Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
God gave laws to Israel concerning a wide range of human experience. In Deuteronomy 24, He even gave commandments about personal hygiene on the battlefield. He said, "Thou shalt have a place outside the camp where you shall go forth, and thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon. And it shall be when thou ease thyself (that is, have a bowel movement), then thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee, for the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee, that He see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee."
I think it was Benjamin Franklin who wrote, "cleanliness is next to godliness", and he was making a good observation. In fact, cleanliness is a part of godliness. God loves cleanliness, as His commandment to Israel concerning battlefield hygiene indicates. I have never seen an obedient, Spirit-filled person live a life that was habitually unclean or physically nasty.
What is particularly striking about this section from Deuteronomy is that God warned His people that He would not deliver them from their enemies if they did not keep themselves and their camp clean. Think of how important this issue must be to our heavenly Father! Few human endeavors are as grueling and demanding as war; still, if in the midst of a military campaign the army of Israel became slack in their personal hygiene, the Lord promised to give the victory to their enemies instead of to them!
Paul exhorted the saints at Corinth with these words: "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2Cor. 7:1). Keeping one's physical body clean is a part of true holiness, just as is keeping one's conscience clear. When we are made aware of the sternness with which God dealt with the subject of cleanliness among His Old Testament people, we understand why Paul added the phrase "in the fear of God" to his exhortation to the saints. A child of God who is physically unclean is a reproach to Christ, and the wrath of God is upon him.
Please do not assume from this message that I never allow myself or my kids to get dirty. I think that it is healthy for kids to play and get dirty sometimes. I like to see them enjoy themselves outside. And I enjoy a day when I can get out in the yard or go into the surrounding woods with my chain saw and clean up an area. But a habitually dirty person who will not clean himself is one who is in trouble spiritually. A habitually dirty person in the body of Christ is one who has secret sin. It is just a matter of time before it will be exposed by God before all.
Stay clean in your spirit, and you will stay clean physically. When the "new man" within us is clean, he cannot tolerate a dirty "old man" in the flesh.