In the Bible, “defiled” refers to something that has been made unclean or polluted, often in a moral or ceremonial sense. It indicates a state of being corrupted by sin or unpurity, affecting one’s relationship with God and community (see Leviticus 11:44-45 and Matthew 15:11).
Scripture
24 “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean,
25 And the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
26 But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you.
27 (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean),
28 so that the land will not vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29 For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.
30 So you shall keep my charge by not doing any of the abominable customs that were done before you, and by not defiling yourselves with them: I am the Lord your God.”
Defiled Meaning in the Bible
The concept of being “defiled” in the Bible encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions, revealing how impurity can interrupt one’s relationship with God and the faith community. In Leviticus 11:44-45, God commands the Israelites to be holy because He Himself is holy, emphasizing that holiness involves keeping oneself free from defilement. This passage underlines the significance of ceremonial purity as a means of maintaining a proper standing before God. Similarly, in Matthew 15:11, Jesus reinforces this theme by proclaiming that what comes out of a person’s mouth—signifying their thoughts and intentions—can defile a person, rather than what they consume. This pivot from external rituals to internal motivations demonstrates the New Testament’s deeper exploration of defilement, connecting it to the heart’s condition.
Moreover, the broader implications of defilement extend to communal relations and ethical behavior. In James 1:27, the notion of “pure and undefiled religion” is linked to caring for orphans and widows, suggesting that true faith is evidenced in acts of love and service that uphold the vulnerable in society. The recurring theme throughout scripture emphasizes that defilement is not merely about external ordinances but relates intimately to one’s character, thoughts, and actions. Believers are called to seek spiritual cleanliness and integrity, as seen in 2 Corinthians 7:1, where Paul urges the faithful to cleanse themselves from every defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in fear of God. This holistic understanding invites individuals to pursue an inward transformation that reflects outwardly in community life and ethical practices, pointing ultimately to the necessity of reconciliation with God through Christ, who cleanses and sanctifies His followers.
The notion of defilement also finds its expression in the Old Testament through the lens of worship and covenant fidelity. In the prophetic books, God often rebukes His people for engaging in idol worship and other practices that lead to spiritual and communal defilement. For instance, in Ezekiel 22:26, the prophets highlight how the priests have done violence to the Law and have profaned God’s holy things, leading the people away from their covenant obligations. This spiritual defilement, characterized by disobedience and idolatry, not only estranges the people from God but also corrupts their relationship with one another, signaling that defilement can affect the very fabric of community life.
In the New Testament, the theme of defilement extends further with the idea of sin as a means of separation from God. The epistle to the Hebrews brings attention to the concept of being “defiled” in relation to God’s grace and relationship with sin. In Hebrews 12:15, the author warns against failing to obtain the grace of God, allowing a “root of bitterness” to spring up and cause trouble, thus defiling many. This passage suggests that spiritual defilement can be contagious, impacting not just the individual but also the broader faith community. Here, the emphasis shifts to the importance of grace, accountability, and mutual encouragement among believers, underscoring the need for vigilance in maintaining purity both personally and collectively as part of the ongoing journey of faith. Thus, while the concept of defilement begins with physical and ceremonial laws, it inevitably culminates in a call toward a deeper, relational purity grounded in the grace and teachings of Christ.
Spiritual Purity and Holiness
In the Bible, the concept of being defiled often relates to the idea of spiritual purity and holiness. Defilement can signify a state of being unclean or impure in the eyes of God, which can result from sin, idolatry, or moral corruption. This understanding emphasizes the importance of maintaining a pure heart and mind, as believers are called to reflect God’s holiness in their lives. The act of defilement can serve as a reminder of the need for repentance and restoration to a right relationship with God.
Physical and Ritual Cleanliness
Defilement also carries a significant meaning in the context of physical and ritual cleanliness. In the Old Testament, various laws and regulations were established to guide the Israelites in maintaining ceremonial purity. Certain actions, foods, or conditions could render an individual or object defiled, necessitating specific rituals for purification. This aspect highlights the importance of adhering to God’s commandments and the consequences of failing to do so, illustrating the broader theme of obedience and the sanctity of life in the community of faith.
Moral and Ethical Implications
The notion of defilement extends to moral and ethical implications within the biblical narrative. Actions that lead to defilement often involve injustice, oppression, or immorality, which can corrupt both individuals and communities. The Bible frequently calls for righteousness and ethical behavior, warning against practices that lead to moral decay. This understanding encourages believers to pursue a life that aligns with God’s standards of justice and integrity, fostering a community that reflects His character and values.
How to Embrace Holiness and Live a Pure Life
Embracing holiness and striving for a pure life is a beautiful journey that begins with a sincere heart and a desire to grow closer to God. It’s essential to immerse yourself in Scripture, allowing the Word to transform your mind and spirit—Romans 12:2 reminds us not to conform to the patterns of this world but to be renewed in our thinking. Surround yourself with a community of believers who encourage and challenge you to live out your faith authentically. Prayer is your lifeline; it’s in those quiet moments with God that you can seek His guidance and strength to resist temptation. Remember, holiness isn’t about perfection but about progress—acknowledge your shortcomings, seek forgiveness, and strive to reflect Christ’s love in your daily actions. As you cultivate a heart of worship and gratitude, you’ll find that living a pure life becomes less about rules and more about a deep, abiding relationship with the One who calls you to be holy.
Bible References to “Defiled” Meaning:
Leviticus 19:31-37: 31 “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.
32 “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.
33 “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.
34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
35 You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity.
36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37 You shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 20:1-9: 2 “Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
2 “Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
3 I myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary unclean and to profane my holy name.
4 If the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,
5 then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in whoring after Molech.
6 “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
8 Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
9 For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him.
Numbers 5:1-4: 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.
3 You shall send away both male and female; you shall send them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”
4 And the people of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp, as the Lord said to Moses; so the people of Israel did.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23: 22 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
Isaiah 24:5-6: 5 The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
and few men are left.
Jeremiah 2:7-9: 7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.
8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
those who handle the law did not know me;
the shepherds transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal
and went after things that do not profit.
9 “Therefore I still contend with you,
declares the Lord,
and with your children’s children I will contend.
Ezekiel 22:1-16: 2 “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her abominations.”
2 “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her abominations.
3 You shall say, Thus says the Lord God: A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and that makes idols to defile herself!
4 You have become guilty by the blood that you have shed, and defiled by the idols that you have made, and you have brought your days near, the appointed time of your years has come. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all the countries.
5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you; your name is defiled; you are full of tumult.
6 “Behold, the princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.
7 Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.
8 You have despised my holy things and profaned my Sabbaths.
9 There are men in you who slander to shed blood, and people in you who eat on the mountains; they commit lewdness in your midst.
10 In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are unclean in their menstrual impurity.
11 One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter.
12 In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God.
13 Behold, I strike my hand at the dishonest gain that you have made, and at the blood that has been in your midst.
14 Can your courage endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.
15 And I will scatter you among the nations, and disperse you through the countries, and I will consume your uncleanness out of you.
16 And you shall be profaned by your own doing in the sight of the nations, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
Hosea 5:3-7: 3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the whore; Israel is defiled.
4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord.
5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them.
6 They shall go with their flocks and herds
to seek the Lord,
but they will not find him;
he has withdrawn from them.
7 They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.
Matthew 15:10-20: 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand:
11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.
12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.
15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”
16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding?
17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?
18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
Mark 7:14-23: 14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand:
15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.
16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.
18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him,
19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)
20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.
21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17: 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Hebrews 12:14-17: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
Revelation 21:22-27: 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,
25 Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.
26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.
27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.