| Jehovah God is clean and holy. He expects his worshipers to remain clean—spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. (1 Peter 1:16) It takes real effort to stay clean in God's eyes. We live in an unclean world. We also have a struggle against our own tendencies to do wrong. But we must not give up. |
1 Peter 1:16 ...for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." |
Jehovah God is clean and holy. The scripture only mentions holy. He expects his worshipers to remain clean... Again, only holy is mentioned in the scripture. Only clean is mentioned in the tract text. ...spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. Where did this list come from? It takes real effort to stay clean in God’s eyes. It’s impossible to do anything completely right in God’s eyes without the intervention of Jesus. We live in an unclean world. Please define clean in terms that are supported by scripture. It’s hard to explain how the world is unclean if we don’t know what clean is or why we should be clean. We also have a struggle against our own tendencies to do wrong. But we must not give up. While I agree with this statement when it stands alone, I still don’t see how it ties in to being clean. |
| Spiritual Cleanness: If we want to serve Jehovah, we cannot hold on to any of the teachings or customs of false religion. We must get out of false religion and not support it in any way. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4) Once we have learned the truth about God, we must be careful not to be misled by people who teach falsehood. (2 John 10, 11) |
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Revelation 18:4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues..." 2 John 10, 11 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. |
Once we have learned the truth about God, we must be careful not to be misled by people who teach falsehood. The interesting thing I would like to point out about this quote is that the Jehovah’s Witnesses travel around neighborhoods attempting to be invited into people’s houses to bring them teachings. If a person believes in the Bible (an especially this verse), they should not welcome the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Note: To defend myself on this ground: There are two reasons that I am willing to meet with Jehovah’s Witnesses and discuss their beliefs: 1) God calls us to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). He also tells us to give to the one who asks (Matthew 5:38-42). Part of my reason for the invitation of Jehovah’s Witnesses into my home was for the sake of understanding them so I could live in peace with them. Also, since they are making requests of my time, I should be gracious to them. 2) The passage in 2 John says, anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. This implies (to my interpretation, at least) that the term welcome includes the idea of agreement with the teachers and a change in belief or behavior based on their teaching. The welcoming is not just letting someone in the front door or listening to them talk, but actually changing yourself to accommodate the people and their beliefs. My goals with inviting Jehovah’s Witnesses into my home was not for the sake of changing my beliefs or actions to match theirs. |
| Moral Cleanness: Jehovah wants his worshipers to behave as true Christians at all times. (1 Peter 2:12) He sees everything we do, even in secret. (Hebrews 4:13) We should avoid sexual immorality and other unclean practices of this world. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) |
1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. |
He sees everything we do, even in secret. How does this apply to the concept of moral cleanliness? We should avoid sexual immorality and other unclean practices of this world. "Moral goodness" is a concept that is universally understood, but its implications are not universally agreed upon. For instance, in some cultures, having multiple wives is not an immoral act (even though Christians and other who claim to believe the Bible will say that it is an immoral act). So, simply telling people to avoid ... other unclean practices of this world does not give a clear understanding of morality to the reader. The passage from 1 Corinthians lists many specific actions that are immoral, but I think it would be much more beneficial to get to the root of the issue by saying, "God teaches us what true moral goodness is - we can learn how to be moral by learning to search for His will in all things." |
| Mental Cleanness: If we fill our minds with clean, pure thoughts, our conduct will also be clean. (Philippians 4:8) But if we dwell on unclean things, it will result in wicked deeds. (Matthew 15:18-20) We should avoid forms of entertainment that could soil our minds. We can fill our minds with clean thoughts by studying God's Word. |
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Matthew 15:18-20 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'" |
...our conduct will also be clean. While I agree with this statement (and it ties into the fact that faith in God leads to good works), the scripture does not state this. We should avoid forms of entertainment that could soil our minds. This is rather a blanket statement that does not give the reader a clear instruction. Also, there is no Biblical reference supporting this assertion (I mean specifically relating the instruction to entertainment). There are many activities that could soil our minds, but the term entertainment does not help us to understand which activities these are. |
| Physical Cleanness: Because they represent God, Christians should keep their bodies and clothing clean. We should wash our hands after using the toilet, and we should wash them before eating meals or handling food. If you do not have a proper sewage disposal system, toilet wastes should be buried. (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13) Keeping physically clean contributes to good health. A Christian's home should be neat and clean both inside and outside. It should stand out in the community as a good example. |
Deuteronomy 23:12, 13 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. |
...Christians should keep their bodies and clothing clean. We should wash our hands after using the toilet, and we should wash them before eating meals or handling food. There is no scriptural support for this. In fact, the passage from the previous point (Matthew 15:20) states that eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’. Keeping physically clean contributes to good health. While this statement may be true, how does it relate to God’s commands? No scriptural support is supplied for this assertion. A Christian’s home should be neat and clean both inside and outside. It should stand out in the community as a good example. Again, no scriptural support is provided for this. Personally, I can’t think of a passage that implies this in the Bible - God is more concerned about the condition of a person’s heart than about the condition of the person’s house. He even instructs people to "sell everything you have ... Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22) Our earthly possessions (including houses) are temporary. There are commands in the Bible to be good stewards of what we have been given, but this is for the sake of honoring God’s gift rather than for the sake of showing off to other people. |
| Clean Speech: God's servants must always speak the truth. Liars will not enter God's Kingdom. (Ephesians 4:25; Revelation 21:8) Christians do not use bad language. They do not listen to or tell dirty jokes or unclean stories. Because of their clean speech, they stand out as different at work or at school and in the neighborhood. (Ephesians 4:29, 31; 5:3) |
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Ephesians 4:29, 31; 5:3 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ... Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ... But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. |
...do not listen to... There is no mention in the scripture of not listening. While it is true that listening to such things will pervert the mind, it would be good to have scriptural support for this part of the statement, rather than asserting it with no basis. Because of their clean speech, they stand out as different at work or at school and in the neighborhood. A lot of people have clean speech. There are many who refrain from telling dirty jokes or swearing around children or other people that are sensitive to such things, but that does not mean that they are followers of God. Trying to stand out as different carries a very dangerous weight - we become too wrapped up in our appearances and forget about our hearts. If we are changed internally by the Spirit of God, then the things that come out of our mouths and the actions we perform will also be clean. "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'" (Matthew 15:18) |
