What New Testament passages echo Haggai 2:13's message on purity? Opening Verse “Haggai further asked, ‘If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these things, do they become defiled?’ ‘Yes,’ the priests answered, ‘they become defiled.’” (Haggai 2:13) Principle Behind the Old Testament Illustration • Defilement spreads easily; holiness is not transferred merely by contact. • God called Judah to recognize that their sin was contaminating every sacrifice and work of their hands. Echoes in Jesus’ Teaching • Matthew 15:11, 18-20 – “A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it… For out of the heart come evil thoughts… These are what defile a man.” • Mark 7:20-23 – “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.” • Matthew 23:25-26 – Clean the inside first; outward ritual cannot mask inner impurity. • Luke 11:39-41 – The cup may shine outside, yet be full of wickedness within. Jesus Reverses the Contagion • Luke 5:12-13 – He touches the leper; instead of becoming unclean, He makes the leper clean. • Mark 5:25-34 – The woman’s touch does not taint Jesus; His power purifies her. • These scenes highlight that only in Christ can holiness flow outward and overcome defilement. Paul’s Warnings to the Churches • 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 – “A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.” Sin tolerated in the community spreads corruption. • Galatians 5:9 – The same imagery reinforces how rapidly impurity permeates. • 1 Corinthians 15:33 – “Bad company corrupts good character.” • 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1 – “Come out from among them… let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit.” • Ephesians 5:3-11 – Avoid even a hint of immorality; expose, don’t partner with, deeds of darkness. • Titus 1:15 – To the defiled, nothing is pure; sin distorts every perception. Hebrews, James, and Peter on Ongoing Purity • Hebrews 12:15-17 – A “root of bitterness” can spring up and “defile many.” • James 1:27 – “Pure and undefiled religion” keeps oneself “unstained by the world.” • James 4:8 – “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts.” • 1 Peter 1:14-16 – “Be holy in all you do,” echoing God’s timeless standard. Jude’s Stark Reminder • Jude 23 – Rescue others “hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Sin’s stain is contagious; vigilance is required. Final Picture in Revelation • Revelation 21:27 – “Nothing unclean will ever enter” the New Jerusalem. Eternal fellowship with God demands complete purity, secured only through the Lamb. Living the Lesson Today • Guard your heart—the source of purity or defilement. • Stay alert to subtle “leaven” that can permeate a life, family, or church. • Cling to Christ, whose touch alone cleanses and empowers holy living, reversing the contagion Haggai exposed. |
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