times in the Old Testament.  It describes actions that need to be taken before, during and after religious events like ritual washing, preparations of sacrifices, prayers and many other details.  But the intention of all of these actions is to point us toward God’s holiness, not to make us holy.  The Bible says over and over that no amount of ritual conformity on our part will ever make us holy and acceptable to God.  Only God can do the real cleansing.  He will wash away all the guilt and all the judgment.  He will forgive.

When Paul uses the Greek word akatharsia, he is saying that these people have not allowed God to wash them clean.  They are still practicing the art of self-justification.  They still believe that they can become pure on their own.  Our present religious rituals like rote prayers, communion without consecration, baptism without commitment, Easter and Christmas celebrations, attending church and any other actions that we do cannot replace what God must do if we are to be His people.  Without God’s cleansing, none of the rest of this matters.  With God’s cleansing, all of it is a proclamation that our Creator has washed us.  Either way, it is not about us.  Being cleansed today is letting God remove the guilt and sin that has polluted my life.  It’s not about my efforts to be a better person.  No ritual can clean me.  God has to do that.

There is still more.  Association with those who were impure violated ritual purity.  So it is with akatharsia.  If we associate with those who flaunt God’s sovereignty, we are tainted with their impurity.  We are unclean by contact and implicit endorsement.  If you aren’t standing up for God’s authority, you are lying down with the unclean.  Impurity is a contagious disease.  It will spread wherever it is not resisted.  And the only vaccine is Christ crucified.

Today’s Hard-To-Do Challenge:  One time today I will insulate myself from anyone or anything that brings impurity into my life.