How does Leviticus 15:18 connect with New Testament teachings on purity? Leviticus 15:18 in Its Context “If a man lies with a woman and an emission of semen occurs, they are to bathe in water, and they will be unclean until evening.” • Part of a larger section dealing with bodily discharges (Leviticus 15:1-33) • Declares both husband and wife ceremonially “unclean” for the rest of the day • Requires simple, tangible steps―washing and waiting―before returning to normal worship activities Purity in the Old Covenant: More Than Hygiene • Reinforces that every area of life belongs to God, including marital intimacy • Teaches that uncleanness is temporary yet real; holiness demands respect for God’s presence (Leviticus 11:44-45) • Serves as a daily, visible reminder that sin brings separation and cleansing is needed How the New Testament Builds on This Foundation • Jesus shifts the focus from ceremonial acts to the heart: “Nothing outside a man can defile him… What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.” (Mark 7:18-23) • Hebrews links the old washings to Christ’s superior cleansing: “The blood of Christ… will cleanse our consciences from dead works.” (Hebrews 9:13-14) • Peter still echoes the Levitical call: “Be holy in all you do.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) Continuity: Sexual Purity Still Matters • “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7) • “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” (Hebrews 13:4) • “Flee from sexual immorality… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) Fulfillment: Ceremonial Cleansing Points to Christ • Old-covenant washings anticipated the once-for-all washing of the believer by Jesus’ blood (Revelation 1:5) • “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3) • Christ’s aim: “to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle… holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27) Living It Out Today • Honor marital intimacy as a gift of God, treating it with reverence and fidelity • Accept Christ’s complete cleansing, refusing both guilt-ridden legalism and careless impurity • Guard the heart and mind—where purity now begins—through Scripture, prayer, and accountability • Celebrate freedom from ritual regulations while upholding the unchanging moral call to holiness |
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