God uses the concept of clean and unclean to teach a vital principle about life in Christ. The laws found in the Old Testament do not apply to Christian service today, but there is much they can teach us about sin.

The book of Leviticus details the laws of clean and unclean under the Law of Moses. These principles applied to animals, substances, contact with certain things as well as the impure actions of the people.

Such laws had several purposes, one of which was to make the Israelites distinctly different from the other nations (Leviticus 18:24). They also had the added benefit of reducing the spread of disease and maintaining the health of the people.

There are some who want to bind the physical laws themselves on Christians today. We must understand that such physical regulations have no place in the law of Christ.

Paul wrote in Colossians 2:20-23: “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations — ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using — according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”

Therefore, we are NOT justified (or made right) by keeping such laws. Instead, they were a “shadow… but the substance is of Christ.” As a “shadow” they foreshadowed and illustrated much more profound truths than simply “do not touch” and “do not taste.” They teach us the same things they were meant to teach those under the Old Law: our need to be separate from sin. The laws of clean and unclean vividly illustrate the effects of sin: how it spread, the difficulty of removing it, and above all, the effort needed to flee or avoid sin.

Just as God is holy (completely separate from sin) we too must strive to be holy in all our conduct (1 Peter 1:15-16). In Christ, it is not what we touch or what we eat that makes us unclean, but rather our conduct. Therefore, Peter said, “be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).

Sin is what makes us unclean. It is an expression of what is in our hearts, what we say and do. As Jesus said, “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man” (Matthew 15:17-20).

Under the Law of Moses, an unclean person was required to be isolated from the rest of the community (Leviticus 13:44-46; 15:31). They were required to shout to warn others to stay away. In the same manner we must be keenly aware of the dangers of sinful influences. Sin is more contagious than the worse disease you can imagine (2 Timothy 2:17).

This concept teaches us how important it is to avoid the immoral conduct of the world. It helps us see the need to avoid evil companionship and fellowship with those who refuse to repent of their sins. Through it, God teaches us that compromise is unacceptable.

This is the application Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 6, where He writes, “As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.’” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Instead of going to the Old Law to bind physical customs of not touching or tasting certain foods, we are taught come out of sin. Through these things God helps us see the need to put away sinful and filthy behaviors and habits. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Those who are in Christ have been made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is up to us to remain clean by separating ourselves from sin and its influence in our lives.