Nourish Your Body, Nurture Your Soul: Biblical Guidance

The Bible contains several verses that discuss the concept of pollution and defilement, both in a physical and spiritual context. While some verses refer to the pollution of the land through bloodshed, idolatry, and sin, others explore the idea of internal and external defilement. Notably, in Mark 7:18-20, Jesus challenges the notion that external things, such as food, can contaminate a person, arguing instead that it is what comes from within—such as obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, and deceptive dealings—that truly pollutes an individual. This distinction between external and internal pollution is a key theme in the Bible's exploration of defilement and its impact on both the individual and the land they inhabit.

Jesus says that what you eat does not defile you

The Bible contains several verses that discuss the concept of pollution and defilement, both in a physical and spiritual sense. While physical pollution is mentioned, such as in Numbers 35:33-34, which states, "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land," the Bible also addresses spiritual pollution, or the defilement of one's body and soul.

In Mark 7:18-20, Jesus directly addresses the idea that what someone eats does not defile them. He asks, "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart?" Jesus goes on to explain that what people eat enters their stomach and passes through their body without contaminating their heart or soul. He states, "Don't you see that what you swallow can't contaminate you? It doesn't enter your heart but your stomach, works its way through the intestines, and is finally flushed."

Jesus emphasizes that it is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but rather what comes out of them. He says, "It's what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart." In other words, it is a person's actions, thoughts, and intentions that can defile or pollute them spiritually, not the food they consume.

This teaching by Jesus is significant because it shifts the focus from dietary laws and restrictions to the internal state of an individual. It suggests that spiritual cleanliness is more important than external rituals or rules. By declaring all foods clean, Jesus emphasizes that it is the intentions and actions that arise from within a person that truly matter.

In the broader context of the Bible, there are other verses that allude to spiritual pollution. For example, Jeremiah 2:7 states, "And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination." This verse suggests that it is not the physical act of eating fruit but rather the disobedience and corruption of God's people that defiles the land. Similarly, in the Book of Ezekiel, the prophet laments how the people of Israel have defiled themselves through their idolatry and immoral actions, polluting their souls in the process.

Obscenity, lust, theft, murder, adultery, greed, etc. pollute a person

The Bible contains several verses that warn against polluting the body and soul through various acts of sin. While the Bible does not use the word "obscenity", it does refer to similar concepts such as wickedness, impurity, and evil desires. For instance, Mark 7:22 mentions adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly as vices that originate within a person. The verse also refers to covetousness, which can be interpreted as greed or the excessive desire for material possessions.

Similarly, in Matthew 5:28, Jesus states that anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery in his heart. This idea is reiterated in 1 John 2:16, which distinguishes between the desires of the flesh and the desires of God, urging followers to walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh. This verse encourages followers to resist earthly passions and instead pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

The Bible also addresses the impact of these sins on the individual and their surroundings. For example, Numbers 35:33-34 states, "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it." This verse highlights the belief that acts of violence and murder contaminate not only the perpetrator but also the land itself, requiring a sacrifice for atonement.

Additionally, the Bible provides guidance on how to overcome these sinful desires. In Colossians 3:5, individuals are instructed to put to death their earthly nature, including sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. This idea of renewal is further emphasized in verses that encourage followers to put on the new self, created in the likeness of God, and to abstain from sexual immorality, lust, and greed.

By following these teachings and abstaining from obscenity, lust, theft, murder, adultery, greed, and other sinful acts, individuals can strive to live a life that honors God and avoids polluting their bodies and souls.

Pollution of the land with idols and abominations

The Bible contains several verses that discuss the idea of not polluting one's body and soul, with a focus on abstaining from idols and abominations.

In Acts 15:19-21, James addresses the issue of Gentile converts to Christianity, stating that they should abstain from "pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood." This passage emphasizes that obedience to God should come from love and reverence rather than compulsion.

Leviticus 18:26-29 also addresses the topic of abstaining from abominations and not defiling the land: "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you." Here, the text warns against committing abominations that defile the land, leading to consequences such as being “cut off from among their people."

Additionally, Jeremiah 2:7 states, "And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination." This verse expresses God's disappointment at how the people have defiled the land with their actions, turning God's heritage into an abomination.

The Bible also provides guidance on idolatry, which is considered a form of pollution. Idolatry involves abandoning God's path for earthly pursuits. For instance, Isaiah 44:9-13 describes the folly of idol-makers: "All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame."

In summary, the Bible offers guidance on spiritual and physical purity, warning against polluting the land and one's soul through idolatry, abominations, and disobedience to God's commandments. These verses encourage followers to live righteously and abstain from practices that defile and corrupt.

Pollution of the land with bloodshed

The Bible contains many verses that address the issue of pollution, both environmental and spiritual. While the former refers to the defilement of the land, the latter refers to the importance of maintaining a pure heart.

Environmental Pollution in the Bible

The Bible contains several verses that highlight the consequences of environmental decay and encourage humans to act as caretakers of the Earth. For example, Genesis 2:15 and Psalm 24:1 remind us that the Earth is a gift from God and that we are responsible for protecting and nurturing our environment. This theme of environmental stewardship is also present in Numbers 35:33-34, where we are warned against polluting the land with bloodshed:

> "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it."

This verse underscores the idea that bloodshed defiles the land and that the only way to atone for it is through the blood of the perpetrator. Similarly, Jeremiah 2:7 speaks of how humans have defiled God's land and made his heritage an abomination:

> "I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination."

Isaiah 24:4-6 also describes the mourning and fading of the earth as a result of human actions:

> "The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish."

Spiritual Pollution in the Bible

In addition to environmental concerns, the Bible also addresses spiritual pollution, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a pure heart. Verses like Matthew 15:18-20 and 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 encourage us to cultivate kindness, integrity, and holiness. By doing so, we can lead more harmonious and fulfilling lives.

In conclusion, the Bible provides guidance on how to live responsibly and compassionately, caring for both our physical environment and our spiritual well-being. Through verses about environmental and spiritual pollution, we are reminded of our role as caretakers of the Earth and our responsibility to protect and nurture it.

Prostitution and idol worship as a form of pollution

The Bible contains many verses that discourage idol worship and prostitution, emphasising the importance of keeping the body and the land pure. Idol worship is considered a fundamental sin, where people devote themselves to idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, or wood, rather than the one true God. This act of crafting and worshipping idols is seen as a form of defilement, where people abandon the ways of God and succumb to their desires, leading to jealousy, rage, and discord.

In the Bible, prostitution is described as a form of dishonest gain, and those who engage in it are believed to be excluded from Heaven. Prostitution defiles the body, which is considered God's temple. Both those who solicit prostitutes and those who work as prostitutes are warned against this behaviour, as it is seen as immoral, illegal, and dangerous.

The Bible provides specific instructions on avoiding idol worship, stating:

> You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Similarly, the Bible offers guidance on sexual purity, stating:

> Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

By following these instructions, believers are encouraged to keep their bodies and the land pure, avoiding the spiritual and physical pollution associated with idol worship and prostitution.

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