How does Leviticus 7:21 connect to New Testament teachings on purity? The Old Covenant Picture of Purity Leviticus 7:21: “If anyone touches anything unclean—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature—and eats the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.” • Touching what God called “unclean” and then eating the sacred meat defiled the worshiper. • “Cut off” shows how seriously the Lord guards holiness among His people. • The verse ties purity to both body and worship—no separation between daily life and the altar. Continuity into the New Testament The same God who spoke in Leviticus keeps the standard, now fulfilled in Christ and applied to believers: • 2 Corinthians 6:17–7:1: “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord… perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” • 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ ” (quoting Leviticus) • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7: God’s will is sexual purity; rejecting this is rejecting God. • James 1:27: Pure religion keeps oneself “unstained by the world.” • Hebrews 10:19-22: We draw near “with a sincere heart… having our bodies washed with pure water.” Key Links between Leviticus 7:21 and New-Covenant Purity 1. Same standard of holiness – God’s character has not changed; grace does not lower the bar. 2. Defilement still matters – While food laws are fulfilled (Mark 7:18-23; Acts 10), moral and spiritual uncleanness remain deadly. 3. Separation for fellowship – In both covenants, impurity breaks communion. Paul warns against partaking of the Lord’s Table “in an unworthy manner” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30). 4. Consequence of uncleanness – Israel’s “cut off” finds its New-Testament echo in church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) and in the final exclusion of the impure from the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27). 5. Provision of cleansing – Animal sacrifices pointed forward; Christ’s blood “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Practical Application Today • Guard what you touch—media, relationships, habits. • Confess quickly; the cross is God’s cleansing fountain (1 John 1:9). • Approach worship—especially the Lord’s Supper—with examined hearts (1 Corinthians 11:28). • Live separated, yet compassionate, in a culture that normalizes impurity (Philippians 2:15). • Remember whose you are: “You are not your own… therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Conclusion: Purity Rooted in Christ Leviticus 7:21 shows that uncleanness disqualifies a person from fellowship with God. The New Testament insists on the same purity, now supplied through the finished work of Jesus. In Him we find both the standard and the power to live clean, consecrated lives that honor the Holy One who redeemed us. |
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