UNCLEANLINESS
Basic Terms and
Definition
Uncleanliness means the state of being
dirty, corrupt or defiled.
Corruption is the alteration of the
default and pure state or qualities of a thing.
Unclean means dirty, immoral or
ritually impure and unfit for use or consumption.
To make unclean is to defile a subject
be it person, thing or place
Origin of
Uncleanliness
·
When God made
everything, He made everything good.
And
God said, let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath
life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the
waters brought forth abundantly, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in
the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And evening and morning were the
fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after
his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind:
and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle
after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. Gen.
1:20-25
·
But when Man
disobeyed God, everything was cursed including the animals that God made and
saw that there were good
And
the LORD GOD said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and
above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, dust shalt
go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: Gen. 3:14
·
God gave a
command that signified a distinction between clean and unclean animals
And
the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee
have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by
sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are notclean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air
by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the
earth. Gen. 7:1-3
·
We also see Noah
making a sacrifice of clean animals after the flood
And
Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of
every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Gen. 7:20
Uncleanliness from our study
originated from the curse due to man’s sin of disobedience in the garden.
Why were some animals clean and some animals
unclean?
Leviticus Chapter 11 gives us the
categories of animals that are classed unclean like the vulture, kite, raven,
owl, night hawk, tortoise, lizard, chameleon e.t.c.
From the list we can observe and make
an inference that all the animals classified are of a carnivorous nature i.e.
they devour their victims, and we see God instructing Noah not to eat meat with
blood in it.
But
flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And
surely your blood of lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I
require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I
require the life of man. Gen. 9:4-5
This
command was incorporated into the law
It
shall be a perpetual statue for your generations through out all your
dwellings, that ye neither eat fat nor blood. Lev. 3:17
And
whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that
sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face
against that soul that eateth blood, and I will cut him off from among his
people. Lev. 17:11
And it continued even in this era of
grace as seen in the Apostles’ letter to the Gentile believers.
For
it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things; That ye
abstain from meats offered to idols, and from
blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye
keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. Acts15:28-29
These animals are unclean because they
consume the blood (life) of other animals in it and thus corrupt their own
blood (life), and as these animals keep reproducing after their kind, that
circle of uncleanness was fully established in their offsprings.
Uncleanliness
before the Law of Moses (the Law of Conscience).
Uncleanliness is expressed in
different ways throughout scriptures. Apart from unclean animals which existed
after the curse through the flood until the era of grace. Other forms of
uncleanliness existed. Though there were no direct commands as regarding
uncleanness before the law, certain things as pertaining right and wrong has
been placed by nature [God made nature; nature here means God’s original system
of the auto co-ordination of things in the physical realm] in our heart
(conscience), moreover man came to the knowledge of good and evil when he ate
the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (the forbidden fruit), so he knew
what was right and wrong, what was against nature and what wasn’t. Only the
Jews were given the law so the Gentile who weren’t given the law lived with the
freedom that is equivalent to those who lived before the law.
Let us examine The Conscience.
The English Definition of Consciences
renders it as the sense of right and wrong: the sense of what is right and
wrong that governs somebody's thoughts and actions, urging him or her to do
right rather than wrong [Ref àMicrosoft® Encarta® 2009]
For
as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and
as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law: (For not the
hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified. For when the Gentiles, which do not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of
the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while
accusing or excusing one another:) Rom.2:12-16
From the above scripture, the
conscience is defined as the laws written by God in our hearts which accuses us
and excuses us giving us the sense of Judgment; that is to say that the
conscience is the default laws of morality and judgment that are written in our
heart by God.
·
God’s law of
nature is written in every one’s human beings’ heart such that with or without
a written law, one can still live within the limits of moral uprightness and
judgment.
·
Our conscience
can accuse us or excuse us
And
hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before
him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth
all things. Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence
towards God. 1 Jn. 3:20-22
9
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one
by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone,
and the woman standing in the midst. John 8:9 KJV
·
The conscience
condemns and convicts us: it disapproves and judges us in the light of it’s
conditions of morality and judgment.
1
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in
the Holy Spirit, Rom 9:1 ASV
16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God: Rom 8:16 KJV
·
The conscience is
of our human spirit because it bears witness in the Holy Ghost: it testifies,
acknowledges and approves with our spirit in the Holy Ghost.
Romans
13 and 1 Corinthians 8
·
There are weak
and strong conscience
·
The morality and
judgment of our conscience varies depending on the individual personality thus
the default laws of God written in our hearts can be modified constructively or
destructively by knowledge and the decisions we make through our will in the
mind.
19
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning
faith have made shipwreck: 1 Tim 1:19 KJV
21
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting
away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward
God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 3:21 KJV
·
There is the good
conscience
13
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb
9:13-14 KJV
22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water. Heb 10:22 KJV
·
In Christ (when
one becomes born-again), the conscience sanctified and purged from evil and dead
works (works that are not of faith which are outside God’s will).
1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 1
Tim 4:1-2 KJV
15
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and
unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Titus 1:14-15 KJV
22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water. Heb 10:22 KJV
·
The conscience
can be seared, defiled and evil by stubbornly (in disobedience to our
conscience) doing what is wrong
Biblical Examples of Effect of the Conscience
King David
4
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto
thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do
to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt
of Saul's robe privily. 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart
smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 1 Sam 24:4-5 KJV
David’s Conscience condemned his act
of cutting Saul’s skirt which was on the other hand supported by his men.
9
And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there
were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the
men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10 And David's heart smote him
after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have
sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away
the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 2 Sam 24:9-10 KJV
After
Joab gave the number of the men of war, David’s conscience condemned this act.
The Scribes and
the Pharisees
3
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and
when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was
taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that
such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him,
that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger
wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued
asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin
among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and
wrote on the ground. 9 And they which
heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one,
beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and
the woman standing in the midst. John 8:3-9 KJV
Judas Iscariot
3
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented
himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And
they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. Matt 27:3-4 KJV
After
Judas betrayed Jesus, his conscience condemned him as committing a sin.
Simon Peter
75
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Matt 26:75
KJV
Peter’s
conscience condemned his act of denying Jesus
Apostle Paul
I
say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Rom 9:1-2 KJV
Paul here claims the witness of his
conscience as prove to the veracity of what he is saying
Sexual Uncleanliness
1.
Angelic Beings
and Human Beings
There
were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of
God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same
mighty men which they chose. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great
in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth,
and it grieved him at his heart. Gen.6:4-6
This sexual uncleanliness resulted as
the sons of God (Angelic Beings) sought after the daughters of men (Human
Beings), and slept with them; which was a sin against their nature (2 Pet.2:4,
Jude 6). This mixture of angels and human caused a corruption of the human
race; sexually and in all aspect as seen in the Biblical account. This was an
attempt by Satan to prevent the coming of the seed of the woman (who is Christ Gal. 3:16-19) that was to bruise
his head Gen.3:15 as that seed cannot proceed from uncleanliness.
2.
Unnatural Sexual
Relation
… But
before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the
house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they
called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came to thee this
night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them… Gen.19 *vs. 4 & 5
Even
Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves
over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal
fire. Jude 7
The people of Sodom and Gomorrah went
after strange flesh i.e. men desiring to know men and women desiring to know
women [“Know” here is an euphemism of ‘have sexual intercourse’] which is
outside the human nature. This is an expression of uncleanliness or sexual
uncleanliness.
Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between
themselves… God gave them up unto vile
affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is
against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the
women, burned in their lust one towards another; men with men working that
which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error
which was meet. Rom. 1:24, 26-27
Homosexuality, lesbianism, sodomy and
bestiality which are against the human nature are uncleanness.
Uncleanliness
under the Law of Moses.
We see that one of the reasons the law
was given is to clearly define nature [God’s original system of the
co-ordination of things in the physical realm] Rom.2:12-16. The laws given
concerning ceremonial uncleanliness was given because God’s sanctuary; where
His Shekinah glory resides was amongst them meaning God’s presence was highly
resident and manifested amongst them and because God is holy, decent and clean
and does not condone uncleanness, uncleanliness of varying degrees could incur
punishment that could even be as grave as death or expulsion from the Jewish
community. The laws and regulations concerning ceremonial cleanness and
uncleanliness was also give to show and emphasis that the Jewish nation are
separate and Holy unto the God of the earth among their Gentile neighbours.
After giving commands about clean and unclean animals God said
For
I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be
holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth
you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy,
for I am holy. Lev.11:44-45
1.
Ceremonial
Uncleanliness
It
is a state of defilement as prescribed by God’s law to Moses that renders a
person unfit to enter the sanctuary, offer sacrifices and even human
inter-relationships Lev. 11-15. There are different things that cause this kind
of uncleanliness.
a.
Eating unclean
foods: Eating the meat of any of the
animals listed or described in Lev.11
I.
Carnivorous
animals
II.
Carcasses of dead
animals
III.
Birds like
vultures, owl, heron, kite
IV.
Animals that do
not have split hooves and chew the cud
V.
Animals that have
split hooves and do not chew the cud
VI.
Scurry insects
and animals that move on their belly
Eating
such meats makes one ceremonially unclean until evening, the defiled person is
required to wash his clothe.
b.
Leprosy/plague
(Lev.13-14): Anyone found with a plague or a skin infection in the likeness of
leprosy is unclean and is not allowed to even interact with other members of
the community talk more of entering the sanctuary. This kind of people are
unclean till they are healed of their disease, examined by the priest and
declared clean
c.
Bodily discharge
(Lev.12, 15): This refers to discharge from the genitals of male or female.
Anyone who has a discharge in this form is ceremonially unclean.
I.
Seminal emission
Lev.15:1-3, 16
II.
Sexual
Intercourse Lev.15:18
III.
Menstrual flow
Lev.15:19
IV.
Child Birth
Lev.12
V.
Knowing [having
coitus] with a woman in her period Lev.15:24
The
requirements for cleansing for this type of uncleanliness varies as their
causes, ranging from ‘till evening’, seven days to ‘to the end of the flow of
bodily discharge’. Certain sacrificial offerings were also specified to perform
their cleansing.
d.
Touching or
coming in contact with the following (Lev.22)
I.
Carcasses of dead
animal; clean or unclean Lev.22:4
II.
An unclean person
Lev.22:4
Those
unclean through this are required to wash their clothes and are unclean till
evening.
e.
Being in an
unclean place Lev.14:34-52
f.
The sight of
improperly disposed human excreta is an unclean thing before the Lord. The Lord
in giving certain commands to the Israelites told them to bury their human
waste with a paddle even in their war camp.
13
And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt
ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover
that which cometh from thee: 14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of
thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore
shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away
from thee. Deut. 23:13-14
2.
Sexual
Uncleanliness/Defilement (Lev.18, 20):- Before the law, some of the
restrictions prescribed in Lev. 18 were not given which I believe it was for
the rapid replenishment of the earth as given in God’s command to Adam and Noah
after the flood, but as men began to increase upon the earth, these
restrictions were set by God through nature in the hearts of men. The violations of this restrictions placed in
men’s conscience resulted into defilement and abomination of themselves and the
land of their habitation.
Defile not yourselves in any of these things:
for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the
land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the
land itself vomiteth her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statues and my
judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your
own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these
abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land
is defiled;) Lev.18:24-27
Ye shall therefore keep all my statues, and
all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell
therein, spue you not out. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nations
which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore
I abhorred them. Lev.20:22-23
a.
Having intercourse
with Lev. 18:1-18, 20:10-12,17-21
I.
A blood or close
relative
II.
A member of the
same family whether polygamous or monogamous
III.
A mother in-law
or a daughter in-law
IV.
A menstrual womanLev.18:19,
20:18
V.
And others as
prescribed in Lev. 18:1-18, 20:10-12,17-21
b.
Homosexuality: A
man knowing a man Lev.18:22, 20:13
c.
Lesbianism: A
woman knowing a woman Lev.18:22, 20:13
d.
Adultery: A
married man/woman knowing someone other than their spouse Lev. 18:20, 20:10
e.
Bestiality: A
human going unto a beast Lev.18:23, 20:15-16
f.
Idol worship: Engaging
in acts that exalts or glorifies an idol rather than God; this is seen as an
act of prostitution or whoredom to God. Lev.18:21, 20:2-6
Grievous
punishments were given for this acts ranging from being cut off from the Jewish
nation to being put to death which are in themselves beyond exemption from the
sanctuary or human interaction. Acts like these done by the former inhabitants
of the land necessitated their expulsion by God; they defiled themselves and
the land committing these sexual perversions.
Other Notes
From
our study about un-cleanliness under the law, we see that God had different
reasons for giving the Israelites these laws pertaining to cleanliness but all
driving to the point that the God who has called them out of the Gentiles is a
Holy God and thus they ought to be holy. For the laws pertaining to ceremonial
cleanliness and un-cleanliness, we see that no nation was punished or expelled,
no nation was counted as committing abomination or defilement for eating or
touching un-cleanliness; this was specifically given because God’s sanctuary
was among them because of this. But for sexual perversions described under
sexual un-cleanliness we saw that the land was defiled and the Lord abhorred
them and visited their iniquity upon them.
JESUS’ TEACHING ABOUT UNCLEANLINESS Matt.15:1-20, *11, 18, 20.
Mark 7:2-23, *14 – 16 *18 – 23
11 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man;
but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. "
17 "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever
entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the
draught? "
18 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth
come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. "
19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: "
20 "These are the things which defile a man:
but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Matthew
15:11, 17 – 20.
18 And he saith unto them, "Are ye so without
understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without
entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; "
19 "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into
the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? "
20 And he said, "That which cometh out of the man,
that defileth the man. "
21 "For from within, out of the heart of men,
proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, "
22 "Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: "
23 "All these evil things come from within, and
defile the man.
Mark 7:18 – 23
A.
Food cannot make
one [morally] unclean because it goeth into the mouth:- Jesus Christ emphasized
on moral uncleanliness that this proceeds ceremonial uncleanliness through
eating food and not the latter
B.
What cometh out
of the Heart and what cometh out of the mouth are those things that make one
unclean. Here Jesus outlines two principal types of uncleanliness, first
Unclean Heart and second Unclean Lips.
Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is
me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen
the King, the LORD of hosts.
Rom.
1:24 Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
C.
Uncleanliness
proceeds from the heart [Matt.15:18, Mark 7:20, 22]: What we say and what we
think are as a result of the conditions of our heart; for out of it flow the
issues of life. Prov.4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of
life.
D.
Jesus Christ
emphasized on moral duty to practicing ceremonial cleanliness: Talking about
the Good Samaritan [Luke 10:30-37], the Priest and the Levite left the
half-dead man on their way because touching him would make them unclean. But
saving him like the Good Samaritan should proceed this notion. Judgment, Mercy
and Truth are the weightier matters of the law.
Matt.23:23 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the
weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye
to have done, and not to leave the other undone. "
Other Notes on Jesus’ Teaching about
Uncleanliness
The
things that proceeds out of the heart like evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy,
pride, foolishness are synonymous to the works of the flesh Gal. 5:19-21 Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I
have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God.
Every act of the flesh manifests from
the uncleanliness of the heart.
Uncleanliness
after the Law of Moses (The Law of the Spirit)
The law was given to the Jews and not
the Gentiles. In the early Church, the Jewish believers taught that salvation
was only for the Jews and not meant for the Gentiles, the early Church
(Especially the Jews) still carried on the observations of the law especially
those pertaining to ceremonial cleanliness, God through certain events cleared
this conflicts in observance of the regulations of ceremonial cleanliness; only
issues pertaining to this where altered, but other forms of uncleanliness
remained unchanged as of before the law like sexual perversions and
abominations.
1.
Every food is
clean and is to be eaten in faith, giving thanks to God. Rom.14:6, 14, 20, 24,
Acts 10:11-15, 11:5-10: The issue of a food being clean or unclean under grace
is a matter of your faith and conscience. We are told to consider those of a
weak faith and conscience so as not to sin against Christ through what we eat.
2.
Meat with blood
in it is not to be eaten just as of the time God gave this command to Noah and
his off-springs, and when it was incorporated into the law. The life is in the
blood Gen. 9:4-5, Lev. 3:17, Lev. 17:11, Acts15:28-29
3.
There are no more
ceremonially unclean people such as necessitating avoidance of interactions
like preaching the Gospel. Acts 10
Other Notes on Uncleanliness under Grace
A.
Uncleanliness
expressed of the Heart and Mouth is of the manifestation of the works of the
flesh. Gal. 5:19, unwholesome words also fall into this category.
B.
The blood of
Jesus is able to cleanse us from every form of uncleanliness. Heb.9:14
Some Spiritual Implication of Uncleanliness
The Old Covenant (The law of Moses) formed the basis for the
establishment of the New Testament through Christ, it was a shadow of the
things to come. It pointed to us how it should be in this era of grace,
moreover, the letters containing the scriptures that the Apostles of the early
Church wrote to the various Churches were based on the foundation of the Old
Covenant.
For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very
image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by
year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Heb. 10:1
The law was ordained, enforced and regulated by angels i.e. Spiritual
authority of the law was through God’s angels.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to help thee in the way, and to
bring thee into the place which i have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his
voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name
is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak;
then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine
adversaries. Ex.23:20 – 22
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till
the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by
angels in the hand of a mediator. Gal.3:19
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression
and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if
we neglect so great salvation; which at first began to be spoken by the Lord,
and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; Heb.2:2-3
But the New Covenant is regulated and controlled God,
the Holy Spirit because this is the era of grace and the Holy Ghost is the
Spirit of Grace.
In the Old Covenant, those who were sexually unclean
were not allowed to enter into the sanctuary, if they did, God’s face would
turn against them till they are destroyed or they are banished from entering
God’s temple at most from the Jewish community. Sexual uncleanliness required a
greater requirement for purification. We saw that in the Israelite community in
the camp, different variations of uncleanliness required different level of
separation, all forms were not allowed to enter the sanctuary, some from
contact with people and hallowed things and some away from the Camp. More
grievous cases attracted banishment from the camp or death. The time of
separation; till evening, three days, seven days and some till the end of the
flow of uncleanliness for the menstrual women e.t.c. For some sin offering,
burnt offering and sprinkling was required to cleanse them.
Now, concerning uncleanliness in the era of grace, by
the revelation of God’s Spirit through the word, when one is of uncleanness,
that person automatically loses access or is prevented from having access to
certain things of the Spirit depending on the variation of that uncleanness and
the Lord’s Judgment regarding it. There are certain levels of God’s glory you
cannot go beyond with uncleanliness (especially sexual uncleanliness) even with
effective grace. Adam lost access to the tree of life when He disobeyed God by
eating the forbidden fruit Gen.3 this is the reason why some Christians will
never attain to or get somethings of the Spirit. The reason for the serious
consequences of uncleanness even in the era of grace is because of the nature
of God’s holiness as expressly typified in the priestly rites and regulation.
Joshua, the High Priest stood in the presence of God
with filthy (unclean) garments and Satan stood there to resist him, his garment
had to be changed before he received God’s message Zech. 3:1-5
The Israelites were to meet with God, Moses sanctified
them (ceremonially) and they washed their clothes and Moses commanded them not
to come at their lawful wife [not to know their wife]. If to meet with God, the
Israelites were required to abstain from rightful intercourse then how would
you estimate one who meets God having committed sexual uncleanliness in the
form of adultery, fornication e.t.c. abstinence was required of them because
they were to meet with God in a great manifestation of His glory, how much more
sexual sin prevent us from accessing greater heights of God’s glory. Ex.19:9-16
Masturbation an act of Uncleanliness.
Definition
and Origin
Masturbation is the act of stimulating one’s genitals
with one’s hand for sexual pleasure. From the Concise Oxford English Dictionary
Masturbation refers to the sexual stimulation of a
person’s genitals, usually to the point of orgasm; the stimulation can be
performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of both.
The English word ‘masturbation’ was introduced in the
18th Century, based on the Latin verb masturbari, alongside the more
technical and slightly earlier Onanism. The Latin verb masturbari is of an
uncertain origin.
Suggested derivations include an unattested word for
“the male sex organ”, ‘mazdo’, cognate with Greek mέzea µECEα “genitals”, or
alternatively a corruption of an unattested *manustuprare (“to defile with the
hand”), by association with turban “to disturb”.
Associated
Terminologies
Certain terminologies were associated with
masturbation such as playing with yourself, pleasuring oneself. Self-abuse and
self-pollution were common in early modern times and are still found in modern
dictionaries.
Source à Wikipedia (The
Online Encyclopedia)
Other
Related Words
Orgasm: It is the climax of
sexual excitement, characterized by intensely pleasurable sensations centered
in the genitals most often followed with a genital discharge.
Coitus interruptus: Sexual intercourse in
which the male genital organ is withdrawn before the spilling of the seed of
copulation.
Onanism
And Judah said unto
Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy
brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass,
when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest
that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased
the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. Gen. 38:8-10
Onanism is proceeds from the word Onan in reference to
what he did when His father requested him to perform his levirate duty as a
brother to his elder brother; to raise seed for him. Instead of doing this,
when he slept with his elder brother’s wife he spilled his seed of copulation to the ground. This thing which
he did displeased the Lord and God slew him.
Thus the word Onanism was coined, meaning ejaculating
outside the female reproductive organ, during sexual activity.
Onanism in traditional Christian usage has designated
from masturbation and unnatural intercourse between a man and a woman. [Ref à No.67 Roman Theological Forum/Article Index/Study
Program November 1996 THE SIN OF ONAN REVISITED]
The synonym to Onanism is masturbation. Its similarity
with masturbation is because of the spillage of the seed of copulation outside
(to the ground) during sexual activity.
The thing that Onan did displeased the Lord, his
refusing to perform his levirate duty as a brother and the way which he did it
through coitus interruptus.
The
Levirite Law of Marriage
If brethren dwell
together, and one of them dies, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall
not marry without a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and
take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.
And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name
of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. And if
the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife gi up to
the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up
unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s
brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if
he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother’s wife
come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his
foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto
that man that will not build up his brother’s house. And his name shall be
called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. Deut.25:5-10
The above passage of Scripture describes the levirate
law
Why is
masturbation unclean and a sin?
A.
God’s law to the
Israelites: we have already established that one of the purposes of the law was to clearly
define nature, it presented a scaled perspective of how God sees, considers or
judges things respective to how He had set their spontaneous coordination at
the Beginning. Though it was meant for the Jews and not the Gentiles, it formed
the basis, foundation and bedrock on which Jesus established the New Covenant;
in this covenant, both Jews and Gentiles (This refers to those who are not
Jews; outside the genealogy of Jacob) are partakers of it through faith. The
letters the Apostles wrote to the Churches (containing both Jews and Gentiles)
were from the foundation that Jesus laid and had some of its references from
the law as the Holy Ghost gave them inspiration and revelation. That an issue
is of the law and prophet does not render it completely obsolete and of no
relevance in the New Covenant (the Era of grace).
Let us examine one of the laws, God gave to the Israelites concerning
ceremonial cleanliness and uncleanliness pertaining to genital discharge
[masturbation aims at sexual pleasure/orgasm that involves genital discharge].
Give these further
instructions to the Israelites: Any man who has a genital discharge is
ceremonially unclean because of it. [This
defilement applies whether the discharge continues or if stopped up. In either
case the man is unclean]. “In this way, you
will keep the people of Israel separate from things that will defile them, so
they will not die as a result of defiling them, so they will not die as a
result of defiling my Tabernacle that is right there among them. These are the
instructions for dealing with a woman during her monthly menstrual period; for
dealing with anyone, man or woman, who has a discharge of any kind; and dealing
with a man who has had intercourse with a woman during her period.” Lev.
15:2,31-33 TNLT
·
A genital discharge of natural cause (e.g. nocturnal
emission, menstruation, ovulation e.t.c) makes one unclean outside coitus.
·
Entering the Tabernacle with this uncleanliness worth
ones death
·
Part of the cleansing requirement was a sin offering
and a burnt offering Lev.15:13-15, 29-30
If a genital discharge of natural origin connotes the
above points, how would genital discharge of unnatural cause such as
masturbation or onanism.
From the above, masturbation is an act of
uncleanliness. It wasn’t explicitly described in the law, and because this kind
of uncleanliness required a sin and a burnt offering; it is a sin unto the
Lord.
B.
The Sin of Onan: It is understood that
coitus interruptus is a contraceptive (withdrawal) method, where semen is
prevented from causing the fertilization of the female gamete cell by
withdrawal before seminal emission during coitus. This is used by married and
unmarried couples who are avoiding conception. In the cause of Onan, he wasn’t
having intercourse with his brother’s wife for pleasure but to fulfil his
levirate duty [a legal act] raising seed for his deceased elder brother, but
exploiting his brother’s wife through this and thus deceitfully not performing
his duty displeased the Lord. God slew him.
There is every indication that this practice (the levirate duty) existed
before it was incorporated into the law because Onan lived before the law.
Under the law, the punishments attached to refusing to perform the levirate
duty were not a grievous as the divine death sentence, we acknowledge that the
requirements and judgements of the law were of greater measure before and after
the law. So the act of Onan ‘spilling his seed of copulation’ to the ground in
an effort to avoid raising seed for his brother; deceitfully exploiting his brother’s
wife displeased the Lord to such a point that it warranted his death. It is in
the case where he refused to even go unto his brother’s wife that would her
equalled the description of the levirate law in Deut. 25:5-10
From the
above spilling the seed of copulation as seen in masturbation displeases the
Lord and thus a sin.
C.
The Natural Moral Law
of Conscience: The spontaneous negative emotional reaction of
ordinary, decent people and the experience of repugnance and/or guilt in
response to the perversion of self-induced orgasm in the natural, reasonably
and profoundly human reaction of anyone whose moral conscience has not yet been
anaesthetized by decadent cultural influences or habitual lewd behaviour, and
is old enough to understand what the sexual organs are naturally designed for:
loving and potentially procreative union with a person of the opposite sex is a
‘message’ from the God who speaks to us in the still, small voice of our moral
conscience. [Ref à No. 67 Roman
Theological Forum/ Article Index/ Study Program November 1996 THE SIN OF ONAN
REVISITED by Brain W. Harrison from www.rtforum.org/lt/lt67.html].
From our study and examination of conscience, one will observe that
masturbation in its early/beginning times of self-practice is accompanied with
a sense of guilty and a feeling of dirtiness/filthiness. After stubborn and
persistent indulgence, our conscience becomes seared or wounded and may be silent
giving posing little or no opposition to the act. Despite that, the feeling of
uncleanliness, filth and dirtiness continues to remaining until they become of
a reprobate mind [A degraded/degenerated and corrupted mind]
Rom 2:13-15
13(For not the
hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the
things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto
themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and
their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) KJV
Rom 1:20-21
20 For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they
are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not
as God, neither were thankful; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. KJV
Rom 1:28
28 And even as they did not like
to retain God in their knowledge, God
gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not
convenient; KJV
At the point of the reprobation of the mind, their
conscience becomes seared, defiled/polluted and corrupted.
The condemnation of our conscience to self-induced
orgasm and the emotional feelings of dirtiness/filth points to us that.
At this
point we shall highlight on the condemnation that follows this act.
If because the Bible does not condemn the act of
masturbation, we are to ignore the guilty that is associated with it; approving
the act, are we also to do likewise with sodomy between a man and a woman,
pornography, sado-masochism and necrophilia?
From historic records, we know that this evil acts
were well-known in the times of the New Testament.
There is an argument that since there are scientific
observations of masturbation in the sexual habits of animals, then it is
approved of nature, that the stigma and feelings that follows this act is only
a matter of our customs and believing thus emphasizing that this feeling should
be ignored. In making reference to animalistic behaviour defeats this whole
stand, that is equating the human nature with the animal nature. The angels who
sinned at the beginning possible had some similarities especially after the appearance
of a man (male) having masculine genitals which could be engaged in coitus, but
because their nature was totally different from the nature of men, their act of
taking the daughters of men as wives was judged by God as a sin against their
own nature and thus were punished. Gen.6:4-6, 2 Pet. 2:4, Jude 6. Secondly,
making such parallel conclusions from animals could also mean humans being justified
to kill as the carnivorous animals do being part of their own nature. So that
they are such scientific observation does not approve of the act; ignoring the
associated feelings of guilt and filthiness.
And another argument quotes that “No matter how wrong
you think this is [referring to the act of masturbation] in your mind, get this
straight, in itself, it is not a sin
against God,” As a result of this belief that it is a sin, Satan used it to
oppress people of God “making them feel ineffective and inefficient in the
things of God”.
Condemnation on the
terms of inward judgement
For they are three that judges [in the sense of
accusation/condemnation and approval/endorsement/commendation] us and are
witnesses
1. Our Conscience: John 8:3-9, Rom.2:5, 9:1, 1 John 3:19-21,
2. The Holy Spirit: John16:7-8, Acts 15:7-8, 28, Rom. 8:16, 9:1,
Heb.10:15, 1Jn. 5:6.
3. Satan: Rev.12:9-11
These three can condemn or commend our acts in the
light of their nature: Satan could commend you for doing the wrong thing which
your conscience and the Holy Spirit condemn being a sin. For the believer,
their conscience is purged/cleansed/sanctified, reactivated and regenerated in
the light of the word of God by the Holy Spirit through the blood of Jesus and
thus the Holy Spirit can also convicts us through our conscience Heb 9:13-14, 10:22.
The conviction of the Holy Spirit and the condemnation
of Satan are different in their distinguishing characteristics. These forms of
judgment occur when one sins. While the first comes from within our heart, the
latter comes at our mind. Is either Satan is condemning you or the Holy Spirit
bearing witness with your conscience convict you, or the both can occur at the
same time, like you are in between the two; one leading you to ask for
forgiveness and the other making you afraid of approaching God.
The Holy Spirit’s conviction leads you to repentance
in view of God’s judgment and mercy, but Satan’s condemnation as the second
argument explains, leads us away from God let us examine The fall again.
Gen 3:6-8 And when
the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the
eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof,
and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the
eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they
sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the
LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. KJV
When man fell in the beginning, his hiding among the
trees of the garden indicated that he was condemned by his own self and Satan;
man fell under the condemnation of Satan. Rom 8:1-2
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. KJV.
It is of oppression, fear and worthlessness; we are
made more conscious of God’s judgment and wrath against sin to the point of
fear (note this is different from reverential fear) such that we cannot receive
forgiveness for the sin; this would hamper our relationship and service to God.
The two kinds of judgement can be seen in two cases,
the first case is the case of a king, his child and the child’s guardian. The prince
commits an offence against his father maybe knowingly or unknowingly, the Guardian
immediately points out to the Prince his offence, he becomes guilty-hearted.
Knowing that the king would eventually known of it, the guardian having
corrected the Prince admonishes and encourages him to go and apologize,
acknowledging a change of behaviour in other to gain the father’s forgiveness.
The prince on doing this; is forgiveness and comforted by the father having
acknowledged his wrong and repented.
1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. KJV
1 John 2:1-2. 1 My
little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man
sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he
is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins
of the whole world. KJV
1 John 2:12. I write unto you, little children, because
your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. KJV
The second case is that of a Father, his child and an
evil friend of the child. The evil friend lures the child to do something that
is wrong (something against the child’s conscience) in the light of the gains
and pleasures derived from that wrong thing. The child on committing the
offences discovers (by his conscience) being remorseful and guilty of his
offence is made more afraid of his father’s supposed judgment by his evil
friend such that he is afraid of approaching his father and thus hindered their fellowship. This is a
milder case.
Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as a guide, who will
lead us in all truth because He is the Spirit of truth but Satan is referred to
as the accuser of the Brethren.
Yes, Satan could accuse us wrongly at times, but at
other times he accuses us of real sin and that he condemns us of sin does not
destroy the fact that we have sinned only that his condemnation leads us away
from God and not to God.
How does our conscience judge us
Which shew the work of the law written in
their hearts, their conscience also
bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one
another:) Rom.2:12-16
1. By bearing witness in
our hearts: the witnessing of our hearts can be described as the sensation and
emotion of evil, morally wrong, dirty and ‘an act not to be done’ when one does
what is wrong and the urge or persuasion to do the right thing.
2. Our thoughts accusing
and excusing us: Our thoughts are a function of our mind (the center of
reasoning), so our conscience can judge us through the thoughts it brings to
our mind accusing or excusing us as related to the concerned act.
D.
It’s very definition
and associated term: Certain terminologies were associated with
masturbation such as playing with yourself, pleasuring oneself. Self-abuse and
self-pollution were common in early modern times and are still found in modern
dictionaries. [Source à Wikipedia (The
Online Encyclopaedia)]
Looking at the definition and associated terminology, words in the
description of playing with yourself, pleasuring oneself, self-abuse and
self-pollution have no link with cleanliness, purity, holiness or
righteousness. Acts in these descriptions only denotes a dedication to loving
self and satisfying the graving (sexual) of the flesh.
Are we to gratify the cravings of our flesh? Especially by acts that are
described of as self-pollution.
2 Tim 3:1-2 This know
also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, KJV
Yes, we have been called to liberty (Gal.5:13) and quote this clause of
scripture out of God’s whole counsel [because every scripture fits perfectly
into the whole counsel (sense and direction) of God’s word] but the whole
scripture is rendered as
Gal 5:13 For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an
occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. KJV
1 Cor.6:13 You say, “food was made for stomach,
and stomach for the food.”(This is true, though someday God will do away with
both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual
immorality. There were made for the
Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. TNLT
To further emphasize on
uncleanliness. Apostle Paul in writing to the Galatian Church [Born-again,
Spirit-filled, Gift manifesting and tongue speaking Christians] itemizes
uncleanliness as a manifestation of the works of the flesh. Uncleanliness
manifests from a life that is given to self-gratification instead of the good
works of faith which pleases God.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, KJV
E.
