What Is Impurity In The Bible

In the Bible, impurity refers to anything that is morally or spiritually unclean. This concept is found throughout both the Old and New Testament scriptures.

In the Old Testament, impurity was associated with violations of the Law of Moses, which regulated the behavior of the Israelite community. Impurities included things like unclean foods, menstrual blood, sexual contact during menstruation, bodily discharges, touching a corpse, and so on. Such impurities prevented people from being ceremonially clean and hindered their ability to worship God.

In the New Testament, impurity is associated with sins of the flesh, particularly sexual sins, including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and unchastity. Paul's letters to the churches mention impurity frequently, he urged the early Christians to avoid such activities, stating that impurity was a sin against the temple of the Holy Spirit.